Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

Jolt from PG&E control box seriously burns woman
- Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2005

(10-04) 09:59 PDT SAN JOSE -- A San Jose woman was burned over 50 percent of her body early today when electricity surged through her after she apparently broke into a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. control box, authorities said.

The 41-year-old woman was being treated at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for burns she suffered at 3 a.m. at Meridian and Foxworthy avenues in San Jose, police Sgt. Nick Muyo said.

The woman, who was not identified, was "apparently attempting to access the control box in order to remove copper wire,'' PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith said.

Smith said that PG&E copper wire is occasionally stolen and resold for its metal value.

The woman, accompanied by an unidentified companion, turned up a few minutes later at a nearby fire station, seeking medical help, Muyo said.

Police and PG&E said the incident did not appear to be similar to the underground transformer explosion in downtown San Francisco on Aug. 19 that critically injured a 40-year-old pedestrian and forced the utility to increase its transformer inspections.

"Whatever the circumstances, this is certainly a tragic incident," Smith said.

E-mail Steve Rubenstein at srubenstein@sfchronicle.com.

URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/04/MNGDFF2CKP4.DTL
©2005 San Francisco Chronicle

I've noticed that he's looking older. I agree with you. It's stress.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/sfl-dwreck04oct04,0,6582527.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

3rd car may have caused
fiery crash that killed 2,
shut Keys bridge

sun-sentinel.com staff and wires & NBC 6

October 4, 2005, 3:07 PM EDT

BULLETIN: MARATHON -- Florida Highway Patrol
officials say a black compact car may have caused the
fatal crash between a gasoline tanker and an SUV on the
Seven Mile Bridge.

The bridge leading to the Lower Keys reopened Tuesday
around 9:30 a.m., nearly 16 hours after a fiery and fatal
crash closed the only road connecting Key West and the
rest of the state.

Workers removed the wreckage of the gas tanker and a
SUV, which had collided about 5 p.m. Monday, killing
both drivers.

The FHP said Tuesday they believe another car may have caused the
crash.

"This compact black vehicle in passing of the traffic, it didn't take into
consideration the closing speed of the tractor-trailer," FHP Officer Pat
Santangelo said. "The tractor-trailer driver tried to take evasive action
to the right to avoid striking the black car, and that's what caused the
crash."

Officials said the black car was traveling north on the bridge. Anyone
who witnessed the crash and may have information about the car
should call the Florida Highway Patrol or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers
at 305-471-TIPS.

Meanwhile, Marathon Fire Chief Hans Wagner said state inspectors
were satisfied the bridge did not sustain serious damage, but crews
would remain at the bridge Tuesday to monitor the structure.

Inspectors said that fresh water and fiber optic lines attached to the
bridge that go to Key West escaped damage.

The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph on the bridge and there
is a lane shift at the accident site, according to the Monroe county
Sheriff's Office. There is no reduction in the weight limit allowed to
pass over the bridge.

Copyright © 2005, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Inspectors said that fresh water and fiber optic lines attached to the bridge that go to Key West escaped damage."

Thanks for the update granny....I forgot all about the fiber optic lines and such that run along that bridge...that would be a double whammy if they were damaged.

yuck...I just went into the cache for the game website..video of gas explosion and on-line comment ...

>> Do we know yet if those stories about a cache of explosives found in his apartment and the muslim roommate are true or not? <<

I believe those reports to be true.

BTW - thx for the reports on the N and S bound Bruckner closure.

These types of incidents make me nervous at this time. Stay safe up there.

ON THE NET...

MEMRI.org - Search Term: "Suicide (Martyrdom) Operations"

YAHOO! News - Photo Gallery: "Suicide Bomber" (NOTE: Click on any of the numerous thumbnail photos to get THE BIG PICTURE.)

GOOGLE - Search Term: "HOMICIDE BOMBERS"

JIHAD WATCH.org (AFP): "RESEARCHERS PROBE MOTIVES OF SUICIDE BOMBERS" (October 4, 2005)

CORRIERE.IT/english: Turin - "TURIN IMAM DEPORTED -- "HE'S DANGEROUS" Accused of praising Bin Laden. Como-based Tunisian activist also expelled." (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The ten children taking part in the ring-o'-roses protest beneath the market clock in Porta Palazzo were all wearing suicide bomber belts. The year was 1997, and that was the first time Bouriqi Bouchta, whose idea it was, attracted Italy’s attention.") (September 7, 2005)

MEMRITV.org/Transcript - Video Clip No. 838 - 8/31/2005: " 8/31/2005 Clip No. 838: "Sheik of Al-Azhar Muhammad Tantawi Explains on Al-Hurra TV When a Suicide Bomber Becomes a Martyr and When He Is Not" (TRANSCRIPT SNIPPET: "Following are excerpts from an interview with Sheik of Al-Azhar Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, which aired on Al-Hurra TV on August 31, 2005")

FrontPageMagazine.com: "SYMPOSIUM: THROUGH THE EYES OF A SUICIDE BOMBER" by Jamie Glazov (August 12, 2005)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch Series - No. 909: "BAHRAINI AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST: THE PROPONENTS OF THE SUICIDE IDEOLOGY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In an article that appeared in the Saudi daily Al-Yawm, titled "The Globalization of Islamic Suicide" author and journalist Sawsan Al-Sha'er wrote that the extremist Islamist groups are taking advantage of global communications to recruit suicide bombers, and predicted the spread of the suicide bomber phenomenon to Britain as well.") (May 17, 2005)

JIHAD WATCH.org (DAWN): "MAJORITY OF SUICIDE BOMBERS ARE EDUCATED" (January 13, 2005)

FOX NEWS.com: "TICKET TO HELL" by David Asman (December 9, 2004)

MEMRI.org - MIDDLE EAST MEDIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE Special Report - No.32: "MEMRI TV Project Special Report: Arab and Iranian TV Clips in Support of Suicide Bombing" (September 1, 2004)

JIHAD WATCH.org: "RATIONAL, EDUCATED AND PROSPEROUS: JUST YOUR AVERAGE SUICIDE BOMBER" (May 15, 2004)

SAAG.org - SOUTH ASIA ANALYSIS GROUP: "SUICIDE & SUICIDAL TERRORISM" by B. Raman (March 12, 2004)

JIHAD WATCH.org (HAARETZ): "10 SUICIDE BOMBINGS FOILED OVER PASSOVER HOLIDAY" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "One of two Tanzim activists caught at the end of March told interrogators the group that sent them had planned a series of other attacks, including one with a device to which blood infected with AIDS would be attached.") (April 13, 2004)

FrontPageMagazine.com: "AFFLUENT GENOCIDE" by Robert Spencer (October 14, 2003)

NEW SCIENTIST.com: "SUICIDE BOMBERS MAY SPREAD DISEASE" (July 24, 2002)

http://news.google.com/news?q=a+hit+and+run+vehicle+caused+the+truck+crash&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&client=googlet&sa=N&tab=wn

http://www.google.com/search?q=a+hit+and+run+vehicle+caused+the+truck+crash&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&client=googlet

http://www.google.com/search?client=googlet&tab=wn&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=a+vehicle+caused+the+truck+crash&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

http://news.google.com/news?client=googlet&tab=wn&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=a+vehicle+caused+the+truck+accident&btnG=Search+News

http://www.google.com/search?client=googlet&q=white%20cars%20tanker%20truck%20accident

Continued success approaching yet another anniversary ;)

News that I've caught up on that bothers me:

What Katrina taught Iran
'Others can create devastated war zone in U.S.'
(From WND bulletin)

Iran, which has experimented with missile detonations that can create nuclear electromagnetic pulse attacks capable of crippling U.S. electrical grids and computer technology, is taking notice of the devastation wrought on Hurricane Katrina.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards conclude the deadly storm has exposed America's strategic vulnerabilities, according to reports today on the Ansa-e Hezbollah website.

_____________________________________________________

D.C. nuke terror drill
Pentagon's secret 'Granite Shadow' program revealed

(Quotes)

"According the military documents, the unclassified title is 'Counter-Terrorism Special Operations Support to Civil Agencies in the event of a domestic incident,'" he writes. "It is another Top Secret/SPECAT plan directing the same special mission units to provide weapons of mass destruction recovery and 'render safe' in either a terrorist incident or in the case of a stolen (or lost) nuclear weapon. Render safe refers to the ability of explosive ordnance disposal experts to isolate and disarm any type of biological, chemical, nuclear or radiological weapon."

_______________________________________________________

And the #1 story I'd like the crew's knowledge here and comments on:

Quotes:

Ramadan and nuke terror
Is 'American Hiroshima' set for October?
By Paul Williams

The next terrorist attack on the United States -- a "nuclear hell storm" planned for seven major cities â€“ is set to occur in October.

That the word from al-Qaida.

In a communiqu to Osama bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the top al-Qaida lieutenant in Iraq, mentions the "Great Ramadan Offensive" that will create a "fateful confrontation" with the United States and Israel.
(dated May 30, was intercepted by CIA officials and remains on the Global Information System database that is accessible only to government officials with high-security clearance.)

"I think that the plans for the next stage of the jihad has reached you or will reach you in a few days," Zarqawi writes in the letter. "O God, make the plans of Osama come to fruition!"

"Allah has punished America with winds and water," one imam is quoted in the GIS report as saying. Another imam reportedly quipped that America, as evidenced by the natural disasters, is "under the curse of the Jews."

The fate of the world for the next Islamic year, if bin Laden has his way, will include the nuclear destruction of the United States.

Bin Laden has been amassing nuclear weapons and materials since 1992, when he was in the Sudan. This was substantiated by the testimony of al-Qaida officials in federal court during the hearings of "The U.S. v. Osama bin Laden."

Ramadan begins Tuesday, Oct. 4, and ends on Nov. 2. The Night of Determination will occur Oct. 29.

According to Muslim tradition, the actual revelation occurred on the night between the 26th and 27th days of the month. On this "Night of Determination," Allah determines the fate of the world for the coming year.

Note:
Elsewhere I've read this includes 7 cities and supposed date for simultaenous detonations is 10-29...

Anyone?!

Thank you for the article.

Hard to imagine a 41 year old woman could be that stupid.

"Another odd smell incident, in South Dakota this time.

So we have LA, Seattle, DC, SD, Dallas.

Are there others?? Probably should keep these in one link. I don't have the time today to go back and find them."

This might help WCG. Someone else is doing a pretty good job trackin 'em. I didn't realize there have been so many is such a short time.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=170228

>> The Night of Determination will occur Oct. 29. <<

CREEPY!!! Will be a date to watch.

Thanks for the report JP. It's good to see you!

Note: The following text is an exact quote:
---

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/News_Release.asp?NewsRelease=20051013.txt

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
October 4, 2005
Release Number: 05-10-13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OPERATION RIVER GATE LAUNCHED

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – The 2nd Marine Division launched Operation Bawwabatu Annaher, or River Gate in English, in the cities of Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana Oct. 4.

Approximately 2,500 Marines, Soldiers and Sailors from Regimental Combat Team – 2 and Iraqi Security force soldiers are participating in the operation, making it the largest operation in the al Anbar province this year.

The operation’s goal is to deny al Qaeda in Iraq the ability to operate in the three Euphrates River Valley cities and to free the local citizens from the terrorists’ campaign of murder and intimidation of innocent women, children and men.

Haditha is an important crossroads for al Qaeda in Iraq’s smuggling activities from the Syrian border. Once in Haditha, smugglers can go north to Mosul or continue on to ar Ramadi, Fallujah or Baghdad. The city is home to approximately 75,000 Iraqis, a vital hydro-electric power plant, and 28 schools.

Coalition and Iraqi forces located in western al Anbar province have seen a recent increase of al Qaeda in Iraq violence in Haditha. Last Spring, terrorists attacked Haditha General Hospital, the largest in western al Anbar, with a suicide car bomb, destroying more than half of the building with the explosion and ensuing fire. Terrorists also established fortified firing positions inside the hospital and used patients and staff as human shields as they attacked Marines from the hospital and later retreated from the Marine counterattack.

More information will be released as it becomes available.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-WEST PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT CEPAOWO@CEMNF-WIRAQ.USMC.MIL.
-30-

Note: The following text is an exact quote:
---

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2005/20051004_2922.html

Task Force Baghdad Responds to Attack; Terror Suspects Captured

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2005 – Iraqi troops assigned to a public-order brigade and U.S. Army soldiers fought off more than 40 insurgents in southern Baghdad this morning.
As the Iraqi units engaged the terrorists with small-arms fire, U.S. Task Force Baghdad units also responded to the scene, first with a quick reaction force, then with aviation, military police and armor assets.

By 11 a.m., additional Iraqi units had arrived to engage in the firefight. Iraqi army soldiers and special police commandos joined them.

Task Force Baghdad soldiers helped evacuate wounded Iraqi forces to military medical facilities.

Shortly before 1 p.m., Iraqi units began searching houses in the area in search of the terrorists. More than three dozen terrorists were killed, wounded, or captured in the engagement, U.S. military officials said. Initial reports indicate only three Public Order Brigade soldiers were killed.

Elsewhere, U.S. Task Force Liberty and Iraqi army soldiers uncovered information leading to a possible terrorist encampment during the discovery of a large weapons cache near Ghalibiyah at 12:30 a.m. Oct 3.

The cache was discovered after Iraqi army soldiers were attacked, returned fire and pursued the attackers to two large farmhouses in the area. Iraqi soldiers requested Task Force Liberty assistance, and then forces conducted a combined raid.

A search of the properties yielded two vehicles prepared as improvised explosive devices, one suicide bomber vest, 19 57 mm rockets, 18 SPG 9 anti-tank rockets, 16 rocket-propelled grenades, two launchers, 10 anti-tank mines, 20 mortars, 25 mortar fuses, three machine guns, two AK-47 rifles, and four hand grenades.

Also found was an Iraqi army uniform, two al Qaeda flags, an al Qaeda flier, an al Qaeda jihad book and miscellaneous medical equipment. Task Force Liberty explosive ordnance disposal personnel conducted a controlled blast to destroy the munitions.

Although the attackers escaped, they were later apprehended at a hospital, where one was receiving medical treatment for wounds received during the firefight.

In other developments, Iraqi security forces and multinational forces from Task Force Freedom, including troops from 172nd Infantry Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, detained 49 suspected terrorists, killed two terrorists, injured another two, and seized weapons during operations in northern Iraq from Sep. 30 to Oct. 3.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 4th Iraqi Army Brigade, and U.S. soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, detained nine suspected terrorists during a cordon-and-search operation in western Mosul Oct. 2.
Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers detained three individuals suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon-and-search operation in central Mosul Oct. 2.
Iraqi police seized a weapons cache during a search operation west of Mosul Oct. 3. The cache included mortar tubes, explosives, grenades and mortar fuses.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, detained eight individuals suspected of terrorist activity during operations in Mosul Sep. 30 and Oct. 1.
Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, detained six individuals suspected of terrorist activity and seized weapons during operations in Mosul from Sep. 30 to Oct. 2.
Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, detained two suspected terrorists during two separate operations in Mosul Sep. 30 and Oct. 1.
Soldiers from 65th Military Police Company detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activity after being attacked with small-arms fire while patrolling in northern Mosul Sep. 30.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, shot and killed two terrorists, injured another, and detained two individuals suspected of terrorist activity during operations in Tal Afar Sep. 30.
Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, shot and injured one terrorist and detained four individuals suspected of terrorist activity Sep. 30 and Oct. 2.
In Baghdad, Iraqi army and U.S. Task Force Baghdad soldiers seized six individuals suspected of planting improvised explosive devices, detained two car-bombing suspects, and unearthed three weapons caches during combined and independent combat operations Oct. 2. Five of the terror suspects were captured in two early-morning raids conducted by Iraqi and U.S. forces.

At 2:30 a.m., soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Iraqi Army Brigade, teamed up with U.S. soldiers from 1st Battalion, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, to search an apartment complex. In less than 90 minutes, the soldiers captured three suspected terrorists believed to be responsible for placing roadside bombs in the area.

The second Iraqi-U.S. operation netted two more terror suspects in western Baghdad just before 4 a.m. The suspects are thought to be involved in a car-bombing cell.

At 8:10 a.m., Task Force Baghdad soldiers patrolling in southwestern Baghdad struck an IED. No one was injured in the attack, and the patrol caught two men acting suspiciously.

The patrol then searched two houses 100 yards from the scene of the attack and found bomb-making materials, including batteries, wires, timers and radio detonation devices. The soldiers also found two AK-47 assault rifles and two sniper rifles in the houses.

Task Force Baghdad soldiers, acting on an Iraqi citizen's tip, nabbed the sixth suspected roadside bomber just before 3 p.m. in northern Baghdad.

All eight terror suspects were taken into custody for questioning.

In other combat operations, Iraqi and coalition forces found three weapons caches in western Baghdad.

One of the caches was discovered lying out in the open in burlap bags, indicating the weapons were either about to be buried or were being recovered for a possible terrorist attack. The cache contained two machine guns with 150 links of ammunition, six AK-47 assault rifles with 16 full magazines, and eight hand grenades.

The second cache consisted of 76 artillery rounds, one missile, one rocket, 10 mortar rounds, and a mortar tube, base plate and bipod for firing the munitions.

Task Force Baghdad soldiers also found 10 mortar rounds, four rockets, five grenades, five AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, and three bullet-proof vests in a third weapons cache. The third cache also contained fake license plates and nearly 20 bombs.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Force Northwest and Task Force Baghdad news releases.)

Related Site:
Multinational Force Iraq

Thank you AD for that link.

Today's a good day.

I'm going to be planting 13 pounds of bulbs all over the place today.
(The optimist anticipates Spring.)

You are very welcome Cindy.

>> Today's a good day. <<

{{{smiles}}}

Thanks Velveeta for that update...

I remember a speeding engineer story, (unless of course there was more than one of these stories). I'm glad he got suspended.

s many as 225 Pakistanis who were residing illegally in the US were arrested from various cities and will be deported to Pakistan

It's about time. The suicide bomber's Pakistani roommate's citizenship status would be interesting to know.

"...the Topeka Bomb Squad found two other suspicious devices."

That's interesting.

Ditto.

I put it on my list for documentation purposes only.