Terrorist Security Alert raised until Election Day

[Stravo]

Official: U.S. to raise terror threat level for Washington

Sunday, August 1, 2004 Posted: 1:55 PM EDT (1755 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will announce Sunday that the threat level in the nation's capital will be raised from yellow (elevated) to orange (high), a government official told CNN.

Ridge was scheduled to hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT.

A Homeland Security official said that Ridge planned to discuss "recent threat reports and update Americans about protective measures that are being put in place in response to these reports."

News of the level increase followed reports of new information indicating that terrorists plan attacks on corporate and financial institutions in New York and Washington, officials said Sunday.

The nation's threat level is at category yellow. But New York has remained at orange since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

A federal law enforcement official said the information, released late last week, suggests "there is a new plan in the works" targeting New York, while a Homeland Security Department official said the nation's capital was also mentioned as a target, although from a different source.

Washington Mayor Tony Williams and several other key officials have been briefed about the threat to international monetary organizations and other financial institutions, according to Tony Bullock, the mayor's director of communications.

"We are activating additional surveillance in specific parts of the city -- keeping a close eye on anything out of the ordinary," Bullock said. "DHS is just sharing what information there is."

Authorities said that they are not aware of any specific attack time frames.

A New York City official said Saturday there have been weekend meetings of police and Joint Terrorism Task Force members, which include federal agency representatives. The official said city agencies are on high alert.

On Friday, the FBI issued a threat advisory to law enforcement officials in New York. The New York Police Department says commercial and financial institutions and some international organizations were possible targets.

"The New York City Police Department has deployed its resources accordingly," the department said in a statement issued Saturday.

Homeland Security officials spoke with New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly Friday night and indicated that the attacks might be carried out with car or truck bombs. Sources said the information came from a person overseas.

Federal officials also met with Ridge on Friday night and Saturday.

Among the precautions New York police recommended Saturday to companies are:

# Consider posting a security officer at the fresh-air intake in heating, ventilation and air conditioning rooms, if they are accessible to the public, and be sure the rooms are locked.

# Be wary of visitors who appear lost or disoriented, and people asking directions to sensitive areas.

# Challenge and identify maintenance workers when maintenance has not been requested, and watch for unanticipated deliveries.

# Quickly engage loiterers.

# Thoroughly screen new employees and vendors.

# Post clear signs indicating restricted areas, and that persons caught trespassing will be arrested.

# Test alarm systems, and include doors to rooftops in the system.

New York is preparing for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to begin August 30 at Madison Square Garden.

The Department of Homeland Security has named the convention a national special security event, meaning the Secret Service will coordinate security.

Ridge said in early July that al Qaeda was planning a large-scale attack in "an effort to disrupt the democratic process" before Election Day on November 2.

I don't mean to be cynical but is anyone else a little put off the by the fact that we suddenly are under constant threat until election day. The American people are meant to feel threatened and be constantly reminded of the terrortist threat until election day. To quote the Church Lady: "How convenient."

[Knife]

I don't see anything on the websites, but I heard a report earlier this morning about some chick that got detained coming across the Mexican boarder who was on the terrorist watch list and that its possible that she's the 'origin' of the new alerts.

Obviously, I'd like cofirmation, but if we're getting intell of a new batch of attempted attacks, you can't really jump to the conlusion of a Bush election conspiracy?

And even if you do, I really don't see how that would help him. Those who'd probably vote for him anyways would jump up and down and scream 'seeeee! We need Bush' and those who wouldn't vote for him would jump up and down and say 'seee, he ain't protecting us. We need someone new!'

[Joe]

This probably has something to do with it:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040801/D846JBU80.html

[CaptainChewbacca]

It makes sense to me. I wonder if a bomb goes off somewhere, will it be good or bad for Bush?

[CelesKnight]

It makes sense to me. I wonder if a bomb goes off somewhere, will it be good or bad for Bush?

It depends, but probably more likely to be good than bad for Bush. If it comes right before the election, there will be opportunity for a demonstration of leadership and for a "rally 'round the flag" effect. Meanwhile, the Dems will have to be very careful in their response--depending on what they do they could turn off voters by being seems as overly ghoulish or opportunistic. (This isn't something unique to Bush in 2004, the current government always has more chance to show leadership when crisises arise.)

If it happens earlier (say, today) time will diminish the bounce Bush gets from leadership, and there will be more opportunity for the Dems to use the event to citizen Bush's security policy. However, by the same token, unless it's a really big event, the effect will wear off more by Election Day, so Kerry won't get as much benefit from it as Bush would from an attack near the election.

Best case for Kerry is a series of bombings over several weeks. The government's inability to prevent them will make Bush seem very week and ineffective.

All of the above are just my opinion, not facts.

[MKSheppard]

I don't mean to be cynical but is anyone else a little put off the by the fact that we suddenly are under constant threat until election day. The American people are meant to feel threatened and be constantly reminded of the terrortist threat until election day. To quote the Church Lady: "How convenient."

Articul on this from the same source. THey've got a damn good reason.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040801/D846JBU80.html

Gov't Warns of Threats Against Buildings

Aug 1, 2:26 PM (ET)

By JENNIFER C. KERR

WASHINGTON (AP) - The federal government warned Sunday of possible terrorist attacks against "iconic" financial institutions in New York City, Washington and Newark, N.J., saying a confluence of intelligence over the weekend pointed to a car or truck bomb.

Specifically, the government named these buildings as potential targets:

_The Citicorp building and the New York Stock Exchange in New York City.

_The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank buildings in Washington.

_The Prudential building in Newark.

"The preferred means of attack would be car or truck bombs," Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said in a briefing with journalists. That would be a primary means of attack."

The government said the new intelligence indicated the meticulous planning of al-Qaida. He identified explosives as the likely mode of attack, as opposed to a chemical or biological attack or a radiological "dirty" bomb.

Ridge said the government's threat level for financial institutions would be raised to orange, or high alert, but would remain at yellow, or elevated, elsewhere.

Ridge said it would be up to New York City officials to decide whether to move to the highest level, red. The city has remained on orange since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The threat potential remains through the Nov. 2 elections, Ridge said.

The secretary said the government took the unprecedented step of naming specific buildings because of the level of specificity of the intelligence. "This is not the usual chatter. This is multiple sources that involve extraordinary detail," Ridge said. He said the government decided to notify the public because of the specificity of detail it had obtained.

Ridge acknowledged that protecting these buildings, located in heavily populated areas, would require additional security measures, especially because thousands of cars and trucks travel through these cities daily.

"Car and truck bombs are one of the most difficult tasks we have in the war on terror," Ridge said.

Local and state officials were notified earlier in the day and Ridge said new security procedures were already being implemented.

The government provided a wealth of detail that it had picked up in the past 36 hours, but a senior intelligence official described it only on condition of anonymity. The official described "excruciating detail" and meticulous planning "indicative of al-Qaida."

The official said the intelligence included security in and around these buildings; the flow of pedestrians; the best places for reconnaissance; how to make contact with employees who work in the buildings; the construction of the buildings; traffic patterns; locations of hospitals and police departments; and which days of the week present less security at these buildings.

To illustrate the level of detail obtained, the official cited these examples: midweek pedestrian traffic of 14 people per minute on each side of the street for a total of 28 people; that some explosives might not be hot enough to melt steel; and that the construction of some buildings might prevent them from falling down.

The official said he had not seen such extraordinary detail in his 24 years in intelligence work.

A White House spokeswoman, Erin Healy, said the intelligence on the threat is "very new, coming in during the last 72 hours."

"The president made the final decision today agreeing with the recommendation of Secretary Ridge to go ahead and raise the threat level in these select areas," Healy said.

This was the first time the color-coded warning system had been used in such a narrow, targeted way, Ridge said at a news conference at department headquarters.

"With this kind of information comes action," Ridge said. "This is sobering news."

This step will "bring protective resources to an even higher level" and alert industry employees to be extra vigilant, he said. Actions to tighten security around the five buildings he specifically named are under way, Ridge said.

He said workers at those buildings should get guidance from security officers at each site and remain alert as they go to work.


Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[The Silence and I]

I would wonder what any terrorist who bombs us between now and election day was thinking; no terrorist wants Bush in office, they've gotta know that attacking America now will only help him get re-elected.

[JME2]

I would wonder what any terrorist who bombs us between now and election day was thinking; no terrorist wants Bush in office, they've gotta know that attacking America now will only help him get re-elected.

Yeah, but Bush has been doing a good job of helping the terrorists. First, he's shipped OBL to a lower priority, meaning the purported mastermind of 9/11 can work out of the Pakistani/Afghan border with little worry of interference. Second, attacking Iraq and the US occupation pretty much equals holding up a big sign to distraught, fundamentalist Middle Easterners saying 'Join AQ; stop America from destroying your country and way of life".

Either way, a bombing prior to Election day could prove to be a double-bladed sword for Bush; while rallying around the flag would show his supposed leadership, it would also show his inability to act upon his pledge to keep the US safe.

[Patrick Degan]

ORANGE ALERT... ORANGE ALERT...



This announcement brought to you courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security —working hard to make America one safe and happy Village.

Be Seeing You

[Stormbringer]

I don't mean to be cynical but is anyone else a little put off the by the fact that we suddenly are under constant threat until election day. The American people are meant to feel threatened and be constantly reminded of the terrortist threat until election day. To quote the Church Lady: "How convenient."

It might or might not help Bush, but it seems that this is based on relatively credible intel. And we know that more and more Al-Queda and it's various franchise factions have been trying to play the politics game, look at Spain or the Phillipines. So the idea that they'd try to strike at the time of the elections makes a fair amount of sense. At the very least this same sort of signals intelligence is what's prompted them to raise the alet level in the past.

Now as a political ploy this doesn't make a great deal of sense. The effect of all this isn't, quite frankly, going to solidify support for Bush or erode Kerry's. At best it's a way of reminding people of the big bad terrorists, but with the news lately no one is going to forget. Nor are people necessarily going to interpret the reminder as a reason to elect Bush.

[MKSheppard]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/02/politics/02intel.htm

Captured Qaeda Figure Led Way to Information Behind Warning
By DOUGLAS JEHL and DAVID ROHDE

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 - 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.

The documentary evidence, whose contents were reported urgently to Washington on Friday afternoon, immediately elevated the significance of other intelligence information gathered in recent weeks that had already been regarded as highly troubling, senior American intelligence officials said. Much of that information had come from Qaeda detainees in Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia as well as Pakistan, and some had also pointed to a possible attack on financial institutions, senior American intelligence officials said.

The American officials said the new evidence had been obtained only after the capture of the Qaeda figure. Among other things, they said, it demonstrated that Qaeda plotters had begun casing the buildings in New York, Newark and Washington even before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Among the questions the plotters sought to answer, senior American intelligence officials said, were how best to gain access to the targeted buildings; how many people might be at the sites at different hours and on different days of the week; whether a hijacked oil tanker truck could serve as an effective weapon; and how large an explosive device might be required to bring the buildings down.

The American officials would say only that the Qaeda figure whose capture had led to the discovery of the documentary evidence had been captured with the help of the C.I.A. Though Pakistan announced the arrest last week of a Qaeda member, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of American embassies in East Africa, the American officials suggested that he had not been the source of the new threat information.

An account provided by a Pakistani intelligence official made clear that the crucial capture in recent weeks had been that of Mr. Khan, who is also known as Abu Talha. The intelligence official provided information describing Mr. Khan as having assisted in evaluating potential American and Western targets for terrorist attacks, and as being representative of a "new Al Qaeda."

The Pakistani official described Mr. Khan as a fluent English speaker who had told investigators that he had visited the United States, Britain, Germany and other countries. Mr. Khan was one of thousands of Pakistani militants who trained in Afghanistan under the Taliban in the 1990's, the Pakistani official said.

If indeed Mr. Khan was the man whose arrest led the C.I.A. to new evidence, his role as a kind of clearinghouse of Qaeda communications, as described by the Pakistani intelligence official, could have made him a vital source of information. Since his arrest, Mr. Khan has described an elaborate communications system that involves the use of high and low technology, the Pakistani official said.

The question of how much to rely on information obtained from captured foes has always weighed on the intelligence business. In recent weeks, even as they cited accounts from some captured Qaeda members as the basis for new concerns about terrorism, American intelligence officials have acknowledged that another captured Qaeda figure, Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, had recanted claims that Iraq had provided training in illicit weapons to Qaeda members.

Mr. Libi's earlier claims had been the primary basis for assertions by President Bush and his top advisers that Iraq had provided training in "poisons and gases" to Qaeda members.

In explaining the decision to call a new terror alert, American officials would say only that the evidence obtained by the C.I.A. after the arrest of the Qaeda figure in Pakistan had provided a richer, more credible source of intelligence than could have been provided by any single individual. They declined to say whether the "documentary evidence" included physical documents or might also include electronic information stored on computers, such as copies of e-mail communications.

The Qaeda communications system that Mr. Khan used and helped operate relied on Web sites and e-mail addresses in Turkey, Nigeria and the northwestern tribal areas of Pakistan, according to the information provided by a Pakistani intelligence official.

The official said Mr. Khan had told investigators that couriers carried handwritten messages or computer disks from senior Qaeda leaders hiding in isolated border areas to hard-line religious schools in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province.

Other couriers then ferried them to Mr. Khan on the other side of the country in the eastern city of Lahore, and the computer expert then posted the messages in code on Web sites or relayed them electronically, the Pakistani official said.

Mr. Khan had told investigators that most of Al Qaeda's communications were now done through the Internet, the official said. After a message was sent and read by the recipient, the entire communication and related files were deleted to maintain secrecy, he said. Mr. Khan had told investigators that e-mail addresses were generally not used more than a few times.

The young computer engineer, who received a bachelor's degree from a university in Karachi, is the unemployed son of an employee of Pakistan's state airline and a college botany professor, the official said. Heavily built and 6 feet 2 inches tall, he speaks English with a British accent, and was arrested carrying a fake Pakistani identification card.

The Pakistani official said Mr. Khan told investigators that he had received 25 days of training at a militant camp in Afghanistan in June 1998. By the time Mr. Khan had risen to his current position, the official said, Qaeda figures had arranged his marriage and were paying him $170 a month for rent for his house in Lahore and $90 for expenses.

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 recently deported. Mr. Khan has told interrogators that his Qaeda handler was a Pakistani he knew as Adil or Imran, who assigned him tasks related to computer work, Web design and managing the handler's messages. His correspondents included a Saudi-based Yemeni, Egyptian and Palestinian nationals and Arabs in unknown locations, and someone described as the "in-charge" in the city of Khost in eastern Afghanistan.

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.

Douglas Jehl reported from Washington for this article, and David Rohde from Karachi, Pakistan.

[MKSheppard]

Confirmations keep coming in from all places such as the NYT

[Hamel]

Finally, something legit? We would have had no doubts if it weren't for the administration crying wolf month after month.

[Chardok]

I don't mean to be cynical but is anyone else a little put off the by the fact that we suddenly are under constant threat until election day. The American people are meant to feel threatened and be constantly reminded of the terrortist threat until election day. To quote the Church Lady: "How convenient."

I also am finding it a bit...odd. You have to wonder the following, as well: Has we *not* invaded Iraq, would we be facing such threats? I mean, let's just say we put the screws to only Afghanistan. Now, this is blind stinking conjecture, I know, but you have to wonder... I also wonder what in the WORLD could have posessed Tommy Rottencrotch to raise the threat to Orange until the magical day of Nov 2nd (3rd?) Seems quite overt so I'm thinking it could have beeeeeeeeeennnnnn

Satan?!

[JME2]

Finally, something legit? We would have had no doubts if it weren't for the administration crying wolf month after month.

I find it amusing that this warning came two days after the DNC had concluded. If Tom Ridge wasn't spouting bullshit every month, I would not consider the probability that this was an attempt to draw support and attention away from Kerry and the Dems.

[Durandal]

I can't say I disagree. Right after Kerry announced that Edwards was his VP candidate, Tom Ridge came on the air spouting some of the most nebulous bullshit I've ever heard. Now, 2 days after the DNC has concluded, the alert level is raised, and we suddenly have all this credible information. Wait, I thought the terrorists were trying to disrupt the democratic process, Tom.

This administration has been exaggerating terrorist threats since 9/11. Hell, they've even made some up (like Iraq). I can't even remember how many times they've cried wolf like this with the same "credible intelligence." Given what passes for credible intelligence to these people, I'm not about to start cowering under my bed and start praying to Our Lord and Savior George W. Bush that He may deliver us from the Evil Terrorists.

[CJvR]

The war on terrorism is a difficult fight to keep score in, the bombs that didn't go off will hardly be noticed outside the inteligence services while the ones that do go off will be spectacular messy public disasters.

The terrorist do however show a disturbing intrest in bombing for a favorable election outcome, Sharon was bombed into office and Asnar was bombed out of office... If the terrorists are able I wouldn't be surprised to see attempts to hit targets in the coming months, although the ability of A-Q & co do seem to be limited on the American continent there are plenty of US targets and allies around the world.

[Elfdart]

The war on terrorism is a difficult fight to keep score in, the bombs that didn't go off will hardly be noticed outside the inteligence services while the ones that do go off will be spectacular messy public disasters.

The terrorist do however show a disturbing intrest in bombing for a favorable election outcome, Sharon was bombed into office and Asnar was bombed out of office... If the terrorists are able I wouldn't be surprised to see attempts to hit targets in the coming months, although the ability of A-Q & co do seem to be limited on the American continent there are plenty of US targets and allies around the world.

Aznar bombed himself out of office by (a) taking his country to war against the wishes of close to 90% of the people, (b) being construed as Dubya's henchman when Dubya is about as popular in Spain as chitterlings at a Jewish wedding and (c) trying to blame the bombings on the Basques.

[Elfdart]

I can't say I disagree. Right after Kerry announced that Edwards was his VP candidate, Tom Ridge came on the air spouting some of the most nebulous bullshit I've ever heard. Now, 2 days after the DNC has concluded, the alert level is raised, and we suddenly have all this credible information. Wait, I thought the terrorists were trying to disrupt the democratic process, Tom.

This administration has been exaggerating terrorist threats since 9/11. Hell, they've even made some up (like Iraq). I can't even remember how many times they've cried wolf like this with the same "credible intelligence." Given what passes for credible intelligence to these people, I'm not about to start cowering under my bed and start praying to Our Lord and Savior George W. Bush that He may deliver us from the Evil Terrorists.

I agree. That's why I adhere to the Rule Of Cockburn. Many years ago, the late great Claud Cockburn was asked why he was so accurate in forecasting what the government was doing. He said it was simple: Just think of the lowest, most crooked, cowardly and duplicitous thing they could do -or try to do and you'll be right most of the time.

So Kerry gives a first-rate speech in both style and substance -looking presidential in a straight-out-of-central-casting way. Republicans know that when their candidate stumbles through reading his speech with his usual sense of discovery, it will be cringeworthy. So what better way to distract attention than a trumped-up "orange alert"?

[Bugsby]

I can't help but think of the part of Fahrenheit 9/11 where they say that the alert level will NEVER reach low. Its so easy to push agendas when you have that threat of red alert hanging over everything. That isn't to say that this recent elevation is in direct response to Kerry's performance at DNC (although that is fairly suspicious), but I do think that the whole system is designed to create fear. We can tighten security around these buildings whether we have a color-system or not. But the second you say the nation is on ORANGE (HIGH) ALERT, it makes front pages in newspapers everywhere and people start jumping at shadows. It allows the administration to control public attitude so very easily. What happens when the administration drops the alert level down to blue or green a week or two before elections? It makes it look like Bush is doing an EXCELLENT job at handling terror threats. Just look at the colors, they are at all-time lows!

I am highly suspcious of this alert shift, but more suspicious of the system as a whole.

[CJvR]

Aznar bombed himself out of office by (a) taking his country to war against the wishes of close to 90% of the people, (b) being construed as Dubya's henchman when Dubya is about as popular in Spain as chitterlings at a Jewish wedding and (c) trying to blame the bombings on the Basques.

Actually he looked set to win the election until the Madrid train bombings despite the unpopularity of his actions regarding Iraq. The erronious accusation of ETA was damaging but hardly, initialy, unreasonable - the refusal to back down from it probably did the most damage.

[Elfdart]

Aznar bombed himself out of office by (a) taking his country to war against the wishes of close to 90% of the people, (b) being construed as Dubya's henchman when Dubya is about as popular in Spain as chitterlings at a Jewish wedding and (c) trying to blame the bombings on the Basques.

Actually he looked set to win the election until the Madrid train bombings despite the unpopularity of his actions regarding Iraq. The erronious accusation of ETA was damaging but hardly, initialy, unreasonable - the refusal to back down from it probably did the most damage.

My guess is that like Blair, Aznar was still popular in spite of being linked to Dubya and the war, not because of it. Insisting ETA blew up the trains when it was obviously Al-Queda was the last straw.

[MKSheppard]

That ever so reliable pile called the Washington Compost
sez:

The fresh intelligence that led to yesterday's extraordinary terror alert comes from documents discovered after Pakistani and U.S. forces broke up an al Qaeda cell in Gujrat, Pakistan, eight days ago, U.S. intelligence officials said yesterday.

You know......this is fun, watching the Left run around blaming the
evil Bushies for everything; sorta reminds me of the halycon days
of the Clinton Administration, only in reverse

[Elfdart]

That ever so reliable pile called the Washington Compost
sez:

The fresh intelligence that led to yesterday's extraordinary terror alert comes from documents discovered after Pakistani and U.S. forces broke up an al Qaeda cell in Gujrat, Pakistan, eight days ago, U.S. intelligence officials said yesterday.

You know......this is fun, watching the Left run around blaming the
evil Bushies for everything; sorta reminds me of the halycon days
of the Clinton Administration, only in reverse

Since when is the Washington Post part of the Left? Richard Hofstader would have used you as a mascot for his books.

[MKSheppard]

Since when is the Washington Post part of the Left? Richard Hofstader would have used you as a mascot for his books.

My mistake, I was talking about you guys. "This is all part of a KKKonspiracy by bush to defeat the left!"