Terrorists Said Planning Summer Attack

[Johnny Stew]

Terrorists Said Planning Summer Attack
By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Intelligence that has heightened concern throughout the government indicates that a group of terrorists already deployed inside the United States is preparing to launch a major attack this summer, U.S. counterterrorism and law enforcement officials say.

The intelligence was described Tuesday by a senior counterterrorism official on condition of anonymity as extremely credible and backed by an unusually high level of corroboration.

The intelligence does not include a time, place or method of attack but is among the most disturbing received by the government since the al-Qaida attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the official said.

"There is clearly a steady drumbeat of information that they are going to attack and hit us hard," the official said.

Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller scheduled a news conference Wednesday to outline an intensive effort by law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security officials to detect and disrupt any potential plots. And the FBI was dispatching a bulletin to some 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies warning of the threat.

Beginning with Saturday's dedication of the new World War II Memorial in Washington, the summer presents a number of high-profile targets in the United States. They include the G-8 summit in Georgia next month that will attract top officials from some of America's closest allies, plus the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July and the Republican National Convention in August in New York City.

The FBI and Homeland Security Department also are concerned about so-called soft targets such as shopping malls anywhere in the United States that offer a far less protected environment than a political convention hall.

Of special concern, the counterterrorism official said, is the possibility that terrorists may possess and use a chemical, biological or radiological weapon that could cause much more damage and casualties than a conventional bomb.

Despite that, the official said there was no immediate plan to raise the nation's terrorism threat level from yellow, or elevated, to orange, or high. The threat level has been at yellow — midpoint on the five-color scale — since January.

Los Angeles police held a news conference Tuesday to reassure the public.

"We would be foolhardy to ignore those statements, but I think it would be irresponsible to panic," said John Miller, head of the LAPD counterterrorism bureau.

New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said city officials had not been advised that terrorists were plotting an attack there.

"We are receiving highly sensitive intelligence information on a regular basis, including today, and there is nothing in that reporting to indicate a specific threat or looming attack against New York City," Kelly said in a statement late Tuesday.

The FBI already has created a special task force that is focused solely on dealing with this summer's threat. The task force, whose existence until recently was classified, is intended to ensure that no valuable bits of information or intelligence fall through the cracks, as happened before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Other actions to be taken include new FBI interviews with people who may have provided valuable information in the past, distribution of photos of individuals sought for questioning and a fresh examination of older investigative leads to determine whether they might point to elements of the summer plot.

U.S. authorities have said repeatedly that al-Qaida is determined to mount an attack on U.S. soil, in part to announce to the world that it remains capable of doing so despite the money and effort that has gone into homeland security since the Sept. 11 attacks.

There also is concern terrorists might try to mount an attack to coincide with the November election. The political fallout from the March 11 train bombings in Spain taught al-Qaida that an attack timed to an election can have a major impact. Spain's former ruling party was ousted in the voting that followed the bombing, which killed 191 and injured more than 2,000.

The official did not say how many suspected al-Qaida or other terrorist operatives are believed in the country, whether they made their way into the United States recently or have been here for some time. The FBI has warned in the past that Islamic extremist groups may attempt to recruit non-Middle Easterners or women for attacks because they would be less likely to arouse suspicion.

Special security attention already is being focused to the nation's rail, subway and bus lines. The FBI last week sent out an intelligence bulletin to law enforcement agencies urging vigilance against suicide bombers, who have been used by terror groups worldwide to devastating effect but not so far in the United States.

[dissention]

Bull****. It's complete and utter ****.

Everytime his job approval rating goes down a few points, they spout this crap about there being another attack. Excuse me while I stick my finger down my throat and puke sooner than later.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by dissention

Bull****. It's complete and utter ****.

Everytime his job approval rating goes down a few points, they spout this crap about there being another attack. Excuse me while I stick my finger down my throat and puke sooner than later.

Yup. It's just getting so see through now. What's worse is between this and the gas prices, our "recovering" economy takes a beating because of this crap.

[CarneVaca]

I won't even tell you how close I will be to that damn Repugnant Convention. It will be the safest place in the city, I'm sure. So safe that I might not be able to get in in the morning. Supposedly every single car of every single train will be searched. Just consider that for a few seconds.

I think the long and the short of it all is this: It's highly unlikely I'll get any work done that week (I could throw a stone to the Garden from where I am). But then again... most weeks I don't get much work done, anyway.

[DeeGeMe]

Originally Posted by CarneVaca

I won't even tell you how close I will be to that damn Repugnant Convention. It will be the safest place in the city, I'm sure. So safe that I might not be able to get in in the morning. Supposedly every single car of every single train will be searched. Just consider that for a few seconds.

I think the long and the short of it all is this: It's highly unlikely I'll get any work done that week (I could throw a stone to the Garden from where I am). But then again... most weeks I don't get much work done, anyway.

Plus, add in the fact that all sorts of groups are planning demonstrations and it's really going to be a mess there. But I'm sure you're probably right about it being one of the safest places to be that week with all the security. But can't you take vacation or something that week?

[CarneVaca]

Originally Posted by DeeGeMe

But can't you take vacation or something that week?

The day I start planning my vacation around the Repugnants' activities is the day I hang it all up.