Foiled Al Qaeda Attackers Caught Red-Handed with WMDs

NewsMax.com ^ | 4/17/04 | News Max

[musical_airman]

Saturday, Apr. 17, 2004 11:23 AM EDT Foiled Al Qaeda Attackers Caught Red-Handed with WMDs

Two members of an al Qaeda cell connected to top terror master Abu Musab al-Zarqawi have been caught in Jordan with chemical weapons and poisonous gas for a planned attack that Jordanian officials say would have killed up to 20,000 people.

The officials told the London-based newspaper al-Hayat on Friday that the al Qaeda plotters planned to launch a WMD attack against a Jordanian Military Intelligence installation, the US embassy in Amman and a government building in the country.

According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, the al Qaeda terrorists managed to smuggle three cars packed with explosives into Amman. Jordanian security forces found a chemical charge in one vehicle.

"The bomb, had it been detonated, could have affected people in a one kilometer radius and cause the deaths of up to 20,000 people," Jordanian officials told Maariv

According to United Press International, the al Qaeda car was intercepted just 75 miles from the Syrian border and "carried explosives, a chemical bomb and poisonous gas."

The discovery of the al Qaeda WMD plot is sure to renew speculation that some of Saddam Hussein's missing weapons of mass destruction were hidden in Syria before the U.S. attacked in March 2003, and have now found their way into al Qaeda's hands.

As of Saturday morning, the White House had not commented on the al Qaeda WMD plot and its possible ties to Iraq.

[musical_airman]

Have any of you heard about this at all? I figure it may have been posted already, but just damn.

[herzo]

Haven't you heard? There are no WMD's

[facedown]

bump

[sauropod]

All I can say is, "Wow!"

[mabelkitty]

Something about this doesn't make sense.
If they had the capability to do this, why Jordan and not Iraq?

I'm not buying it.

[LdSentinal]

Perhaps they smuggled it into Jordan from Iraq, Syria, or Lebanon.

[maxamillion]

This could be large, if true... They surely can be traced back to saddom...

[Principled]

I bet the captured thugs wish the US were interrogating them instead of Jordanian secret service...heh heh heh

[jayef]

Not buying what? That this actually happened . . . because if you need confirmation it is readily available.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Something is definitely "off" about this story.

[Clara Lou]

Which chemical weapon were they preparing to unleash?

[Clara Lou]

Yes, it lacks details.

[wingman1]

Bump

[randita]

Follow up article:

King Abdullah: Al Qaeda WMDs Came From Syria

[Ben Chad]

A week or two before the Madrid bombing, a car bomb attack was foiled there. I hope they got the whole cell.

[musical_airman]

The only reasons I can think of (off the top of my head) are:

1. Iraq is crawling with US military that is trained to deal with this type af attack, and that type of attack in Iraq would lend creedence to Bush's WMD argument if used in Iraq.

2.Has Jordan been helping us more than we know? Al Qaeda has been targeting our allies as of late to try and get them to abandon us.

3. Stir up more anti-US feelings in other countries in the middle east and take out one of our embassies at the same time- create more roadblocks for us diplomatically, and strategically.

Just some thoughts....

[Deb]

Get serious. Why Spain and not Iraq? Why Turkey and not Iraq? Why Bali and not Iraq? Why London and not Iraq?

Nothing these camel-licking dung heaps do makes sense. Stop trying to adapt western sensibilities to the Arab mind.

Why attack America when it was us who fought the last five wars in defense of Islamic peoples?

[randita]

Actually, my post about King Abdullah was a follow up to this one. Go to NewsMax and you'll see. Oh, well.

[Betaille]

Why is the Bush adminstration not making an issue out of this? Syria just tried a chemical attack in Jordan. Syria Funds and gives safe-haven to Hamas. Syria is sending militants into Iraq to kill US troops. It's time for the US-Jordan-Israel to bomb the living %$#@ out of Syria.

[randita]

Link to cited article in the SF Chronicle:

Al Qaeda warning by king of Jordan, Abdullah says his forces thwarted major bomb plot

[Camel Joe]

Border with Syria is very busy at the moment, may have been a change of plans that brought attempt to Jordan.

[musical_airman]

Thanks, I missed that one. I was freeping and practicing trumpet at the same time.....so much for focus....

[Happy2BMe]

"The discovery of the al Qaeda WMD plot is sure to renew speculation that some of Saddam Hussein's missing weapons of mass destruction were hidden in Syria before the U.S. attacked in March 2003, and have now found their way into al Qaeda's hands."

Hamas is bound to have access to some of these jewels bound for Israel also . .

[wretchard]

Something about this doesn't make sense. If they had the capability to do this, why Jordan and not Iraq?

Two possible reasons.

First, the AQ always tests out a weapon or method of attack in theater or in a third world locale before using it against the West.

Second, recall how French officials were recently in a panic over intelligence discoveries regarding the chemical capability of the AQ.

[SpyGuy]

If they had the capability to do this, why Jordan and not Iraq? I'm not buying it.

Contrary to the overblown Al-Jazeera/CNN/ABC/CBS/MSNBC/NYT propaganda of "rampant chaos" in Iraq, the US military is firmly in control of that country. There is 24/7 surveillance, and better border control than what we have between America and Mexico. It's highly improbable that any vehicle can move in or out of Iraq without detection and interception.

[PISANO]

I wonder if there is anyway to determine if those WMD found in Al Qaedas possession were in fact from Saddams arsenel?

[musical_airman]

More good points- I hadn't thought of those.

[musical_airman]

It's possible that they are marked in some way
OR
we could beat the living crap out of the terrorists they caught to find out where they got them
OR
We could just go after Syria next.....

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Has Jordan been helping us more than we know?

King Abdullah has had to lead a delicate balance between governing his arab population and being an ally to the United States. So far he has done well but I'm sure that there will be attempts to disengage him from any alliance with the United States. His father had to walk the same tightrope.

[TommyDale]

I said this yesterday -- the activity near the Syrian border speaks volumes. Something is getting ready to happen there, and I suspect they have found WMDs in Syria and/or Lebanon. The U.S. Marines are probably waiting for an opportunity for a "hot pursuit" to give us a chance to get into those other countries.

If you go back a couple of months or so, Secretary Rumsfeld spoke of something to this effect. We need a reason to cross the borders, and it appears we are preparing for such a scenario.

[musical_airman]

Thanks for the info, I thought that Jordan was semi-friendly with us. Wasn't his father educated in the US?

[rocksblues]

Seems that GWB was correct in naming Syria as part or the Evil-Axis!

[musical_airman]

It would seem so....perhaps they will be next...or they could just give up like Libya....that would be so much easier on them....

[ovrtaxt]

In a sign that Jordan may not totally escape the bloody convulsions now ripping through Iraq, Abdullah revealed that the arrest of two suspected terrorists two weeks ago had exposed plans to mount one of the most deadly terrorist attacks ever in the Arab world.

Two weeks ago? And it's only now coming out? Bush didn't say A WORD about this at the press conference. Cool. They're up to something, PR-wise, I hope.

[what's up]

I believe Abdullah said they were from Syria.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

He and his father attended military schools in Great Britain. Abdullah has visited the United states(He was even on an episode of Star Trek-the Next Generation) Abdullah's mother is British. I think that is partly why he is a moderate Arab leader. He is very much like his father only I think he is even more moderate than dear old dad.

[musical_airman]

It's amazing what some western devil influence will do, I suppose....

[Eternal_Bear]

this means war against syria. Let us not kid around this time. Please!

[Alas Babylon!]

And Al Qeada is often stupid, but sometimes brilliant. Think about it from there perspective. They beleive that we are the Great Satan, and our allies are Little Satans and puppets. In their eyes, the masses are with them, especially in Muslim countries. So why waste efforts (unless you're striking a blow against the Great or one of the Big Satans). Go after those US allies that are doing the precarious balance between their governments support for us and their populace's desire to either not be harmed, bothered, are peace-nics, or Muslims who hate us. Jordan, as you pointed out, has to walk that tightrope.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

It's amazing what some western devil influence will do, I suppose....

Once you've had that Big Mac there's no stopping it....

[mikegi]

I must have missed the part about WMDs in the SFC article...

[Common Tator]

Something is definitely "off" about this story.

Only if you are unable to think.

For many years Jordan pretended to be on our side or at least neutral. But when we went into Iraq we found such things as planes used to train military pilots that were bought by Jordan and resold to Saddam.

It was legal for companies to sell planes and other military items to our Friends in Jordan but not our enemies in Iraq. We now know that Jordan was laundering all sorts of military items for Muslim militants.

But once we found a number of military items sold to Jordan in Afghanistan and Iraq the Jordanians have had to cut it out. Jordan is afraid to cross us as is Kadafi. Syria, Iran, and the insurgents in Iraq are ticked at Jordan for going belly up.

Al Quaeda is trying to show that siding with the US will not protect the Jordanians. They are trying to show Jordan that siding with us is bad policy.

It is interesting to note that at least this attempt by Al Quaeda to punish Jordan failed.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Yeah, it's SO obvious what Al Quaeda and it's vast network of sub-organizations are doing. I see their strategy-trying to either blackmail or instill fear in our allies therefore weakening our resolve to defeat them. Some will whimp out like Spain-others will be wise enough to know that if they give in they will be eunichs.

[Littlejon]

Has Jordan been helping us more than we know?

I don't know if they are or not, but I can tell you what our former pastor told us about Jordan. He has been to Jordan quite a bit over the last several years, as they have a school set up through Baptists. I don't recall if it was originally built by Southern Baptists or not, but, academically, it is very well known in the ME. The last King of Jordan (Hussein, I think) sent his children there because it was so far ahead of the rest academically.

Anyway, through the school, our former pastor has been trying to get more Christian outreach programs set up and he thinks he has found a way: through tourism. What most people don't realize is that Jordan is one of, if not THE poorest nations in the ME. They have no oil. They have no natural resources. They are dirt poor. They have been trying to find ways to get out of this poverty for some time now. What most people also don't realize is that Jordan is where most Christian activities took place in Jesus' time. There is a lot of speculation that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in Jordan. He told us that on one trip they were traveling down a road (if you can call it that) and saw a Roman road marker that was leaning over the side of the road. It was dated back to the Roman Empire when the Romans dominated that part of the world. Artifacts have been found laying in fields & along roads, but Jordan has no money to fund archaeological excavations or even to mark some of the areas that Christians would want to visit. They can't even afford to put the artifacts in museums, so they just lay there, rotting away. So, what our pastor is doing is trying to get Jordan to open itself up as a Christian tourist mecca (sorry, lack of a better word). King Abdullah is very keen on the idea, but has been told that Jordan has to "clean itself up" before American Christians will come there. Part of that cleanup includes safety from Islamic radicals.

THAT may be playing a part in their cooperation as told in this story. I don't know for sure, but when I read this, that was the first thing I thought of.

Who knows, but I am just happy they caught the bastards before the killed a bunch of people.

[Aggie Mama]

Very interesting.

[rocksblues]

Let's just hope we can have the stomach for Syria with this Vietnam/Iraq/Mania/Media. If anybody has it it is GWB!

[Thinkin' Gal]

Only if you are unable to think.

Nice opening line. Amiable isn't the word.

[Thinkin' Gal]

To: LoudRepublicangirl
Has Jordan been helping us more than we know?

I don't know if they are or not, but I can tell you what our former pastor told us about Jordan. He has been to Jordan quite a bit over the last several years, as they have a school set up through Baptists. I don't recall if it was originally built by Southern Baptists or not, but, academically, it is very well known in the ME. The last King of Jordan (Hussein, I think) sent his children there because it was so far ahead of the rest academically.

Anyway, through the school, our former pastor has been trying to get more Christian outreach programs set up and he thinks he has found a way: through tourism. What most people don't realize is that Jordan is one of, if not THE poorest nations in the ME. They have no oil. They have no natural resources. They are dirt poor. They have been trying to find ways to get out of this poverty for some time now. What most people also don't realize is that Jordan is where most Christian activities took place in Jesus' time. There is a lot of speculation that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in Jordan. He told us that on one trip they were traveling down a road (if you can call it that) and saw a Roman road marker that was leaning over the side of the road. It was dated back to the Roman Empire when the Romans dominated that part of the world. Artifacts have been found laying in fields & along roads, but Jordan has no money to fund archaeological excavations or even to mark some of the areas that Christians would want to visit. They can't even afford to put the artifacts in museums, so they just lay there, rotting away. So, what our pastor is doing is trying to get Jordan to open itself up as a Christian tourist mecca (sorry, lack of a better word). King Abdullah is very keen on the idea, but has been told that Jordan has to "clean itself up" before American Christians will come there. Part of that cleanup includes safety from Islamic radicals.

THAT may be playing a part in their cooperation as told in this story. I don't know for sure, but when I read this, that was the first thing I thought of.

Who knows, but I am just happy they caught the bastards before the killed a bunch of people.

44 posted on 04/17/2004 7:39:56 PM EDT by Littlejon


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1119591/posts?page=44#44

Eeeek.

[TASMANIANRED]

SADAM THE MADMAN HAD 14 MONTHS TO SEND HIS WMD TO SYRIA FOR SAFEKEEPING OR DISTRIBUTION TO TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS.

If there is even one chemical or biological attack anywhere in the world the Democrats in congress and the liberal press are directly responsible. They provided Sadam with cover and concealment while he did exactly what GWB was trying to prevent. The distribution of weapons of mass extinction to the terrorists.

[bert]

why Jordan and not Iraq.....

Because in Jordan they can. In Iraq they can not.

My guess.