Where did you get this idea from?
Posted on 11/29/2003 8:16:28 AM PST by Blindboy16
The Next Attack on America: Terrorists Prepare for New Operations
Compiled By: Ryan Mauro
tdcanalyst@optonline.net
**Readers are warned that this investigation is not cause for immediate alarm. Terrorists often preparing large attacks, and often those attacks are foiled. Certain Al-Qaeda statements must be critically looked at, as certain statements may be used as part of a psychological warfare effort. The purpose of this investigation is to find indications of what the terrorists are trying to pull off, and what types of attacks to expect in the future.**
Recently, a United Nations report found that the attempts to strangle Al-Qaeda’s money supply is failing, and that the terrorists are intent on using chemical and biological weapons. The only thing stopping such an attack from taking place is the lack of expertise to conduct such an operation. For those of you that read my massive report detailing the history of terrorist WMD efforts and smuggling of sensitive materials (“The Next Wave of Spectacular Terrorism”), this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
The war in Iraq, while removing a source for training in these attacks for terrorists, may have provided a unique opportunity for terrorists to obtain WMDs. Some say that with war going on, the Iraqi intelligence services may give WMDs to terrorists, while others say that they are so well-hidden that neither the intelligence operatives of Saddam nor terrorists can get to them. The possibility of terrorists obtaining Iraqi weapons startled readers when on October 1st, the press reported that Kuwait had foiled an attempt to smuggle $60 million worth of chemical weapons and biological warheads from Iraq. The Kuwaiti Al-Siyassah reported the event, which Kuwaiti officials quickly denied.[1] To this day, there is no reason to believe the report, or not to believe it.
The only thing that can be believed at this point, is that terrorists like Al-Qaeda are eager to attack the United States with the deadliest weapons, using the deadliest methods they can. This year, indications arose that terrorists were planning new types of attacks. New methods for a new wave. What can we learn from what has been leaked to the press?
Statements by Al-Qaeda Spokesmen
In a very creative move, it appears that Al-Qaeda may even use women in the next attacks. In March, Umm Usama, the self-proclaimed leader of the female terrorist network, came out and claimed she had been assigned to supervise the training of females for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. She said that the female suicide bombers were to arrive at their targets in America shortly, for “a strike that will knock the September 11 attacks into oblivion”.[2]
A Saudi opposition leader, Saad al-Fagih, who owns a website for Saudis sympathetic to Osama Bin Laden (where followers communicate using voice-modification tools) warned right before war began that “there is an impending attack coming, and this attack is immense, huge, either as big or even bigger than September 11. This attack is full of surprise, it would come in a very unsuspecting manner.”[3]
Upon his arrest, Khlaid Shiekh Mohammed (Al-Qaeda’s top operations planner) claimed that the terrorists had up to two dozen pending attacks against American and Israeli interests.[4] Of course, there is no way to confirm the accuracy of the statement. But if the volume of Al-Qaeda threats is proportionate to the intensity of planning, then 911-level attacks are in the works. According to one of Al-Qaeda’s new spokesmen, Tabet bin-Qais, told Al-Majallah that the group was planning and preparing a new attack on the United States that would equal 9-11. He said US intelligence would be unable to penetrate the group in charge of the attacks because a new operational structure had been established, and the people involved in 9-11, including the leaders, had changed positions so that detainees would not even know about the plot to begin with.[5]
Given Iraq’s alliance with Osama Bin Laden, it is entirely possible that Iraq will sponsor the next spectacular attack. The Iraqi vice president soon after the war began (who also helped manage ties to terrorists), said, “The day will come when a single martyrdom operation will kill 5,000 enemies. We will use any means to kill our enemy in our land and we will follow the enemy into its land. This is just the beginning.”[6]
In February, Osama Bin Laden issued a new audiotape, indicating he may die as a martyr in 2003. “In this final year I hurly myself and my steed with my soul at the enemy. Indeed on my demise I will become a martyr. I pray my demise isn’t on a coffin bearing green mantles. I wish my demise to be in the eagle’s belly.” He boasted that 9-11 caused mass trauma in only a few days, and called for even larger attacks.[7] A similar tape by Ayman al-Zawahiri condemned Nigeria, Morocco, Jordan, Pakistan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia for being “slaves” to the US. A Taliban commander named Gazi Mullah also warned that Al-Qaeda was preparing to strike, and claimed they had about 3,500 active operatives. He said that at the end of August 2001, the group had merged with the Egyptian Jam’aat al-Jihad, adding 3,501 people to their manpower. He said that a new network of camps had been set up across Afghanistan and that, “Washington and New York will shudder with the power of our future attacks.”[8]
In April, another audiotape by Osama Bin Laden called for revolution in the Arab world and attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.[9] In May, another tape by Zawahiri was released which condemned Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt and Jordan. The most chilling statement was: “Consider your 19 brothers who attacked America in Washington and New York with their planes as an example…Oh Muslims, take your decision against the embassies of America, England and Australia and Norway, their interests, their companies, and their employees. Turn the earth under their feet into fire.”[10]
America went to Orange Alert in June due to a high level of “chatter” by terrorists. Internet forums used by the terrorists talking of “big surprises” coming from the Saudi Arabian region of Asir (where most of the 911 hijackers came from) between September 9th and September 12th. The week prior to the message, another warning came out calling on all “good Muslims” to leave New York City, Boston and other cities on the coast to leave within 48 hours. During this chatter, an audiotape by Ayman Al-Zawahiri was released, talking about days coming soon that would heal the heart of his followers. Both the CIA and FBI warned that terrorism was enerting a new and more dangerous phase, and detainees talked of attacking the mainland by infiltrating through Canada, and possible plots against subway systems.[11]
On July 12th, the top Al-Qaeda spokesman, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, threatened attacks on the United States.[12] There is probably no connection, but it followed a new tape by Saddam Hussein threatening Coalition forces. Israeli intelligence reported that the broadcasting of the tape had been edited out, so threats of retaliation against President Bush and the rulers of the US, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia were not aired.[13] A Kuwaiti paper also published a letter from Al-Qaeda’s chief of training, Abu Muhammed al-Ablaj, which referred to an impending attack against America involving a “fatal blow” to the “head of the international media serpent that serves the American whims and interests.” The next wave would “cut off the wings of the American eagle, slice its arteries, and finally butcher it the Islamic way.”[14]
At around the same time as several warnings to Americans about attacks that may top 9-11 in devestation possibly using chemical and biological weapons, several Al-Qaeda tapes were released. Spokesman Abdel-Rahman al-Najidi in a tape dated September 3rd warned that there would be more attacks on Americans everywhere, inside and outside America, to make the world forget about 9-11. He also claimed that Al-Qaeda’s manpower had doubled.[15] The same week, Al-Nida, the most popular Al-Qaeda website, reappeared (its appearance and reappearance has often been connected to terrorist activities including 911). On the website was a book about how to fight the US, and said a new campaign had begun in May when Riyadh was attacked. It condemned Yasser Arafat, and called for overthrowing the governments of Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.[16] In the same week, a videotape of Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri was released, along with audio from Zawahiri. The tapes, made in late April or early May, praised 911, mentioned the names of 5 of the hijackers, and Zawahiri said that the group now aimed not to “chop off the hand” that seeks to harm them, and that everything seen already was only the first skirmishes. The real battle, he said, had not begun. He warned, “Prepare yourself for the punishment of your crimes”.[17]
On another note, some people believe the blackouts were indeed terrorist attacks, likely through use of cyber warfare. Al-Qaeda’s Abu Hafs Brigade, which previously claimed credit for the group in downing an airplane over Kenya and executing the bombing of Marriott Hotel in Jakarta on August 5th, said that the blackouts were carried out on the orders of Bin Laden. They explained it was part of a new strategy to destroy the American economy.[18] The Northeast Intelligence Network (www.HomelandSecurityUS.com) during this time noted “chatter” in terrorist Internet forums claiming that Al-Qaeda conducted the blackouts, and noted a strange pattern of blackouts over the next weeks. Key US allies including Britain, Italy, Australia and Israel soon experienced blackouts, with little explanation. I highly suggest going to the website and deciding for yourself if this was terrorism or not. I admit I do not have the answer, although I lean towards cyber terrorism as being behind some of the blackouts. Make your own decision after going to: http://www.hagmannpi.com/Blackouts%202003.htm.
In October, another Zawahiri audiotape was released. In it, the UK, US, Poland, Japan, Spain, Italy, Holland and Australia were threatened. Kuwait received special mention. The tape went along with a videotape of Bin Laden and Zawahiri. According to the Northeast Intelligence Network, the Zawahiri message had clear threats to Washington DC and New York City, and subsequent postings in Islamic fundamentalist message boards talked about events “on the day of New York” (a planned attack against NY), and active plans for attacks in the Gulf.[19] Western intelligence reported soon after that the Bin Laden had hidden messages telling sleeper cells to hit Gulf targets, probably in Kuwait and other countries in the GCC.[20] Not long after this, Riyadh was attacked again, and Bahrain went on high alert.
The most recent threat from Al-Qaeda could be the most disturbing. A source close to Al-Qaeda has repeated a message to the Arab paper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that Debkafile and the Northeast Intelligence Network picked up on Internet forums commonly visited by terrorists. The published statement said that the preparation stage for the largest Al-Qaeda operation in the United States had been finished, and that the “countdown” to the attacks had begun. The attack would involve a series of surprise attacks to cause the US to lose communication with the armies in the Islamic world. In the same forums, there was references to a new Bin Laden videotape having been finished, to be released around the time of the attacks. After the initial strikes, Al-Qaeda would demand the United States retreat from the Islamic world, and if we did not announce an immediate withdraw, the second series of strikes would immediately follow. The videotape or videotapes will also contain the statements of Al-Qaeda suicide bombers that carried out the latest Riyadh attacks, and Bin Laden will explain why he targeted certain Saudi targets.[21]
Conventional Terror Threats
The primary focus of Al-Qaeda’s efforts remains to attack the airlines. The terrorists probably saw the economic effects 9-11 had, and the panic it created. However, hijackings will be more difficult, which is why they are simultaneously planning for attacks involving surface-to-air missiles, improvised explosive devices that can be snuck aboard planes (disguised as teddy bears, cameras, etc), and possibly using truck bombs to detonate under airplanes as they land.
However, this does not mean that Al-Qaeda is not preparing for hijackings. According to the FBI, intelligence was received in September 2002 that confirmed that Al-Qaeda was planning a new wave of hijackings. In a plot over a year in the making, Chechen operatives (to defeat any second look that may occur if it was an Arab) numbering between 10 and 20 would use liquid explosives to gain control of the cockpit. There was no timeframe given for the attacks to take place.[22] Most recently, warnings went out that Al-Qaeda was planning to hijack cargo planes instead of passenger airliners.
Al-Qaeda is also focusing on attacking maritime targets. Western intelligence has information that the terrorist organization has an operational branch specifically for maritime operations that could target military ships, merchant ships, ports, oil terminals and oil tankers.[23] Tactical Defense Concepts (www.tdconcepts.com), a maritime security company, has been following the maritime threat. They have reported extensively on the focus by terrorists to strike at and from sea. Emphasis has been put on the Al-Qaeda “navy”, which is suspected to number up to 20 ships.
Information obtained by the FBI this year gave a glimpse into terrorist strategy. According to the FBI, Al-Qaeda aimed to create a series of more low-level, sporatic attacks, with occasional major attacks. Most attacks would focus on insecure, “soft targets”. The new strategy called for new methods of attack including surface-to-air missile use, poisons, maritime attacks, etc. The targets of the occasional spectacular attacks would be decided by the target’s ability to cause maximum panic, maximum casualties, maximum economic disruption, and the target’s prominence.[24] At the same time, the CIA was reporting a new focus by Al-Qaeda on targets in Saudi Arabia and the United States, and new focus on chemical and biological weapons.[25] Further intelligence indicated that at least two major attacks were being prepared, one in the Arabian Peninsula and one in America. Low-level operatives in charge of logistics for the operations had been dispatched, and worldwide movement of operatives had been detected.[26]
More information continues to pour in. Now we know that the new waves of attacks aims to cripple the American economy and House of Saud by targeting the Saudi industry. The effort began last summer with a foiled attack on the Ras Tanura oil refinery, the largest of its kind in the world.[27] Possibly in connection with the new wave of attacks, the German BND intelligence agency warned that about 20 terror “commandos” from Afghanistan were heading to France, Britain, Germany and the Czech Republic via Bahrain. They were followers of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who recently formed an alliance with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.[28]
It appears that an initial wave was indeed foiled. In early February, two Middle Easterners were removed from an American Airlines flight to Los Angeles with 1 utility knife, 10 straight razors, and thousands of dollars. The potential weapons were found in their luggage at Dulles International Airport, where the hijackers that targeted the Pentagon took off.[29] At almost the same time, the British arrested a Venezuelan with a grenade at the Getwick Airport in London. The same day, two men were arrested along the flight path for airplanes to approach the Heathrow Airport.[30] Meanwhile, inside the US, chatter was intercepted about possible bombings in New York and New Jersey. The feds were reported to be tracking between 20 and 40 Al-Qaeda-linked men, and about a dozen Al-Qaeda-linked men in touch with overseas operatives. A radical mosque was also being minotored, where people were told about an attack by “true believers” that would be executed by Indonesians, Saudis and Malaysians. Altogether, about one thousand suspected Al-Qaeda sympathizers were believed to be in America.[31]
In April, a group of at least 14 Al-Qaeda operatives were confirmed to be trying to infiltrate the United States from Mexico, with the help of Mexican crime groups and drug traffickers.[32] If the Saudis can be trusted, this was not the only dispatching of operatives to the West. They claim that key Al-Qaeda operatives fled their cells in Saudi Arabia to go to Europe and North America right before the May 12th bombings in Riyadh.[33] Despite the warnings, the apparent focus of Al-Qaeda was still airlines. The Department of Homeland Security warned in September that Al-Qaeda was planning to hijack airplanes flying in between countries in an area over or near the American mainland, possibly originating from Canada. This is because America cannot require specific security measures for non-American carriers when flights originate outside the country. The hijacking plot was said to be part of a campaign for multiple attacks on overseas interests and inside America. The warning also spoke of possible truck bombings at hotels, dams, petrochemical facilities, or transportation hubs. A warning to high-profile persons was also included. It noted an uptick in “chatter”, and warned that Al-Qaeda was working on new ways to conceal weapons, and males may even dress up as females to avoid detection. Nuclear power plants and energy facilities, the transportation sector particularly aviation and railroads, the food supply, water systems, and petroleum and chemical facilities were also mentioned as potential targets. Finally, the FBI issued a bulletin announcing a worldwide search for 4 men, one of which is believed to be an Al-Qaeda “ringleader” like Mohammed Atta.[34]
According to a UN report in June, Al-Qaeda has at least 800 “soldiers” ready to attack economic and tourism targets. It said the group had made a “third generation” of operatives and sent them out of Afghanistan just prior to the American-led invasion of that country in 2001. It confirmed the group was now focusing on economic targets.[35] A confidential Italian intelligence report leaked out this same month saying that Osama Bin Laden was in Iran at the end of May, where he authorized attacks in Pakistan, Italy and Turkey.[36] Homeland Security warned that as part of the economic warfare effort, Al-Qaeda may send operatives to get jobs at banks in the northeast.[37]
Over the summer, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed began talking. Keep in mind, some of this could be disinformation. He said that Al-Qaeda planned to hit the economy by attacking the transportation sector, specifically bridges, planes, trains and the fuel supply. Among the plans that were foiled or delayed were: Destruction of gas stations in Washington DC and New York City by detonating explosives in the underground storage tanks; using gas-cutting flamethrowers to cut the suspension lines for the Brooklyn Bridge; use truck bombs to destroy parked commercial airliners; and a plot to destroy an Air France airliner. Surveillance of the Panama Canal and targets in New York was confirmed, as well as the fact that Canada is a major staging ground for terrorists.[38]
In September, the focus on 911-style attacks became clear. Saudi Arabia, who finally decided to join the War on Terror after Riyadh was bombed in May, captured Al-Qaeda terrorists on their way to executing attacks. They claimed that a 911-style attack was planned against Israel, where recruited Saudi Air Force pilots would fly civilian aircraft or F-15 fighter aircraft from the Tabuk Air Force Base into civilian office towers.[39] Of course, this does not mean that use of surface-to-air missiles was not being prepared for.
The previous month an arms dealer sympathetic to Al-Qaeda tried to sell 50 Igla-class missiles for $5 million before August 30th to terrorists, so that airliners could be destroyed on the second anniversary of September 11th. The man boasted he could obtain up to 200 such missiles.[40]
Although this is not evidence of preparations for terrorism, London’s World Markets Research Centre published a very interesting report. According to it, the United States was the fourth most likely terror target, only behind Colombia, Israel and Pakistan. It said that another 911-level attack on America was “highly likely”.[41]
The most recent warning was in Newsweek, in which US officials reportedly said that there was concern that the overseas attacks by Al-Qaeda were intended to be the first attacks of a new wave, in which a “grand finale” would involve a “spectacular” attack against the US. Officials also confirmed Al-Qaeda’s intense work to surpass the destruction of September 11th. Just a few days ago, the Department of Homeland Security sent out a warning to police to be on the look out for car bombings by Al-Qaeda.[42] How will these be executed?
I think it is likely that Al-Qaeda intends to use ambulances for these attacks. According to a new Iraqi paper, 11 ambulances were stolen in Iraq.[43] The Northeast Intelligence Network at HomelandSecurityUS.com has found a lot of talk on Islamic internet forums of attacks using ambulances in Iraq and the United States.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Indications of preparation for a nuclear attack or effort to acquire nukes began in the second half of 2002. In the most dramatic indication, the Islamic Ruling Committee in Cairo (Sunni) ruled that Islamic states had a “religious obligation” to “seize” nuclear weapons for their own defense against “the enemy”. The declaration stated that if Mohammed were alive today, he would use nukes against the enemy.[44] In a more mysterious statement, Mohamed Haydar-Zammar, a suspected 911 co-planner is reported to have said in 2003 “America has not yet been punished for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”[45] Could this represent indoctrination being inserted into the minds of Bin Laden’s followers to justify a radiological or nuclear attack?
It is no secret that terrorists want WMDs. A Pentagon report has confirmed this, saying that Al-Qaeda has a “sophisticated” biological weapons program, and are seeking chemical weapons. The report cautione dhtat dozens of terrorist groups and countries are seeking such weapons. Russian and Chinese companies were called the key supplies of technical know-how and equipment for countries making WMD, especially Iran. The report expressed alarm at the willingness of companies in China and Russia to supply such tools.[46]
As for WMD attacks, we know about the attempted attacks with chemical and biological weapons against targets in France, Italy, Britain and Germany in January—February 2003. Recently, we are hearing rumors about a planned chemical attack in Kut, Iraq against Coalition forces[47]. There was a high alert during President Bush’s visit to London on November 20th, 2003. If Gordon Thomas’ Globe-Intel.org can be trusted, there was a planned Al-Qaeda attack on London that day. Thomas writes:
“An Al Qaeda sleeper operative – posing as an asylum seeker – was arrested in Belfast last week linked to a planned terrorist attack in London on President Bush.
The city has been designated by intelligence chiefs as having the same threat level as Baghdad during his visit this week. The 36 year-old Algerian operative had documents about vials of anthrax and botulism which disappeared from a former Soviet Union secret lab outside Prague two years ago.
The man arrived in Northern Ireland eighteen months ago seeking asylum. But MI5 agents were suspicious why he had come to Belfast.
Six months ago, he was detained as an illegal immigrant. Intelligence agents began to check his background.
They discovered he had contacts in a group of Al Qaeda sympathisers based at a mosque in a Dublin city suburb. He also had links to Sheikh Abu Hamza al-Masri – the one-eyed cleric now spreads his extreme Islamic Fundamentalism outside London’s Finsbury Park mosque, from which he is barred entering.
Initially, the intelligence agents feared the Algerian might be trying to establish links with IRA extremists. But with no evidence to suggest that, MI5 began working closely with MI6 and European security services. They traced the man’s journey to Belfast. They found he had made contact with Al Qaeda supporters in France and Spain – and discovered biowarfare documents.
Since then, MI6 intelligence agents have tried to trace the two deadly substances stolen from Prague.
They fear the vials could have been smuggled into Britain on board the Eurostar by one of Al Qaeda’s other sleeper agents in the country.”[48]
A Taliban diplomat named Naseer Ahmad Rohi told the Russian press that advanced weapons like guided missiles and remote-controlled devices and chemical weapons had been obtained from “friendly” nations.[49] We know that 2003 saw the first attempts at major chemical and biological attacks in Western Europe and elsewhere. Among the foiled attacks was a plot to poison the food supply of a British military base in England in January.[50] Some of the preparations for these attacks seemed to have occurred in Georgia and Chechnya. From the investigation, it appeared that Al-Qaeda forces that fled Afghanistan set up a lab to produce toxic chemicals at a site between the two places.[51]
As many expected, as more information came in, the scope of Al-Qaeda’s program for chemical and biological weapons emerged and it was huge. It took Western intelligence up until this year to realize that terrorists may have reached the threshold of production and may have produced some weapons. The terrorists, according to research from captured documents and interviews with detainees, were much more advanced than previously believed. The operational leadership had completed plans for production and obtained the required materials to produce cyanide, botulinum toxins, and salmonella. Information also emerged that Al-Qaeda was close to having the ability to produce anthrax, as all the necessary ingredients had been purchased.[52]
In April, it is now known that Osama Bin Laden held a summit in Afghanistan’s mountains to plot the next attacks, which will involve biological weapons. A Taliban source told Newsweek the attacks “will be unbelievable”. Terrorist “officials” based in the Middle East and eastern Europe were said to be working with Bin Laden in preparing the attacks. Another high-ranking Taliban source told Newsweek that the objective of Bin Laden is to use biological weapons, and that preparations were underway—they were just still debating when to use them, how to transport them and how to use them. The meeting involved several senior Al-Qaeda operatives, at least three high-ranking Taliban officials, leaders of militants in Chechnya and Uzbekistan, and others. Seif al-Adel, now in Iran, was assigned to head operations in Iraq. According to the report, Osama Bin Lade was evading capture by staying in Afghanistan’s Kunar province in the mountains surrounded by forests, east of the capital city.[53] This makes me wonder, is this activity responsible for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed being arrested in March at the home of a bacteriologist, with access to sensitive facilities and materials?
An Al-Qaeda spokesperson told Al-Majallah on May 25th that, “Al-Qaeda does not rule out using sarin gas and poisoning drinking water in US and Western cities…We will talk about them (these weapons) then and the infidels will know what harms them. They spared no effort in their war on us in Afghanistan. They should not therefore rule out the possibility that we will present them with our capabilities.”[54] In the weeks following, The Washington Times printed a CIA report titled “Terrorist CBN: Materials and Effects” which stated that groups like Al-Qaeda planned to use WMD as part of their goal. It said terrorists tied to Osama Bin Laden had a wide variety of agents and delivery means including nerve gases, germ weapons and toxic weapons. Documents captured in Afghanistan showed Al-Qaeda was developing a “dirty” radiological bomb, and had sketched out plans for a crude nuclear device. If such a nuclear attempt fails, the report says, terrorists may target our nuclear industry to get the same effect. The report warned that documents found in summer of 2002 showed that Al-Qaeda had procedures to make mustard, sarin, anthrax, ricin and VX. Other weapons available to Al-Qaeda was cyanide, chlorine, phosgene and botulism.[55]
Robert Hutchinson of Jane’s Defense Weekly said in August that Al-Qaeda and other terrorists are far more likely to use radiological bombs than the Soviet Union was, and the threat is greater today than then. He noted that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the impossibility to create a Mutually Assured Destruction doctrine, the widespread release of knowledge of scientists and technicians on nuclear weapons, the increasing difficulty in controlling the spread of fissile material, and the existence of state sponsors of terrorism may this war more difficult.[56] Unlike the USSR, terrorists won’t wait to use WMDs. And unlike the USSR, we cannot create limitations and standards for the conflict.
Israeli intelligence believes that between August 7th and August 14th, Al-Qaeda planned to do the largest wave of attacks since 9-11 but failed due to crackdowns in Kenya, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The wave involved using missiles to down airliners, hijackings of airliners, and crashing light planes filled with explosives over American, British and other Western embassies. Truck bombings of commercial sites and attacks on Israeli tourist sites in East Africa were also foiled. The intelligence indicated that the suspension of flights from Britain to Saudi Arabia on August 13th stopped several planned hijackings, where the airplanes would be seized and then crash into Jeddah, Dahran and Riyadh.[57] This information may have been what caused the head of Australia’s Security Intelligence Organization to say a terrorist attack with chemical and biological weapons “is only a matter of time”.[58]
In September, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that Al-Qaeda was planning multiple attacks inside and outside America, and there were indications they were learning how to disseminate diseases and toxins by contaminating food and water or spraying agents in closed spaces.[59] A warning soon after that warned that Al-Qaeda may be trying to make an attack even more devastating than 911, possibly using chemical and biological weapons. The warning was part of a worldwide advisory to American citizens.[60] Around the same time, a key leader for Jeemah Islamiyah (linked to Al-Qaeda) was captured by Thai authorities. He was trying to help execute a plan to launch missile attacks on the Bangkok International Airport and to conduct kidnappings.[61]
In October, authorities in the Philippines found a bio-terror manual and traces of a “tetanus-germ-carrying chemical” found in the home of a raid to arrest members of the Jeemah Islamiya.[62] New indications of a dirty bomb plot have also been found. A key Al-Qaeda operative in Canada is being searched for named Adnan al-Shukijumah who was seen last year in Hamilton, Colorado posing as a student at McMaster University, which has a 5-megawatt research reactor. In 2002, he was seen with at least 3 other Al-Qaeda operatives including a man on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. He is also believed to have had contact with Jose Padilla, the first man captured in America trying to build a dirty bomb.[63]
Perhaps the scariest report is one of the most recent. According to the sworn testimony of a soldier from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a meeting occurred between an Egyptian named Ibrahim Abd and other Congolese opposition soldiers including himself on March 3, 2000 in Hamburg, Germany. At the meeting, the Al-Qaeda operative bought two bars of enriched uranium-138.[64]
On a final note, it does appear that chemical and biological attacks are in the works for new attacks. According to WorldNetDaily.com, a chemical attack was thwarted on November 22, 2003 in Great Britain. Toxins that can be used to mix with ricin for an assault were purchased by a radical Islamic front company, but luckily authorities took action before the substances could be used. The link to the article is here: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35772
The Department of Homeland Security has also issued a secret warning that Al-Qaeda is showing a focus on chemical and biological attacks inside America, and warned that they had developed a crude device to spread cyanide gas through the venthilation systems of indoor facilities like subways.[65]
HomelandSecurityUS.com has warned that attacks possibly involving WMDs are in the works. Among the information the website has revealed around the Muslim holy month of Ramadan includes:
A) Terrorists are being tracked in the northeast, that infiltrated from Canada. Islamic Internet forums have posted pictures of them inside America, possibly as a form of communication.
B) References are being seen to possible chemical weapons deliveries. We do not know where the deliveries were made.
C) Two fatwahs have been made justifying use of nuclear weapons against the infidels. This is done to justify death of Muslims, civilians and new strategies in the war. Such fatwahs in the past were made to justify the killing of Muslims beginning with the 1998 embassy bombings, and attacks on America killing civilians.
D) Reported conversations between radical Muslims about how nuclear weapons have been obtained from Russia.
E) Threats by Muslim clerics to use WMDs including nuclear weapons in response to the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and the presence of Americans in the Arabian Peninsula.
F) Warnings for Muslims to leave Los Angeles, New York City and Washington DC (Possible psychological warfare)
G) Threat by Al-Qaeda “commander” in Iraq that the next attack in America will kill 100,000.[66] HomelandSecurityUS.com believes this was also just psychological warfare.
H) A new Bin Laden tape is not being released. It appears that the terrorists are waiting for something to happen before releasing it.
I) New messages being rapidly removed from forums with pictures of atomic explosions, talks of attacks at or from seaports on America, and suspicious coding. The fact the messages are removed so quickly indicates someone was waiting for them.
J) It is also possible that Al-Qaeda, depending on its operational ties to the Baathist resistance in Iraq, may have some access to chemical or biological weapons for use in the region. Recent intelligence reports indicate that chemical weapons are being prepared for use in the city of Kut.[67]
Summary
From my previous report, “The Next Wave of Spectacular Terrorism”, I discussed all the information available about Al-Qaeda’s WMD programs. I am not in a position to assess the credibility of the following reports, but here is a summary of some reports from my previous investigation—Among the things Al-Qaeda has been alleged to have are:
1) Possibly nuclear weapons from Pakistan, but definitely nuclear materials.
2) Chemical bombs, VX, anthrax, and sarin from Iraq
3) Self-produced anthrax, botulinum toxin, chlorine, ricin, phosgene, cyanide and sarin
4) Chemical ammunition including neuro-paralytic gases
5) E.Coli and Ebola from eastern Europe
6) Anthrax from the Moro Liberation Front in Southeast Asia, probably from an Indonesian factory
7) At least one dirty bomb self-produced
8) Pesticides that can be used for chemical weapons from the Ukraine
9) Radioactive materials from the Ukraine
10) 12-15 kilos of enriched uranium from Semyon Mogilevich, who got them from Ukraine
11) Anthrax and plague from Kazakhstan
12) Up to 20 tactical nuclear weapons from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. (I’ve seen reports that these weapons may have been intercepted by the West)
13) A Russian nuclear-tipped air-to-surface missile and two more nuclear warheads from an abandoned missile silo in Bamut
14) Anthrax and sarin from North Korea
15) Uranium from South Africa
16) An RA-115 nuclear weapon and RA-116 nuclear weapon from Ukraine
17) Up to 70 capsules of Russian chemical, biological weapons including Vibera Lebentina Venemez
18) Botulinum toxin and necessary production equipment from Czech Republic
19) Ebola and salmonella from Russia
Which of these reports is wrong, or right? I don’t know. It’s possible that they’re all right, or all wrong. It’s possible that most are right, and the terrorists lack the expertise to use the weapons. It’s also possible they have nukes and the weapons can’t be activated. There are all sorts of possibilities. All we can know for sure is that:
A) Al-Qaeda’s main goal is to use weapons of mass destruction
B) Al-Qaeda almost certainly has dirty bombs, and chemical and biological weapons
C) Al-Qaeda has a continued focus on attacking the airlines industry
D) Al-Qaeda is focusing on destroying the American economy, and toppling the House of Saud as its main objective
E) There is a stiff effort to launch maritime attacks
F) Al-Qaeda, due to the War on Terror, aims to launch a higher number of small attacks to make up for the larger gap in between spectacular attacks
G) The spectacular attacks will probably involve the airlines, chemical and biological weapons, and multiple, simultaneous attacks inside and outside America.
And to conclude this report, I will say the same thing I said in the last investigation:
“Expect the Unexpected”.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Associated Press, October 1, 2003. Citing Kuwaiti paper, Al-Siyassah.
[2] WorldNetDaily.com, March 12, 2003. Citing Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.
[3] UPI, March 15, 2003. Al-Fagih was speaking to Peter Bergen.
[4] New York Post, March 26, 2003.
[5] The Australian, May 8, 2003.
[6] Associated Press, March 30, 2003.
[7] Associated Press, February 13, 2003.
[8] Pravda.ru, January 25, 2003.
[9] Associated Press, April 8, 2003.
[10] Associated Press, May 21, 2003.
[11] Newsweek, June 2, 2003.
[12] Middle East Newsline, July 12, 2003.
[13] Debkafile, July 4, 2003.
[14] Al-Watan, June 20, 2003.
[15] Washington Post, September 7, 2003.
[16] Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri.org), September 8, 2003.
[17] Associated Press, September 10, 2003.
[18] Al-Hayat, August 19, 2003.
[19] HomelandSecurityUS.com, October 19, 2003.
[20] Middle East Newsline, October 20, 2003.
[21] Debkafile, November 24, 2003. HomelandSecurityUS.com around this time also. And Al-Sharq Al-Awsat of November 26, 2003.
[22] New York Post, September 19, 2002.
[23] Reuters, February 23, 2003.
[24] New York Times, February 12, 2003.
[25] World Tribune, February 12, 2003.
[26] New York Times, February 13, 2003.
[27] ABC News, February 16, 2003.
[28] Washington Times, January 25, 2003.
[29] WorldNetDaily.com, February 12, 2003.
[30] New York Times, February 13, 2003.
[31] MSNBC, February 14, 2003.
[32] Washington Times, April 7, 2003.
[33] Washington Post, May 20, 2003.
[34] CNN, September 5, 2003.
[35] New York Post, June 24, 2003.
[36] Milian Corriere Della Serra, June 26, 2003.
[37] MSNBC, July 25, 2003.
[38] Newsweek, June 15, 2003.
[39] WorldNetDaily.com, September 10, 2003.
[40] New York Post, August 14, 2003.
[41] New York Times, August 16, 2003.
[42] WorldNetDaily.com, November 22, 2003.
[43] Al-Shira (Baghdad), November 23, 2003.
[44] World Tribune, January 23, 2003.
[45] New York Times, January 18, 2003.
[46] Associated Press, May 24, 2003.
[47] Al-Zaman, November 20, 2003.
[48] Gordon Thomas’ Globe-intel.org, November 20, 2003.
[49] Pravda.ru, January 21, 2003.
[50] New York Times, January 23, 2003.
[51] WorldNetDaily.com, January 14, 2003.
[52] Washington Post, March 23, 2003.
[53] Newsweek, September 1, 2003.
[54] UPI, May 29, 2003.
[55] Washington Times, June 3, 2003.
[56] The Scotsman, August 12, 2003.
[57] Debkafile, August 14, 2003.
[58] Bloomberg, August 13, 2003.
[59] CNN, September 5, 2003.
[60] Bloomberg News, September 11, 2003.
[61] Debkafile, August 14, 2003.
[62] Debkafile, October 20, 2003.
[63] Washington Times, October 17, 2003.
[64] WorldNetDaily.com, November 14, 2003. Cites French paper, Le Progres.
[65] WorldNetDaily.com, November 26, 2003.
[66] Memri.org, November 14, 2003.
[67] Al-Zaman, November 20, 2003.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldthreats.com ...
or perhaps it's just turkey leftovers overload
Do some digging by the way .... rumor has it that they pulled a disassembled radiation bomb out of someone's house in the UK yesterday.
Of course they quickly changed it to a shoe bomb, but the words dirty and radiation were in the initial stories.
Thank goodness we have that border locked down then!
There is no such thing as "uranium 138".
--Boris
Where did you get this idea from?
They dont. Well, actually they do. The keep shutting down and moving sites like Al Neda, Azzam and others. Al Qaeda has a large presense on the net, and the followers of Islam terrorist sympathizers keep track on their forums and tell each other when their favorite jihadi site moves...
There is more info on anti-terrorist sites like this.
You are of course mistaken, President Bush never made such a claim, but then you know that.
The President has said that this will be a long and difficult fight with some set backs, but then you know that as well.
I do wonder about your purpose in your lies, but only for the briefest moment, as you do not warrant much more than that.
Have a good day.
That's true, but not very helpful.
Odd that the experts couldn't find any trace of an originating substance. Of course, I'm no chemist or haz-mat person, so, perhaps it isn't odd.
How do NY subways normally smell?
Most Freepers don't know it, but a substantial percentage of the earliest FR members were, well, a bit kookish. If you check his "Posts in Forum" page, you'll see he's a Buchananite and Bush-hater.
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