Posted on 01/22/2007 12:16:37 PM PST by maquiladora
Edited on 01/22/2007 12:29:11 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
ABC NEWS: DOCS SEIZED IN IRAQ REVEAL INSURGENT PLAN FOR ATTACK IN U.S.
Suspects, Reportedly Tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq, Sought Student Visas
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2007 — Mimicking the hijackers who executed the Sept. 11 attacks, insurgents reportedly tied to al Qaeda in Iraq considered using student visas to slip terrorists into the United States to orchestrate a new attack on American soil.
Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified that documents captured by coalition forces during a raid of a safe house believed to house Iraqi members of al Qaeda six months ago "revealed [AQI] was planning terrorist operations in the U.S."
At the time, Maples offered little additional insight into the possible terror plot. ABC News, however, has learned new details of what remains a classified incident that has been dealt with at the highest levels of government.
Watch the full report tonight on "World News with Charles Gibson."
Sources tell ABC News that the plot may have involved moving between 10 and 20 suspects believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq into the United States with student visas — the same method used by the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who struck American targets on Sept. 11.
U.S. officials now require universities to closely track foreign nationals who use student visas to study in the United States. University officials must report international students who fail to arrive on campus or miss class regularly.
In August, the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement alerted intelligence agencies and state and local law enforcement about 11 Egyptian students who had failed to report to their classes at Montana State University. The students were ultimately apprehended.
Still, despite the heightened precautions, some security analysts fear that skilled terrorists — handpicked because of their clean records and because they are carefully trained — could still slip through an academic setting.
The plot was discovered six months ago, roughly the same time that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, was killed by coalition forces. Sources tell ABC News that the suspects involved in the effort to launch the U.S. attack were closely associated with Zarqawi.
The plan also came only months after Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2, had requested that Zarqawi attempt an attack inside the United States.
"This appears to be the first hard evidence al Qaeda in Iraq was trying to attack us here at home," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, former chief counterterrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council.
The plan was uncovered in its early stages, and sources say there is no indication that the suspects made it into the United States. Officials also emphasize that there is no evidence of an imminent attack.
The hunt for suspects continues, however, and some fear that al Qaeda recruits in Iraq could be easily redirected.
"Anyone willing to go to Iraq to fight American troops is probably willing to try to come to the United States," Clarke said.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2813235&page=1
Bwahahahaha ... I needed that good belly laugh. Thanks, but don't ever suggest you might be related to the Kennedys and thus related to Ted 'the Swimmer'.
Bush caused the war in Iraq.
The war in Iraq caused insurgents. (AKA "Freedom Fighters")
The continued war in Iraq has the insurgents justifiably enraged.
The enraged insurgents will attack the US.
Therefore it is obviously the fault of George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, Condi Rice and Dick Cheney.
Anyone who can't see that is being "willfully" blind.
Reply again after you graduate from kindergarten and can manage a substantive response.
"Well, Why don't we run back home so they can just follow us and wreak havoc in our streets" - The Democrat Party
The majority party in Congress now want America to lose and for our citizens to die as they did on 9/11.
All in the name of power...shameless bastards.
NBC news will probably try to send Joe Wilson over there to tell us they were fake documents.
Good thing we didn't let in 10,000 Saudi Students this fall.
Oh yeah.... we did.
I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the ready.gov commercials have been on a bit more frequently.
Documents seized six months ago.
"My only guess would be that ABC "News" is revealing this as a misdirection aid for the Insurgents. Be warned."
I doubt that is true. But if it turns out it is, some citizen may need to start taking matters into there own hands..............by forcing the government to do its job of course.
bttt
placemark
" The six students who did arrive for the month-long program of English instruction and U.S. history and culture "are doing fine under the circumstances,"
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/07/national/main1873057.shtml
Oh the horror! If we hadn't attacked Iraq, the insurgents/terrorists wouldn't be planning this attack, there would be peace in the world, and everyone would be served milk and honey.
/s
Makes sense to me they would put the school on alert before hand .. because even though, school starts in Sept ... many students arrive earlier to get set up with their rooms, classes and books
I'd say Drudge is a bit late with the siren.
What..... not real?.....TV show?
Nevermind.
But dear Nancy assured us that there was no Al-Qaeda
in Iraq....JJ61
ABC News, however, has learned new details of what remains a classified incident that has been dealt with at the highest levels of government.
People are SHOT for divulging details of "what remains a classified incident"..holy crap, how in the HELL can ABC get away with releasing classified information with impunity?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I wonder if this is why we are seeing a surge in the number of Muslims complaining about stereotyping? Sorta laying the ground work to help get these people into the country by 'shaming' the U.S. so that less common sense is used by the transportation industry.
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