Plot Reported Against Plane Carrying Gulf Troops

Reuters/Yahoo ^ | 1-12-2003

[blam]

Plot Reported Against Plane Carrying Gulf Troops

Sun Jan 12,11:41 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States, stepping up mobilization for possible war with Iraq, has evidence of a plot to blow up an aircraft carrying troops and cargo to the Gulf region, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Citing military and intelligence officials, the report on the newspaper's Web site said the evidence identified a specific civilian airline, a specific airport in the United States and a specific date and time for the planned attack. Officials learned of the plot within the past three weeks, the Times said.

A Pentagon spokesman declined direct comment on the report, saying: "We generally would not discuss any specific intelligence that we receive."

The military alerted the private airline directly, avoiding the risk of delays that might have come from working through domestic law enforcement authorities or federal transport safety agencies, the report said.

Security officials at the company took steps to guard against an attack, changing the date and time of the flight and the route it followed, the newspaper reported. It did not make clear if the date of the targeted flight had now passed.

In a full mobilization to war, more than 90 percent of the troops deploying would fly aboard private air carriers contracted by the military, officials told the newspaper.

Since Friday, the Bush administration has ordered about 62,000 troops to the Gulf region in a mobilization that more than doubles the number of U.S. troops now in the area.

[Mo1]

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[Blood of Tyrants]

If they had that much information, why didn't they set up a sting and nab the perps while they were preparing to do the deed?

[blam]

"If they had that much information, why didn't they set up a sting and nab the perps while they were preparing to do the deed?"

I was thinking the same. (?)

[ExpatCanuck]

Perhaps they did. ;-)

[Blood of Tyrants]

I don't think so. Read the following quote from the article: "Security officials at the company took steps to guard against an attack, changing the date and time of the flight and the route it followed..."

[Dr. Eckleburg]

There are people all over the world being detained, some permanently, whom we will never hear about.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

The diversion of the plane is not incompatible with a sting against the perps. Example: When I was a teaching assistant in grad school, a copy of one course's final exam got out. We swapped the exam at the last minute--preventing the cheating that had been planned--and nabbed the cheaters without difficulty. In fact, that was the easy part: you could tell who had planned to cheat by their sudden pallor when they saw what exam had actually been handed out! ;-)

The fact that we knew about the planned attack on the plane strongly suggests that we know who/what/when/where/how, and the perps are either being closely monitored (in hopes of widening our catch) or are now mouldering in custody as enemy combatants. You and I may never know about 'em.

[blam]

"There are people all over the world being detained, some permanently, whom we will never hear about."

I sure hope that's the case.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Oh great. So the next flight to depart said airline at said airport will be the target, then? Is it wrong to think this way? (wondering aloud)