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| Terror Networks |
| Captured al-Qaeda figure source of terror threat info |
| 2004-08-02 |
| The unannounced capture of a figure from Al Qaeda in Pakistan several weeks ago led the Central Intelligence Agency to the rich lode of information that prompted the terror alert on Sunday, according to senior American officials. The figure, Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan, was described by a Pakistani intelligence official as a 25-year-old computer engineer, arrested July 13, who had used and helped to operate a secret Qaeda communications system where information was transferred via coded messages. A senior United States official would not confirm or deny that Mr. Khan had been the Qaeda figure whose capture led to the information. But the official said "documentary evidence" found after the capture had demonstrated in extraordinary detail that Qaeda members had for years conducted sophisticated and extensive reconnaissance of the financial institutions cited in the warnings on Sunday. One senior American intelligence official said the information was more detailed and precise than any he had seen during his 24-year career in intelligence work. A second senior American official said it had provided a new window into the methods, content and distribution of Qaeda communications. "This, for us, is a potential treasure trove," said a third senior American official, an intelligence expert, at a briefing for reporters on Sunday afternoon. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #8 Don't be such a choir boy JJ. To beat Qyduh, you must be a bigger prick than them. How do you think we won WWII? By being bigger pricks than Hitler. (Ponder the implications of that will you.) You do not beat Qyduh by not penetrating their network. It is a time honored way to further your goals. The British played this very game to perfection in WWII (see "Bodyguard of Lies"). First, they penetrated German communications. From that they learned of every Nazi agent in the UK. That brought those agents under their control. They then used the same agents to feed info to Herr Adolph. From Winston's mouth to Adolph's ear. From that they were able to finesse Adolph's actions during the D-day campaign until they were able to close him and crush him. ("Sometimes the truth is so precious that it must be protected by a bodyguard of lies." - Winston Churchill) In order to protect the agent's credibility they had to give a certain amount of real info away via these agents. Also to protect just how much they knew of the network, they choose not to stop every hit. Churchill knew in advance of the raid on Coventry and did nothing to stop it. (Isn't that cruel and horrific? Such are the requirements of wartime leadership.) So JJ, in order to stop Qyduh, we must be willing to get our hands dirty and penetrate their networks by whatever means works. Welcome to The Circus JJ. Did you think you could have victory and a clean consciense? Perhaps you should become John Kerry's National Security Advisor. |
| Posted by: Zpaz 2004-08-02 8:21:25 PM |
| #7 Zpaz, the goal is to stop terrorism not run it. |
| Posted by: jojo the amazing circus boy 2004-08-02 3:46:34 PM |
| #6 Asked about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mr. Khan has told interrogators that even the top Qaeda commanders do not know, the Pakistani intelligence official said. I guess they did not mark his grave. ...the rich lode of information... What a dilemna. Announce the alert to prevent the attack or play dumb to penetrate further into Qyduh. Every time you declare what you know, the jihadis go to ground and reorganize. If you don't announce what you know, then maybe you can own the asset - "Mr. Khan" - which can eventually lead to owning all the assets. It strikes me that we have a strategic weapon in that Qyduh thinks there are things we simply won't do such as letting our own people get hurt to further a greater goal. We should turn that belief around on them and use it to penetrate their network. Present to them a possible recruit. Let him pull off an attack. Then he gains trusted access. Figure out the network from there, then own the network. Use it to recruit other jihadis, except they work for you without knowing it. Play dirty. |
| Posted by: Zpaz 2004-08-02 2:01:38 PM |
| #5 Mr. Khan was in contact with the brother of the Indonesian Qaeda leader Hambali, who was studying in a religious school in Karachi, and who was deported in December 2003. And IIRC, it was Steve who noted that al-Q is like the pre WWI royals--they educate their kids together in the same schools and marry them off to each other. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-08-02 11:12:25 AM |
| #4 A fantastic idea, .com - I believe you refer to The TARDIS ('Time and Relative Dimensions in Space') - I'm sure it will be lying around some warehouse in White City - shall contact friends at the Beeb to see what they can do for us. I'm sure that I could think of a more suitable intergalactic destination for them. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-08-02 9:28:24 AM |
| #3 Howard, do you think the Beeb would let us borrow Dr Who's time machine for, say, a couple of years? I don't think they're using it much these days, are they? The reason I ask is that we could "deport" the jihadis back in time. They want the 7th Century? Fine. We'll tell 'em that's where they're going, but I'd like to scatter them out in the 66-70 million years ago range - dino appetizers. I think that'd be the "green" thing to do with them, don't you? Just a thought. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-08-02 9:09:00 AM |
| #2 ..he speaks English with a British accent.. Grrreat. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-08-02 8:55:38 AM |
| #1 A computer engineer, son of a high level official and a college professor --- the creme of Pakistan society. |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-08-02 8:33:19 AM |