Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Thirty-One

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Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

Thread Thirty-One (Index)

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The Threat Matrix

The title refers to a daily report given to the president of the United States detailing the most serious terrorist threats against the country. To tackle those threats, the government has formed a top-notch task force to infiltrate the terror cells and cut off the danger.

"Every morning, the president receives a list of the top ten terrorist threats - this list is known as the threat matrix."

We here at FR are trying to be in conjunction with the daily reports around the world that involve threats. We try to provide a storehouse of information that takes hours of research.

YOU be the judge and get informed!

Home grown Islamists may hit US: FBI chief
Full Story

WASHINGTON -- The United States could be attacked by "home grown" Islamist terror groups, the FBI's chief has warned.

FBI Director Robert Mueller told the London Financial Times newspaper in an interview published Thursday that the United States could face attacks from "home-grown terrorism" very similar to the July 7 bombings in London that killed 52 people and wounded another 700, Mueller said.

When asked if the United States could face such attacks from "home-grown groups", Mueller answered emphatically: "Absolutely, it could," the Financial Times said.

Related:
U.S. Officials Warn on Global Reach of al-Qaida
U.S. seeks more cooperation to fight terrorism
FDNY Chaplain Resigns After 9/11 Remarks
Nuclear option escalates jihad threat

"I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat."

TM Terrorism Handbook	Link to Thread Thirty "Code Red Implications: Code Red - Stay Home and Await Word." From Tm'er and Freeper ~MamaDearest~	Tracking the Chatter with TM
TM 'Be on the Lookout'		Survival Preparedness Info.
Threat Matrix Book List		ExSoldier's Invaluable Tips
Arabic Links and Resources		Godzilla's Summaries

Threat Matrix HTML designed by: Ian Livingston

[Velveeta]

:-)

[Velveeta]

This reminds me of the incident in Blair, Nebraska.

Yes, sure does.

[Velveeta]

So if they are saying in "imitation" of London/Madrid...well this is the first time I have heard about baby carriages...I always heard that backpacks were used in those attacks. This also makes me wonder if women AQ will be involved...it also brings to mind something that was on TM a long time ago regarding "pregnant" women.

I always though it was backpacks as well.

And yes we have to be on guard to the women as well. Or men dressed as women.

[Velveeta]

Thanks for the Jakel image link to haganah.

I was searching through google images to find it.

LOL, should have know you'd have it at your fingertips.

[freeperfromnj]

Good morning Vel. Just got into the city and there was no noticeable increased security at Penn Station. On local radio this morning they mentioned that the security/bag checks was being placed at local residential subway stops where potential operatives might board the train rather than where their final destinations might be. Makes sense to me. Have a ton of work this am will check in later - stay safe all.

[Velveeta]

IMO, definitely relevant.

[Velveeta]

Thanks for checking in.
I was wondering how things were going for you this morning.

[nw_arizona_granny]

07 October 2005

Before reading today's in-depth PINR, we encourage you to read
this analyst's last PINR on this subject:

"Setting the Stage for a New Cold War: China's Quest for Energy
Security"
http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=272

---

Sino-U.S. Energy Competition in Africa
Drafted By: Chietigj Bajpaee
http://www.pinr.com

With oil prices hitting record levels of US$70 per barrel in recent
weeks, major energy consuming countries are engaging in an
increasingly heated competition for energy resources on the
world stage. Nowhere is this more evident than between the
United States and China, the world's first and second largest
energy consuming countries respectively. In the contest for
energy resources, numerous "stages" of competition are
emerging, including the Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America,
and the East and South China Seas. However, Africa is fast
emerging as one of the most volatile stages of Sino-U.S. energy
competition, given its vast reserves of energy resources and
concentration of internal security crises. [See: "Setting the
Stage for a New Cold War: China's Quest for Energy Security"]

Africa owns about eight percent of the world's known oil reserves
with Nigeria, Libya and Equatorial Guinea as the region's leading
oil producers. Seventy percent of Africa's oil production is
concentrated in West Africa's Gulf of Guinea, which stretches
from the Ivory Coast to Angola. The low sulphur content of West
African crude makes it of further strategic importance.

However, the region is also vulnerable to instabilities ranging
from piracy to terrorism, interstate and tribal conflict, AIDS and
political uncertainties. Given the weak governments and
significant Muslim populations of the region, the African
continent may also emerge as a hub for al-Qaeda-linked terrorist
groups.

Finally, oil-rich countries in Africa have been unable to escape
the "curse of oil," which has fueled corruption, conflict, and
environmental degradation across the region. For instance, while
Nigeria has earned US$300 billion in oil revenues over the last
25 years, per capita income remains below US$1 per day.
Nigeria is also subject to ethnic violence, oil strikes and sporadic
attacks on oil infrastructure by the Niger Delta People's
Volunteer Force. Adding Sino-U.S. energy competition to this
volatile mix could further destabilize the region.

U.S.-Africa Energy Relations

The U.S. currently derives 15 percent of its oil supplies from
Africa as compared to 22 percent from the Persian Gulf. Within
the next ten years, the U.S. could be depending on Africa for a
quarter of its oil supplies according to the U.S. National
Intelligence Council. Nigeria alone is the fifth biggest source of
U.S. oil imports with the United States accounting for half of
Nigeria's oil exports. Washington has also re-established
diplomatic and energy relations with Libya following the removal
of economic sanctions in September 2003 after Libya abandoned
its nuclear weapons program.

In addition to securing energy supplies in the region, the U.S.
has a burgeoning economic relationship with the region and has
been increasingly concerned with Africa's security situation,
political freedoms and human rights record. U.S.-Africa trade
stood at US$44.5 billion in 2004 with oil-rich Nigeria being the
second-largest source of U.S. investment after South Africa.
Since the September 11 attacks, the U.S. has also stepped up
security cooperation with African states. The U.S. Coast Guard
has increased patrols of the region as well as engaged in
training, intelligence sharing and public relations exercises with
numerous states including Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde,
Ghana, Benin, and Equatorial Guinea.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department's Trans-Sahara Counter
Terrorist Initiative has trained troops in Niger, Mauritania, Mali
and Chad. The U.S. also maintains a military base in Djibouti
from where it coordinates anti-terrorism operations on the
continent. [See: "Do Al-Qaeda's East Africa Operations Pose a
Threat to U.S. Interests?"]

Nevertheless, with military assets tied up in Afghanistan, Iraq
and the Persian Gulf, the U.S. has not been able to devote the
necessary attention to Africa, which in turn has allowed other
countries such as China to make further inroads.

Sino-Africa Energy Relations

China currently derives a quarter of its oil imports from Africa,
with oil interests in Algeria, Angola, Chad and Sudan and
increasing stakes in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria.
China's energy interests in Chad are of particular interest given
that Chad still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

China's growing energy partnership with Sudan represents one
of a number of areas where Sino-U.S. energy interests diverge in
Africa. China National Petroleum Corporation established oil
exploration rights in Sudan in 1995. Two years later when
Washington cut ties with Sudan, China filled the vacuum making
Sudan China's largest overseas production base. More than half
of Sudan's oil exports go to China, accounting for five percent of
China's total oil imports. C.N.P.C. owns a 40 percent stake in the
Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company and pumps over
300,000 barrels per day in Sudan. Another Chinese firm,
Sinopec, is constructing a 1500 kilometer (932 miles) pipeline to
Port Sudan on the Red Sea, where China's Petroleum
Engineering Construction Group is building a tanker terminal.

As in the case of U.S. relations with Africa, China's relations with
Africa are multidimensional. However, in recent years China's
political, economic and military relations with Africa have been
subordinated to its quest to secure energy resources in the
African continent as energy resources are being secured in
exchange for aid, arms or infrastructure investment. China's
goodwill with African states can be traced back to its support for
anti-colonial struggles in the 1960s. However, China's relations
with Africa have shifted from holding a strong ideological bias in
support of communist regimes and Marxist insurgencies to being
led by market and resource considerations.

Today the only ideological component to Sino-African relations is
the One China principle, although there are even exceptions to
this as seen in the case of growing Chinese energy interests in
Chad, which still has diplomatic relations with Taiwan. At
present, only seven African states hold diplomatic relations with
Taiwan. African states are also drawn to China by its
non-ideological, non-interventionist approach, which contrasts
with the Western approach that places an emphasis on
democracy, governance, human rights and humanitarian
intervention.

China has also appealed to Africa through numerous goodwill
gestures. For example, the Chinese foreign minister has
maintained a policy of making his first official overseas trip to the
African continent every year. For decades, China has also
supported numerous infrastructure projects across Africa, as well
as sending doctors and nurses to the region, establishing
scholarships for African students to study in Chinese universities,
providing training to African businessmen and trade officials, and
supplying funds to encourage Chinese businesses to invest in
Africa.

China also maintains dialogue with Africa through several
bilateral and multilateral forums such as the Asia-Africa Summit
and the China-Africa Business Council, which was jointly
established with the United Nations Development Programme in
November 2004 to support China's private sector investment in
Cameroon, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and
Tanzania. In 2000, China also initiated the China-Africa
Cooperation Forum comprising 46 of the 53 African countries.
Among its accomplishments is canceling US$1.2 billion in debt
for 31 African countries. China is also engaged in negotiations to
create a free trade area with the Southern African Customs
Union, as well as coordinating with African states in international
organizations such as the World Trade Organization and United
Nations.

On the economic front, Sino-Africa trade increased by 50 percent
between 2002 and 2003 to US$18.5 billion, which is expected to
grow to US$30 billion by 2006. At present, 700 Chinese
companies operate in 49 African countries and eight African
countries have been granted the status of "officially approved
travel destinations" by China. China has also expanded its
military presence in the region as seen with its deployment of
peacekeepers to Liberia in December 2003, which occurred two
months after Liberia switched its diplomatic recognition from
Taiwan to China. China has also sent a peacekeeping contingent
to the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as providing
uniforms to Mozambique's army, helicopters to Mali and Angola,
and weapons to Namibia and Sierra Leone.

Many of China's diplomatic initiatives in Africa are in direct
conflict with U.S. policy toward the region. For example, Beijing
supplied US$1 billion in arms to both Ethiopia and Eritrea during
their war from 1998 to 2000. Zimbabwe's President Robert
Mugabe, whose regime has been isolated from the West due to
its forced eviction of slum dwellers and white farmers, has also
turned to China for aid. Chinese investment in Zimbabwe
amounted to US$600 million in 2004. China has upgraded
Zimbabwe's transport infrastructure, provided roofing material
for Mugabe's US$9 million palace, and provided the regime with
Chinese-made Karakoroum military trainer jets, MA60 passenger
planes, and radio-jamming equipment for a military base outside
Harare, which has been used to block transmissions by
opposition parties.

China is also one of Sudan's leading arms suppliers. Sudan is the
largest recipient of Chinese overseas investment and up to
10,000 Chinese nationals work in the country. The Sudanese
government, which has recently concluded a peace agreement
with the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army
(S.P.L.M./A.) in the south, is still engaged in a conflict in the
Darfur region of western Sudan using proxy militias such as the
Janjaweed. In 2004, the U.N. Security Council was forced to
water down a resolution condemning atrocities in the Darfur
region to avoid a Chinese veto. China abstained in the vote over
the final weaker resolution. With Sudan and Iran together
supplying China with 20 percent of its oil imports, U.S. attempts
to contain these regimes bring it into direct conforntation with
China's energy security policies. [See: "Intelligence Brief:
Sudan"]

The United States and China are not the only states vying for
energy resources in Africa. Recently, Korea National Oil
Corporation obtained 65 percent oil and gas production rights in
two Nigerian offshore blocks, while India's Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Videsh obtained a 25 percent stake. South Korea
and India are the world's fourth and sixth largest energy
consumers respectively. India and China both hold stakes in the
Greater Nile Oil Project in Sudan with India having invested
US$700 million in Sudan's oil sector. China and India have also
been engaged in direct competition for African energy resources,
as seen in October 2004 when China outbid India to buy an
interest in an offshore block in Angola. [See: "Economic Brief:
China's Energy Acquisitions"]

Conclusion

Sino-U.S. relations are going through a cold spell as a result of
disputes over U.S. quotas on Chinese-made textiles and China's
military expenditures, exchange rate policy, intellectual property
rights infringements, human rights record, and relations with
dictatorial "rogue" or anti-U.S. regimes including Iran, Myanmar,
Nepal, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela. The recent postponement of
the much-anticipated meeting between Chinese President Hu
Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington as a
result of the relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina is likely to add
insult to injury among some in Beijing. [See: "Economic Brief:
Textile Quotas"]

While there have been gestures of rapprochement in Sino-U.S.
relations such as the recently initiated Sino-U.S. Strategic
Dialogue and both states along with India, Australia, Japan and
South Korea establishing an energy partnership known as the
Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development, the competition
to secure energy resources on the world stage could fuel their
already shaky relationship.

The recent failed bid by Chinese energy company China National
Offshore Oil Corporation to acquire U.S. energy company Unocal
is evidence of this. Facing a plethora of internal crises ranging
from poverty to poor governance and civil war, Africa is likely to
emerge as a volatile stage of Sino-U.S. energy competition.
African states have been drawn to China by its
non-interventionist, non-ideological approach in conducting
relations, although China's attempts to secure energy resources
in conflict-ridden states by offering aid or arms-for-oil could
heighten instability in the region.

Report Drafted By:
Chietigj Bajpaee

---

[WestCoastGal]

If you find a 2 for 1 special on that memory, please ping me.
Add me to your order**

**extra heavy duty size - self-starting

---

I will order mine with autopilot please. :)

[jer33 3]

nbc4i.com

I-70 Reopens Following Chemical Spill

UPDATED: 4:30 pm EDT October 6, 2005 >>>>>excerpt:

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Department of Transportation said all lanes of Interstate 70 reopened to traffic at about 4:15 p.m. Thursday after a chemical spill closed a portion of the road.

The westbound lanes closed in Licking County, just west of state Route 37, at about 12:30 p.m., according to ODOT

[Border Enforcer]

My sources confirm this 100%.

[appalachian_dweller]

Anyone hear of an evac in Philly? Heard a blurb on FOX as I walked out the door (I leave the TV on for Clyde - he's a news junkie too LOL).

[WestCoastGal]

Grand Central, Times Square, Herald Square, Union Square areas.

I wonder if he just chose these as the biggest, most popular or do they have a meaning? Most of the London bombing stations like King George could have had a second meaning.

[nw_arizona_granny]

October 7, 2005 Anti-Terrorism News

6 Marines killed by roadside bombs in Iraq
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/07/iraq.main/index.html

N.Y. Commuters Head to Work Despite Threat
http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/N/NYC_SUBWAY?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME
The New York Police Department boosted existing measures to search for
bombs in commuters' bags, brief cases and luggage. The threat also
involved the possibility that terrorists would pack a baby stroller with a
bomb, a law enforcement official said

Follow-up: (NYC) Al Qaeda Plot to Bomb Subway
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/53446.htm
The terrorists were described as unemployed chemists who had recently
taken a six-week explosive training course in Afghanistan. The al Qaeda
prisoners also told U.S. officials that they planned to travel to New
York, by way of Syria, with bogus passports. Once here, they would meet
up with 19 operatives who had already been sent to New York to help set
off the bombs, the sources said.

(Iraq) Marines find insurgency's deadly tools in Haditha
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/07/iraq.haditha/index.html
Weapons cache found buried in courtyard of mosque

Police Say Bali Bombers 'New Generation'
http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/I/INDONESIA_BALI_BOMBINGS?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME

Television Station Held Subway Threat Story Over Security Concerns
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBSI1CVHEE.html

(NYC - Iraq) Informant touches off massive operation
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/nyc-how1007,0,2131650.story?coll=ny-homepage-bigpix2005

Bush hits 'Islamic radicals'
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20051007-120157-2959r.htm
President Bush yesterday gave his most detailed and defiant rationale
for the war against terrorism, branding the enemy "Islamic radicals" for
the first time and excoriating Syria and Iran

[Velveeta]

It did sound right on target with what you had heard.

[Velveeta]

Just heard on FOX that parts of Penn Station in NY are closed/evacuated. Suspicious package at one of the ticket counters.

[freeperfromnj]

Second incident and it's only 10:00. It's going to be a long Friday.

[appalachian_dweller]

Looks like it's going to be a long day.

Stay Alert and Safe folks.

[RDTF]

sorry if this is already posted:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/06/D8D2QNPG2.html

Plane Carrying Viruses Crashes in Canada
Oct 06 6:57 PM US/Eastern


WINNIPEG, Manitoba


A cargo plane carrying small amounts of flu virus crashed on railway tracks near Winnipeg's city center Thursday, killing the pilot but missing buildings and vehicles, authorities said.

The research samples of frozen influenza and herpes viruses were destroyed in the crash and ensuing fire along with other freight, Federal Express spokeswoman Karen Cooper said.

She said the Cessna 208 was owned by Morningstar Air Express of Edmonton and was under contract to FedEx.

Morningstar spokesman Don Boettcher didn't immediately identify the woman piloting the aircraft. "She'd been with us for about five years," he said, without providing further details.

The plane took off from the Winnipeg airport en route to Thunder Bay, Ontario, at about 5:45 a.m. and traveled about four miles southeast of the airport before it requested a return, Transportation Safety Board investigator David Ross said.

"The aircraft then descended below radar coverage and contact was lost with the aircraft," Ross said.

"It has crashed on railway tracks and does not appear to have collided with any other objects, houses or cars," police Sgt. Shelly Glover said.

Winnipeg police spokeswoman Carolyn Kwiatek said there was no damage to the surrounding area from the fire. The crash did tie up traffic on nearby streets during the morning rush, but no accidents or injuries resulted.

In its cargo were six vials of virus samples being sent to Thunder Bay for research, Cooper said.

Although the samples were labeled dangerous goods, they weren't considered hazardous at the crash site since all the cargo was destroyed in the blaze, Cooper said.

Police Sgt. Kelly Dennison said weather may have been a factor. Reports suggested light snow and mist in the area, temperatures near the freezing mark, moderate winds and about four miles of visibility.

Ross said the plane probably wasn't carrying a flight data recorder.

[appalachian_dweller]

great minds ffnj?

watch your six up there. thx for the eyeball reports.