Archived material Access restricted Article
Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Thu 01/15/2004 View Wed 01/14/2004 View Tue 01/13/2004 View Mon 01/12/2004 View Sun 01/11/2004 View Sat 01/10/2004 View Fri 01/09/2004
1
2004-01-15 Home Front
Terrorist threats to destroy US city posted online
Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.
Posted by Dan Darling 2004-01-15 12:08:59 AM|| || Front Page|| [11129 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#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|| [http://denbeste.nu]  2004-1-15 1:16:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 1:59:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 2:46:16 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 4:56:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 7:53:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 9:12:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 10:31:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 11:02:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Omigod, that can only mean a fully functional DEATHSTAR!!!
Posted by 4thInfVet 2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM||   2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:37:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://angrycyclist.blogspot.com]  2004-1-15 12:38:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:46:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:48:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm]  2004-1-15 2:21:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 3:20:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 9:03:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 11:17:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://denbeste.nu]  2004-1-15 1:16:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 1:59:20 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 2:46:16 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 4:56:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 7:53:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 9:12:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 10:31:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 11:02:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#26 Omigod, that can only mean a fully functional DEATHSTAR!!!
Posted by 4thInfVet 2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM||   2004-1-15 12:27:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:37:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://angrycyclist.blogspot.com]  2004-1-15 12:38:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:46:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 12:48:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#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|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm]  2004-1-15 2:21:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 3:20:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 9:03:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#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||   2004-1-15 11:17:55 PM|| Front Page Top

07:42 Gabriel Hiza
00:10 Lucky
00:01 Lucky
23:51 Lucky
23:21 B
23:17 VRWconspiracy
23:16 4thInfVet
23:11 Tokyo Taro
23:00 CrazyFool
22:55 CrazyFool
22:49 CrazyFool
22:31 4thInfVet
22:16 Nero
22:08 Bomb-a-rama
22:06 Scooter McGruder
22:04 Gasse Katze
21:56 JDB
21:50 Raj
21:46 Raj
21:37 Ed Becerra
21:30 Ed Becerra
21:27 tu3031
21:25 tu3031
21:21 tu3031









Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com