Al Qaida weighs vehicle bomb attacks on U.S., 9/11-style strikes
Submitted by Templar Titan on Tue, 06/08/2004 - 21:19.
U.S. intelligence and security officials say Al Qaida terrorists are |
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Officials said there is no specific intelligence indicating when or where Al Qaida would attack or what method would be used. Analysts have tried to figure out what the group may be planning from various pieces of intelligence, including both agent reports and electronic communications. Recent intelligence of an impending attack triggered the May 26 announcement of the search for seven people believed linked to the group and its plan for an attack. As for targets, U.S. officials are worried that several high profile events taking place over the next several months could be targets. These include the G-8 summit meeting in Georgia and the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions later this summer. Another possible target is the NATO summit meeting set for June 27 in Istanbul. U.S. officials said there is intelligence indicating that Al Qaida is planning an attack on the meeting that will include senior alliance leaders, including President Bush. Additionally, officials believe Al Qaida could launch another attack on Washington, specifically a second strike on the Pentagon, or attacks on the White House and Capitol, which were believed to be targets of a hijacked aircraft that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers revolted against the hijackers on September 11. Another key worry is intelligence analysis suggesting Al Qaida's next major attack may involve the use of chemical, biological or radiological weapons. Officials have not ruled out multiple attacks in the United States or here and overseas, something that is a signature of the group. _____ Al Qaida tends to skip major events A U.S. national security official said Al Qaida in the past has not targeted anniversary events and thus a big attack is less likely during holidays or anniversaries. "Traditionally Al Qaida has not keyed its attacks to specific dates," the official said. "They move at their own timetable when they see the best prospects for succeeding." Tighter anti-terrorism security also has caused Al Qaida to choose periods when target areas do not expect an attack, the official said. "That doesn't rule out that they might try to pull something off" during holidays or public events, the official said. _____ U.S. counterterror chief quoted in Russia on portable nukes, Bin Laden Cofer Black, the State Department's coordinator for counterterrorism, said last week that the United States is worried about the security of Russia's portable tactical nuclear arms. Black told the Moscow newspaper Vremya that there is no solid information that terrorists have obtained any of the portable nuclear devices. "I don't know of credible information on the loss of such weapons or materials," Black said. "But the United States and Russia are considering the possible consequences of such a loss and are working concertedly to prevent this." Black also said the United States is working to capture Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden. "The task is to hand him and the other killers behind the 11 September terrorist act over to American justice," Black said. "We are prepared to accept his surrender. If he resists arrest, he will be killed. If there is a risk to our officers, his death in the course of such an operation will be justified. We are hunting Bin Laden and the leaders of Al Qaida. And we are making progress." Black said Bin Laden is "isolated and cannot communicate freely." "He is not exercising classical command of Al Qaida, he merely issues his edicts by video from time to time," Black said. "The living bandit Bin Laden in a hole in the ground is not much more dangerous than Bin Laden in the grave. But we are looking for him because he is a murderer. The nets are cast, the hunt is on. And we will get him." _____ Abu Sayaf seeks biochem arms Documents obtained during the arrest of an Abu Sayaf terrorist in the Philippines contain information on how to make chemical weapons, according to press reports. Philippines National Security Advisor Norberto Gonzales made the disclosure to reporters in Manila May 22. Gonzales said there is no information that the terrorist group, which has been linked to Al Qaida, has acquired chemical arms. The information was found among items recovered during the arrest of six Abu Sayaf terrorists in March. The material included "readings on biological and chemical warfare," Gonzales told Agence France Presse. He described the materials as similar to the "Anarchist's Cookbook" from the 1970s that described how to make homemade bombs, rather than being military-style confidential material. Gonzales said the documents provide "a look into the mental framework of terrorists. What they really want is as many casualties as possible." The suspects were arrested with more than 110 pound of TNT and other bomb components that appeared to be part of a plan for a Madrid-style bomb attack. Source: Geostrategy |
