FBI: "Flight numbers of Al Qaeda terrorists known"

12/23/03 | NEWSMAX

[Az Joe]

"U.S. intelligence agencies had gathered detailed information about the plan, in which they said al Qaeda operatives would hijack foreign airliners and fly them into targets in the United States," reported NBC News late Tuesday.

In some instances, the intelligence is so detailed as to include specific flight numbers," the network said."

[Az Joe]

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/12/23/223334.shtml

[Guillermo]

The only way some Mohammedan is going to be able to commandeer a commercial aircraft is if the plane is full of French nationals.

[Dallas59]

Put a few agents on board those flights and catch em...

[xm177e2]

Is it really necessary to break this sort of thing on the news? I sure hope NBC cleared this news flash with the FBI before releasing it.

[flashbunny]

Already posted here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1045838/posts

[xm177e2]

The only way some Mohammedan is going to be able to commandeer a commercial aircraft is if the plane is full of French nationals.

Or if he is locked inside the cockpit, behind a reinforced door. One hundred US Marines couldn't cut through one of those with just their bare hands.

[Az Joe]

12/24/03

The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed federal officials, reported Tuesday that intelligence that led to the heightened security warning included broad references to large urban areas, including New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It said other pieces of intelligence cited much smaller locales, including Rappahannock, a county of 7,000 about 185 miles northwest of South Hampton Roads. McCarthy said that could mean anything. They had intercepted some sort of phone conversation where the word Rappahannock (Virginia) popped up.”

[ontos-on]

Is it really necessary to break this sort of thing on the news? I sure hope NBC cleared this news flash with the FBI before releasing it.

My sentiments exactly!

[kms61]

My guess is this was deliberately released in order to force AQ to shut down the operation. Even if they know the details and are prepared, Murphy's Law always crops up, and they probably didnot want to risk something going wrong.

[WackyKat]

Exactly- even if they don't really know the flight numbers, they want the terrs to think they do.

[Steve Van Doorn]

Why in heck would they tell ABC news this?

[Steve Van Doorn]

NBC sorry

[frei_staat]

Disinformation to flush out the enemy.

[stylin_geek]

I had this same discussion, and pointed out that Hillary stood in the middle of the Senate floor, brandishing a newspaper, asking "what he knew, and when he knew it." Other Dems have pretty much said the same thing. Now, what happens if we have this good intelligence, and the terrorists succeed anyway? (I used Hillary's name on purpose, because I know the person I was speaking to admires Hillary)

Plus, even if tourist travel is hurt, because people are afraid to travel because of these threats, shouldn't government allow its citizens to be able to make that choice? Or, should it always be "government knows best?"

[ontos-on]

I figured that would be the likely behind the scenes reason. Just nervous for a second that our loyal news media would have "broke the news" as an end in itself w/o thinking of the ramifications. When I saw NewsMax had the story too, it seemed more likely that the story was an intentional release by our side.

[mad stork]

I have flight leaving DFW to ATL in about 6 hours. I'm having major anxiety. Thinking about a couple of vodka tonics to calm the nerves.
If anybody makes a suspicious move on my plane, they're going down. I'm 5'9", the husband is 6'1" and built like a bulldozer. We'll just sit on them.

[Dave Olson]

Is it really necessary to break this sort of thing on the news?

Seems to me that if the terrorists learn that our intelligence knows their flight plans, they'd be less likely to go ahead with them. They also have to think that since their original plans were already known, any changes they'd make to them could likely be known as well. So, I see little wrong with broadcasting that information.

[section9]

Not simply disinformation; deterrence. If Al Qaeda fails spectacularly, it will be the death knell for the movement.

Bin Laden has never attacked during a period of high alert. AQ always waits until everything is quiet, then strikes as a bolt out of the blue. This is why I think there will not be an attack, or if there was to be one, it has been aborted.

The political dimension to this calls for success on a grand scale. If the operation cannot be conducted with an almost certain chance of success, it will be called off. Bin Laden is a fanatic, and may have believed that Bush had forced his hand with the capture of the vainglorious, cowardly Saddam. However, I am counting on the fact that I believe him to be a patient fanatic.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Brad’s Gramma]

and built like a bulldozer. We'll just sit on them.

LOL!!! Welcome to Free Republic.

And don't worry, you're going to be just fine. Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!