Threat Matrix: 2009

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[Velveeta]

Cheney warns of new attacks

Former Vice President Dick Cheney warned that there is a “high probability” that terrorists will attempt a catastrophic nuclear or biological attack in coming years, and said he fears the Obama administration’s policies will make it more likely the attempt will succeed.

In an interview Tuesday with Politico, Cheney unyieldingly defended the Bush administration’s support for the Guantanamo Bay prison and coercive interrogation of terrorism suspects.

And he asserted that President Obama will either backtrack on his stated intentions to end those policies or put the country at risk in ways more severe than most Americans — and, he charged, many members of Obama’s own team — understand.

“When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry,” Cheney said.

Threat Matrix:
2009

November 2008

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

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Threat Matrix: Since November 3, 2003
								67	66	65	64	63	62	61	60	59	58	57	56	55	54	53	52	51
50	49	48	47	46	45	44	43	42	41	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26
25	24	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01

"No matter where you live in the world, this is a message that bears repeating: Your assistance is needed to prevent terrorist acts." From TM'er and Freeper ~appalachian_dweller~
Submit Information Online: FBI Tips & Public Leads
CDC ::::: CIA ::::: DHS ::::: DOJ ::::: DOD ::::: FBI ::::: NSA
Government Web Sites			Homeland Security Weekly		Nuclear Threat Initiative
	Most Wanted Terrorists		Terror-Alert.com		NCI: Nuclear Terrorism
	FBI: Seeking Information		Global Crisis Watch		IR and Security Network
	Are you Ready?: Ready.Gov		SOFIR		World Policy Institute
	CDC: Preparedness/Response		Little Green Footballs	Threat Matrix Related
	Defense Dept. War on Terror		Terror Base UK		Terrorism Knowledge Base
	U.S. Immigration & Customs		The Blotter		Terror Information Bank
	DOJ: Combating Terrorism		Middle East Live Daily Thread		South Asia Terrorism Portal
	US-Cert: Current Activity	Think Tanks			Terrorist Scorecard
News & Information			The Terrorism Research Center		Iraq Pipeline Watch
	IPN - Fire & Police Paging		The Jamestown Foundation		National Security Archive
	MEMRI | MEMRI TV		The Brookings Institution		Islamic Dictionary
	The Counterterrorism Blog		Council on Foreign Relations		IACSP Terrorism/Antiterrorism
	Jihad Watch		SITE Institute	Maps
	GlobalTerrorAlert.com		CSIS		Terrorist Network in U.S. Map
	LauraMansfield.com		RAND Corporation		Recent Disasters: Worldwide
	Internet Haganah		International Crisis Group		Nuclear Weapon Effects Calc.
	Topix.net: Terrorism News		The Heritage Foundation		Nuclear Terrorism: Blast Maps
	Faith Freedom International		Foreign Policy Institute		FEMA Nuclear Fallout Map
	TrackingTerrorism.com		Center for Defense Information		U.S. Nuclear Targets Map
	DEBKAfile		The Cato Institute		Global Incident Map
	TerroristWarning.com		Hudson Institute	Pay Sites
	HomelandSecurityUS.net		Homeland Security Institute		Strategic Forecasting
New Links in Italics

"America Supports You" spotlights what Americans are doing in support of the military all across the land, encourages others to thank the troops and allows all to tell their stories by giving voice and visibility to their efforts.

Being prepared is a good thing, no matter where one lives; no matter what alert level we are on.
From TM'er and Freeper ~Cindy~

Intelligence is the best weapon against terrorism.
National Commission on Terrorism: 1999

Ian Livingston

<

Threat Matrix: Since November 3, 2003
								67	66	65	64	63	62	61	60	59	58	57	56	55	54	53	52	51
50	49	48	47	46	45	44	43	42	41	40	39	38	37	36	35	34	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26
25	24	23	22	21	20	19	18	17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	09	08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01

"No matter where you live in the world, this is a message that bears repeating: Your assistance is needed to prevent terrorist acts." From TM'er and Freeper ~appalachian_dweller~
Submit Information Online: FBI Tips & Public Leads
CDC ::::: CIA ::::: DHS ::::: DOJ ::::: DOD ::::: FBI ::::: NSA
Government Web Sites			Homeland Security Weekly		Nuclear Threat Initiative
	Most Wanted Terrorists		Terror-Alert.com		NCI: Nuclear Terrorism
	FBI: Seeking Information		Global Crisis Watch		IR and Security Network
	Are you Ready?: Ready.Gov		SOFIR		World Policy Institute
	CDC: Preparedness/Response		Little Green Footballs	Threat Matrix Related
	Defense Dept. War on Terror		Terror Base UK		Terrorism Knowledge Base
	U.S. Immigration & Customs		The Blotter		Terror Information Bank
	DOJ: Combating Terrorism		Middle East Live Daily Thread		South Asia Terrorism Portal
	US-Cert: Current Activity	Think Tanks			Terrorist Scorecard
News & Information			The Terrorism Research Center		Iraq Pipeline Watch
	IPN - Fire & Police Paging		The Jamestown Foundation		National Security Archive
	MEMRI | MEMRI TV		The Brookings Institution		Islamic Dictionary
	The Counterterrorism Blog		Council on Foreign Relations		IACSP Terrorism/Antiterrorism
	Jihad Watch		SITE Institute	Maps
	GlobalTerrorAlert.com		CSIS		Terrorist Network in U.S. Map
	LauraMansfield.com		RAND Corporation		Recent Disasters: Worldwide
	Internet Haganah		International Crisis Group		Nuclear Weapon Effects Calc.
	Topix.net: Terrorism News		The Heritage Foundation		Nuclear Terrorism: Blast Maps
	Faith Freedom International		Foreign Policy Institute		FEMA Nuclear Fallout Map
	TrackingTerrorism.com		Center for Defense Information		U.S. Nuclear Targets Map
	DEBKAfile		The Cato Institute		Global Incident Map
	TerroristWarning.com		Hudson Institute	Pay Sites
	HomelandSecurityUS.net		Homeland Security Institute		Strategic Forecasting
New Links in Italics

"America Supports You" spotlights what Americans are doing in support of the military all across the land, encourages others to thank the troops and allows all to tell their stories by giving voice and visibility to their efforts.

Being prepared is a good thing, no matter where one lives; no matter what alert level we are on.
From TM'er and Freeper ~Cindy~

Intelligence is the best weapon against terrorism.
National Commission on Terrorism: 1999

Ian Livingston

[WestCoastGal]

That orange level is a joke because it’s been that way - never lowered or raised since 9-11 that I know of. So I’m guessing it’s because we are always in danger or the government is just continuing in CYA mode.

Airline level was raised to red in 2006 after this http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5632616 We here at FR/TM were following inbound planes on airline tracking sites - mostly to Reagan national because of threats.

BTW - welcome to Free Republic - I always wonder how people choose their screen name - what does yours stand for?

[WestCoastGal]

TSA subpoenas bloggers, demands names of sources... http://tinyurl.com/ydcwfv2

[JustPiper]

Nothin here, move along in my best Gubmint voice

[JustPiper]

They did a few beheadings just today.
~Doing Sign of the Cross

[caww]

Well Hello, Thank you for your welcome...

name..are my initials, simple to remember, friends call me cw.

Was linked to Homeland Security,( (years since there), thought they had stopped using threat level, was surprised to see. Figured since latest threats they had it back up again, brought it here just in case. Dah..wrong!

At any rate, TM has been helpful already. Certainly appears you’re all quite aware what’s going on, with some who “walk where angels fear to tread.” Now how interesting is that!

I’ve been known to launge into the deep...not one to tread water and accept the status quo when it comes to news. Need to know how things really are.

Enjoy studying prophecy as well, but not as some who go off the deep end and think every war or conflict is the end. But we are living in unusul times...world stage is on the move again.

Thanks again.....cw

[JustPiper]

“Do you refer to this site for info?”

Never. I have never trusted a government website to tell me the truth about anything. I go where angels fear to tread...and I WILL find the truth.

That's because you care

[WestCoastGal]

We assess a direct, grave threat, by AL QAEDA, against U.S. Navy warships and U.S.-flagged vessels. Moreover, if U.S.-flagged merchantmen are still steaming anywhere in the U.S. FIFTH FLEET Area of Responsibility without armed security, they do so now at a considerably elevated risk.

In this connection, we should also note a reference to the Fort Hood massacre and a call to Muslims “in the Crusader armies” and “agent governments” to replicate the 5 November killings at Fort Hood. We would interpret this as a call on sufficiently radicalized sailors to sabotage warships.

They come to this conclusion based on an observation that I do think is certainly noteworthy. On December 27th, Al Qaeda in Yemen (AQIY) responded to airstrikes in the eastern province of Shabwa conducted by Yemen air force with new threats. The full English transcript (PDF) of the AQIY threat is here, but this part stuck out.

“And lastly, we call upon the proud tribes of Yemen—people of support and victory—and the people of the Arabian Peninsula, to face the crusader campaign and their cooperatives on the peninsula of Muhammad, prayer and peace upon him, and that’s through attacking their military bases, intelligence embassies, and their fleets that exist on the water and land of the Arabian Peninsula; until we stop the continuous massacres on the Muslim countries.”

While not unheard of, it is uncommon for any Al Qaeda statement to mention attacking western fleets or attacks on water in general. Plenty of threats discuss planes, bases, and embassies... but rarely targets at sea. That is why the Al Qaeda in Yemen AQIY claim of responsibility for the Christmas airline attack was also interesting. Full English transcript here (PDF), but again, this part stuck out:

“We call upon every Muslim protective of his religion and doctrine to remove the polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula and that’s through killing every crusader working in the embassies or other places, and you ought to declare it a full-scale war against every crusader in the [Arabian] Peninsula of Muhammad, Allah’s prayer and peace upon him, on land, on water, and in the air.”

The Osen-Hunter Group's assessment is in direct response to threats made by Al Qaeda against sea targets twice in one week, because as it turns out, Al Qaeda has never made threats against targets at sea twice in one week, ever.

I'm not going to speculate the conclusions, but let me give the folks in DC something to consider regarding this issue.

If you have followed the fallout from the underwear bomber, the only clear conclusion is that the Department of Homeland Security, and in particular Secretary Janet Napolitano, got caught with their pants down. They had no plan of action in place to respond to the attempted bombing of the airline, and when the event took place on a slow news day like Christmas, it became the only thing to talk about and a major issue to the American people. MORE - click on text.

[JustPiper]

So many dots and so little time

~agreed

[JustPiper]

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) US Embassy warns of possible terrorist attacks on Indonesia’s Bali island on New Year’s Eve.

[JustPiper]

I curled up & felt like a scared 5 year old when I read this

[caww]

Heard yesturday 2/3rds of Imans in Britain are on public assistance...am still speechless...we’re next unless measures are taken to stop it.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Welcome, CW. Dot collectors and connectors are always welcome here. The best bunch of FReepers hang out on this thread.

[WestCoastGal]

Well initials are easy enough - :) We’re always glad to have new eyes and ears searching for information.

The TM thread kind of goes up and down with the threat level. As you can see by reading the header titles we’ve been doing this for many years.

[WestCoastGal]

Yes - makes you stop and think before going to some sites. At least I do.

[WestCoastGal]

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been leading the State Department’s role in the review from her home in Chappaqua, the official said, while Deputy Secretary Jack Lew has been manning the shop here in Washington. Lew and Undersecreatary for Management Patrick Kennedy have participated interagency meetings on Clinton’s behalf.

http://bit.ly/6xTalR

[WestCoastGal]

Though the always-transparent (NOT!) White House web site contains no news of it, President Barack Obama has reportedly signed an executive order — yes, another one. This time, he’s tasked the United States Postal Service to help distribute countermeasures in the event of a biological weapons attack within the United States.

Why the Postal Service? Because, according to a New York Times report, of its ”capacity for rapid residential delivery.” Yeah, right.

AFP reports President Obama has given Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius 180 days to come up with the plan for the USPS. Sigh.

http://bit.ly/7S9SYP

[WestCoastGal]

Police find abandoned boat believed used for immigrant smuggling - LAGUNA BEACH – http://ow.ly/16f0ac

[appalachian_dweller]

Good morning folks. Like JP, I'm glad to see so many TMer’s ‘re-activate’. LOL.

Was thinking about the Times Square celebration last night. If it's called off due to security concerns, the muslims win. If we don't call it off and thousands are killed the muslims win. Almost a no win situation.

Filled up the gas tank this morning. I usually wait until I'm on my way home, but I wanted a full tank now in case things go sideways today.

Worried here. Will check back later.

[Rushmore Rocks]

Thanks, I was wondering where she was hunkered down with the pillows over her head.

[WestCoastGal]

LOL - wonder where her other half is?

An article from Michael Chertoff.....re: Homeland Security

~snip

Second, the idea that we can readily identify and profile international terrorists is dangerously misleading. Abdulmuttalab, a Nigerian, does not fit the image of a Pakistani or Arab extremist. Neither did Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, or some of the seemingly well-adjusted British plotters who intended to bomb trans-Atlantic airliners in 2006. In fact, al Qaeda has deliberately sought to recruit Westerners as operatives to take advantage of any stereotype we have about what a typical terrorist looks like. The fact that a U.S. Army major carried out a successful terrorist attack at Fort Hood ought to confound our expectations about the kind of people who become violent extremists.

http://bit.ly/8d6zgD