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| Terrorist threats to destroy US city posted online |
| 2004-01-15 |
| US and British intelligence services are investigating a series of alleged al Qaeda internet warnings predicting a terror attack which would "destroy an entire American city". The messages, posted on a number of Islamic websites over the last week, say the countdown to attack has already begun. They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". They also warn that unless the US and its allies withdraw immediately from Iraq, Afghanistan, and all other Muslim countries, the terror network has ordered the elimination of American leaders and their supporters. The post of most concern to Western intelligence has appeared three times in three days on a radical Islamic internet forum called the Mujahideen Network. It claimed to be "from the Islamic nation to the American people" and boasted that its forces now had the ability to wipe out an entire city. A security source said last night: "There is no way of determining whether these warnings are genuine or wishful thinking on the part of extremists. But there are disturbing parallels with the background threat-level chatter which preceded the September 11 attacks in 2001." The investigation came as the UN said almost 100 countries should be "named and shamed" for failing to enforce international sanctions against known members of al Qaeda and its Taliban allies and to block the flow of money and arms to the groups. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #34 Let me play the contrarian. In spite of the hyperbolic ranting of the Islamofascists, remember the anthrax sent to the two senators? It was militarized to a degree more deadly than any military anthrax our bioweapons people have ever seen. Normal room currents caused the coated spores to waft off the microscope slides when attempting to study them. IIRC, Laurie Mylroie thought the anthrax attack was an Iraqi test to see if we blamed al Qaeda or Iraq, possibly to clear the way for a full scale attack. But our FBI seems to have done a "Richard Jewell" redux by going after the closest fit to their profile -- an "angry white male" with biochemistry credentials -- Steven Hatfill. With such high grade "waftable" anthrax, a light plane -- not a crop duster -- would be adaquate to do the dirty deed. I don't know how Tom Ridge sleeps. |
| Posted by: VRWconspiracy 2004-1-15 11:17:55 PM |
| #33 Nave they hooked up with that Klattu Baratta Niktu guy? He was pretty scary. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-1-15 9:03:56 PM |
| #32 They mention "destruction" of a city. A bio or chem-weapons strike would not destroy infrastructure, just people. Nuclear weapons are still the best for destruction. What do they have that's better? |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-1-15 3:20:12 PM |
| #31 Depending on what they do (if anything), I wonder what the US reaction would be? IF there was a suitcase nuke strike against a US city, it would do immense damage to a small area, and make a larger area virtually uninhabitable for a period of time afterwards. Blowing up New York would NOT be a good idea. Tit for tat would require us totally destroying the top ten "holy sites" in the Middle East, with the exception of Jerusalem, which isn't exactly a MUSLIM holy site. Since it's Haj season, the number of dead from a 10-megaton nuclear strike on Mecca could be catastrophic, and affect as many as a hundred different countries. A similar smack on Qom, Medina, Jedda, Damascus, et. cetera, would also make an impression. "An eye for an eye" is ok as long as the two parties are on equal footing. One whose cultural, scientific, and core-value system and beliefs based in the 7th century, fighting with stolen 20th century weapons against another that actually CREATED those weapons, and knows how to use them the best, would be nasty, nasty. It's time for the Muslim community to take responsibility for the actions of those within their community. If they fail to do that, the West should ensure they also share in the consequences meted out to those who cause pain and suffering in Western nations. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-15 2:21:55 PM |
| #30 Oh My!! I certainly hope they haven't gotten their hands on one of those Zionist deathrays! |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-1-15 12:48:34 PM |
| #29 Bomb-a-rama - The Allah Bomb? I always liked Jim Dunnigan's nickname for it - The Suitcase From Allah. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-1-15 12:46:57 PM |
| #28 They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". Unless they're planning to hook up a device to my ass while I'm breaking wind, I don't see it happening... |
| Posted by: Raj 2004-1-15 12:38:30 PM |
| #27 It was only a question of time before the great engineering schools of the Middle East outstripped MIT, CalTech, Cornell etc. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-1-15 12:37:42 PM |
| #26 Omigod, that can only mean a fully functional DEATHSTAR!!! |
| Posted by: 4thInfVet 2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM |
| #25 They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". Eeeek! The Pak's have figured out how to unleash the power of jinns! Oh hold me, Ethel! |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-1-15 11:02:00 AM |
| #24 US and British intelligence services are investigating a series of alleged al Qaeda internet warnings predicting a terror attack which would "destroy an entire American city". The messages, posted on a number of Islamic websites over the last week, say the countdown to attack has already begun. They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". The Allah Bomb? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-15 10:31:45 AM |
| #23 poison the water system? pray to allah for an earthquake? sponsor a Jerry Lewis film festival? on the other hand, they didn't say which city. I'm thinkin' it's like, Dodge City, and they'll ride in with six shooters. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-1-15 9:12:38 AM |
| #22 "A stronger strike than a nuclear weapon", that would "destroy an entire American city" Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind is a bioweapons attack, or photon torpedos. The city's Detroit the bioweapon is the birthrate. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-1-15 7:53:37 AM |
| #21 "A stronger strike than a nuclear weapon", that would "destroy an entire American city" Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind is a bioweapons attack, or photon torpedos. |
| Posted by: Ben 2004-1-15 4:56:00 AM |
| #20 I don't doubt the jihadists have big plans, and have prepared accordingly. However, it would seem that the WOT has seriously disrupted their operations, thus forcing them to regroup, all the while the while seething in the short-term. Now....if my address was somewhere in the EU....well then I might be a tad more concerned. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2004-1-15 2:46:16 AM |
| #19 My guess FWIIW is homicide (suicide) bombers or shooters on rooftops with automatic weapons, at political rallies with the aim of disrupting the 2004 elections and killing prominent politicians. Of course it won't work, but remember these guys have a limited grasp of how free societies work. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-1-15 1:59:20 AM |
| #18 There are far more impressive, and less disturbing, parallels with many other empty threats they've released over the last couple of years. In general terms, the more spectacular the threat, the less there is likely to be to it. (And what in hell would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons"?) Short of release of an infectious biowarfare agent or direct intervention by Allah, it's hard to see what they might be fantasizing about. |
| Posted by: Steven Den Beste 2004-1-15 1:16:15 AM |
| #17 Let me play the contrarian. In spite of the hyperbolic ranting of the Islamofascists, remember the anthrax sent to the two senators? It was militarized to a degree more deadly than any military anthrax our bioweapons people have ever seen. Normal room currents caused the coated spores to waft off the microscope slides when attempting to study them. IIRC, Laurie Mylroie thought the anthrax attack was an Iraqi test to see if we blamed al Qaeda or Iraq, possibly to clear the way for a full scale attack. But our FBI seems to have done a "Richard Jewell" redux by going after the closest fit to their profile -- an "angry white male" with biochemistry credentials -- Steven Hatfill. With such high grade "waftable" anthrax, a light plane -- not a crop duster -- would be adaquate to do the dirty deed. I don't know how Tom Ridge sleeps. |
| Posted by: VRWconspiracy 2004-1-15 11:17:55 PM |
| #16 Nave they hooked up with that Klattu Baratta Niktu guy? He was pretty scary. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-1-15 9:03:56 PM |
| #15 They mention "destruction" of a city. A bio or chem-weapons strike would not destroy infrastructure, just people. Nuclear weapons are still the best for destruction. What do they have that's better? |
| Posted by: Spot 2004-1-15 3:20:12 PM |
| #14 Depending on what they do (if anything), I wonder what the US reaction would be? IF there was a suitcase nuke strike against a US city, it would do immense damage to a small area, and make a larger area virtually uninhabitable for a period of time afterwards. Blowing up New York would NOT be a good idea. Tit for tat would require us totally destroying the top ten "holy sites" in the Middle East, with the exception of Jerusalem, which isn't exactly a MUSLIM holy site. Since it's Haj season, the number of dead from a 10-megaton nuclear strike on Mecca could be catastrophic, and affect as many as a hundred different countries. A similar smack on Qom, Medina, Jedda, Damascus, et. cetera, would also make an impression. "An eye for an eye" is ok as long as the two parties are on equal footing. One whose cultural, scientific, and core-value system and beliefs based in the 7th century, fighting with stolen 20th century weapons against another that actually CREATED those weapons, and knows how to use them the best, would be nasty, nasty. It's time for the Muslim community to take responsibility for the actions of those within their community. If they fail to do that, the West should ensure they also share in the consequences meted out to those who cause pain and suffering in Western nations. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-15 2:21:55 PM |
| #13 Oh My!! I certainly hope they haven't gotten their hands on one of those Zionist deathrays! |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2004-1-15 12:48:34 PM |
| #12 Bomb-a-rama - The Allah Bomb? I always liked Jim Dunnigan's nickname for it - The Suitcase From Allah. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-1-15 12:46:57 PM |
| #11 They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". Unless they're planning to hook up a device to my ass while I'm breaking wind, I don't see it happening... |
| Posted by: Raj 2004-1-15 12:38:30 PM |
| #10 It was only a question of time before the great engineering schools of the Middle East outstripped MIT, CalTech, Cornell etc. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-1-15 12:37:42 PM |
| #9 Omigod, that can only mean a fully functional DEATHSTAR!!! |
| Posted by: 4thInfVet 2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM |
| #8 They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". Eeeek! The Pak's have figured out how to unleash the power of jinns! Oh hold me, Ethel! |
| Posted by: Steve White 2004-1-15 11:02:00 AM |
| #7 US and British intelligence services are investigating a series of alleged al Qaeda internet warnings predicting a terror attack which would "destroy an entire American city". The messages, posted on a number of Islamic websites over the last week, say the countdown to attack has already begun. They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons". The Allah Bomb? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-1-15 10:31:45 AM |
| #6 poison the water system? pray to allah for an earthquake? sponsor a Jerry Lewis film festival? on the other hand, they didn't say which city. I'm thinkin' it's like, Dodge City, and they'll ride in with six shooters. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-1-15 9:12:38 AM |
| #5 "A stronger strike than a nuclear weapon", that would "destroy an entire American city" Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind is a bioweapons attack, or photon torpedos. The city's Detroit the bioweapon is the birthrate. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-1-15 7:53:37 AM |
| #4 "A stronger strike than a nuclear weapon", that would "destroy an entire American city" Hmm... the only thing that comes to mind is a bioweapons attack, or photon torpedos. |
| Posted by: Ben 2004-1-15 4:56:00 AM |
| #3 I don't doubt the jihadists have big plans, and have prepared accordingly. However, it would seem that the WOT has seriously disrupted their operations, thus forcing them to regroup, all the while the while seething in the short-term. Now....if my address was somewhere in the EU....well then I might be a tad more concerned. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2004-1-15 2:46:16 AM |
| #2 My guess FWIIW is homicide (suicide) bombers or shooters on rooftops with automatic weapons, at political rallies with the aim of disrupting the 2004 elections and killing prominent politicians. Of course it won't work, but remember these guys have a limited grasp of how free societies work. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-1-15 1:59:20 AM |
| #1 There are far more impressive, and less disturbing, parallels with many other empty threats they've released over the last couple of years. In general terms, the more spectacular the threat, the less there is likely to be to it. (And what in hell would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons"?) Short of release of an infectious biowarfare agent or direct intervention by Allah, it's hard to see what they might be fantasizing about. |
| Posted by: Steven Den Beste 2004-1-15 1:16:15 AM |
