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| Home Front: WoT |
| FBI planning against next al-Qaeda plot |
| 2004-03-26 |
| Emboldened by their deadly success in Spain, terrorists could attempt to influence the U.S. election and shock the world by launching attacks during this year's presidential nominating conventions or at the Olympics in Greece, FBI Director Robert Mueller said Thursday. "We understand that between now and the election, there is a window of time in which terrorists may well wish to influence events, whether it's in the United States or overseas," Mueller said in an interview with The Associated Press. He also said that Islamic extremists are changing tactics to focus on recruitment of local sympathizers less likely to arouse suspicion than outsiders. And terrorist groups may well move away from fortified targets, such as airports and government buildings, he said. "I do believe that when we enhance our security, harden targets, terrorists look for other targets that are soft targets," Mueller said. When new security measures are taken, he said, "the terrorists are thinking about ways to circumvent them." "In the wake of what happened in Madrid, we have to be concerned about the possibility of terrorists attempting to influence elections in the United States by committing a terrorist act," Mueller said. "Quite clearly, there will be substantial preparations for each of the conventions." U.S. officials also are deeply concerned about security for the Athens Olympics in August. Mueller said he was awaiting a review of a recent anti-terrorism exercise to "see again what we could do if there are areas that need to be shored up." Asked if security would be adequate by the time the Olympics begin, Mueller said: "It's premature to make any definitive judgment as to where we are in the stages of preparations." Regarding new al Qaeda recruiting tactics, Mueller pointed to the May 16 suicide bombings in Casablanca, Morocco, as evidence of change. In those attacks, local Islamic extremists were recruited by outsiders probably linked to al Qaeda to carry out the mission. "We, along with our counterparts, have to be alert to that type of combination of local persons as well as others who may have expertise in timing devices, and constructing (bombs), coming together with those who are willing to sacrifice themselves," Mueller said. He said there is no good explanation as to why no suicide bombings have been attempted in the United States -- "knock on wood," he said -- other than an effort by the FBI to raise awareness among state and local law enforcement officials "understanding that this is a threat and understanding the need to be alert to it." Mueller praised the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in assisting U.S. counterterrorism efforts. Saudi Arabia in particular has moved aggressively to root out al Qaeda cells since last May's bombings in Riyadh, discovering tons of explosives and large caches of weapons. "Saudi Arabia has become a very inhospitable place for al Qaeda," Mueller said. "That was not always the case." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 [Off-topic or abusive comments deleted] |
| Posted by: Anonymous TROLL 2004-03-26 8:43:21 PM |