Posted on 02/11/2003 2:48:18 PM PST by sarcasm
ASHINGTON, Feb. 11 — F.B.I. Director Robert S. Mueller III said today that several hundred Islamic extremists linked to Al Qaeda are in the United States, with some organized in cells that could be ordered to carry out terrorist attacks in this country.
In his most definitive statement to date about the presence of extremists in the United States, Mr. Mueller told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the effort to identify these cell members is the country's most serious law enforcement challenge.
Speaking of Qaeda followers in the United States, Mr. Mueller said, "The focus of their activities center primarily on fund-raising recruitment and training. Their support structure, however, is sufficiently well-developed that one or more groups could be ramped up by Al Qaeda to carry out operations in the U.S. homeland."
With fears of a possible terrorist attack at their highest level in months, George Tenet, the director of Central Intelligence, defended last week's decision by the Bush administration to rachet up the official threat gauge to Code Orange, saying it was based "not on idle chatter on the part of terrorists and their associates."
"It is the most specific we have seen," he said, "and it is consistent with both our knowledge of Qaeda doctrine and our knowledge of plots this network — and particularly its senior leadership — has been working on for years."
Mr. Tenet's testimony reflected the heightened tensions around the world as the United States continued preparations for military actions in Iraq, as North Korea has threatened to resume its nuclear program and Iran disclosed that it was nearly ready to to enrich uranium to fuel its nuclear energy program.
"We see disturbing signs that Al Qaeda has established a presence in both Iran and Iraq," Mr. Tenet said. "In addition we are concerned that al Qaeda continues to find refuge in the hinterlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan."
Mr. Tenet said that Mr. bin Laden's followers appeared to focus their terror planning on specific regions. "The information we have points to plots aimed at targets on two fronts — in the United States and on the Arabian peninsula," Mr. Tenet said. "It points to plots timed to occur as early as the end of the Haj, which occurs late this week," Mr. Tenet said.
"And it points to plots that could include the use of a radiological dispersion device as well as poisons and chemicals," Mr. Tenet added, referring to devices like a "dirty bomb," which detonates with a conventional explosive, throwing radioactive material into the air.
Today's hearing, an annual assessment of global threats, centered on Al Qaeda, Iraq and North Korea with witnesses that included Mr. Mueller, Mr. Tenet and Vice Admiral Lowell E. Jacoby, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and Carl W. Ford Jr., assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research.
The heads of the intelligence agencies said they were deeply concerned about the possibility that international terrorists could link with extremist nations, raising the specter that al Qaeda or allied groups might find a source for biological, chemical, radiological or nuclear weapons.
In the past Mr. Mueller has spoken of Al Qaeda in a more measured way, avoiding specific statements like he made today saying that law enforcement authorities knew that militants under the direction of Osama bin Laden and capable of terrorist strikes were in the United States.
I witnessed our leading petty officer get frisked in his uniform as security guards waved a group of shifty-eyed young arab men through the gates. Absolutely stupid.
Arrest anybody remotely connected to these people. If the arabs dont like it, they are welcome to go back to Pakistan or wherever.
The problem is that the FBI doesn't know who these people are of where to look for them. How can they tell the terrorists from the rest of the people? Anyone with any helpful suggestions might consider contacting the FBI and passing them on. Of course, that might prove counterproductive since they would then find it nescessary to use their limited manpower investigating you.
As we are at war, a declared war for the most part, If I were to suddenly find myself in the near vicinity of an Al-Queda cell, could I open fire?
What are the legal points concerning non-military actions against enemy combatants that are in my local?
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