Is this all they’ve got? I don’t know about anyone else but if I lived in New York (or any large city, anywhere, for that matter), assuming someone bad might try to pull something would be a given. Innocent people are targeted daily by thieves and murderers. It’s as if it’s a far worse crime when your death came about by the hands of al-Qaida though.

Regardless, I should think history has taught most New Yorkers to keep such a possibility at the forefront of thought.

But al-Qaida is not alone in their hate for (some) Americans. Al-Qaida is not the only group to issue death threats at people they perceive as their lessors. Al-Qaida hasn’t been handed an exclusive license to hate, bigotry, homophobia or religious intolerance. We have plenty of that stuff right here at home!

Which begs the question, if you’re neighbor threatens you with physical violence because he’s a hateful, homophobic Baptist… can he be shipped off to Guantanamo for some much-needed waterboarding?

Feds warn of terror plotting against NYC subways

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal authorities are warning law enforcement personnel of a possible terror plot against the New York City subway system during the holiday season.

An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press says the FBI has received a “plausible but unsubstantiated” report that al-Qaida terrorists in late September may have discussed attacking the subway system. [...]

The report indicates that al-Qaida terrorists “in late September may have discussed targeting transit systems in and around New York City. These discussions reportedly involved the use of suicide bombers or explosives placed on subway/passenger rail systems,” according to the document.

“We have no specific details to confirm that this plot has developed beyond aspirational planning, but we are issuing this warning out of concern that such an attack could possibly be conducted during the forthcoming holiday season,” states the warning, which is dated Tuesday.

What’s going on in Afghanistan? Seems our military has lost some ground in recent days, along with news that the Taliban’s numbers appear to be strengthening.

This can’t be good news for the McCain campaign. Being weak as watered-down tea on economics, McCain’s supposed strengths reportedly lean towards those of war and security.

US troops pull out of Afghan base after attack

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — U.S. and Afghan troops have abandoned a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan where militants killed nine American soldiers this week, officials said Wednesday.

Compounding the military setback, insurgents quickly seized the village of Wanat in Nuristan province after driving out the handful of police left behind to defend government offices, Afghan officials said.

Some 50 officers were headed to the area to try to regain control, said Ghoolam Farouq, a senior provincial police official.

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CNN’s Michael Ware obtains a document treasure trove that give insights into al Qaeda’s successes and failures in Iraq. I saw Michael Ware on CNN this morning stating that Al Qaeda in Iraq is made up of Iraqis…..not foreign fighters. He’s scheduled to give a report on Anderson Cooper’s show tonight.

I’d like to believe this is true……..

From the Washington Post:

Less than a year after his agency warned of new threats from a resurgent al-Qaeda, CIA Director Michael V. Hayden now portrays the terrorist movement as essentially defeated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia and on the defensive throughout much of the rest of the world, including in its presumed haven along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

In a strikingly upbeat assessment, the CIA chief cited major gains against al-Qaeda’s allies in the Middle East and an increasingly successful campaign to destabilize the group’s core leadership.

While cautioning that al-Qaeda remains a serious threat, Hayden said Osama bin Laden is losing the battle for hearts and minds in the Islamic world and has largely forfeited his ability to exploit the Iraq war to recruit adherents. Two years ago, a CIA study concluded that the U.S.-led war had become a propaganda and marketing bonanza for al-Qaeda, generating cash donations and legions of volunteers.

We must be approaching an election……… from CNN:

A homeland security official tells CNN a joint FBI/Department of Homeland Security bulletin went out Wednesday to state and local partners warning of an uncorroborated threat to Wall Street - but the official emphasizes there is no credible threat to the homeland at this time.

The official describes the bulletin as being only three lines long, and says it relays “fragmentary” and “uncorroborated” information indicating that Al Qaeda is allegedly interested in hitting what was described as the “international stock exchange,” in other words Wall Street, possibly during March.

There was no further information about timing, method, or perpetrators.

Commissioner Paul Browne, an NYPD spokesman, confirmed the bulletin - and stressed this is an uncorroborated threat. He says it originated overseas.

The NYPD notified Wall Street and the network of security people in the financial district. NYPD adjusted its security posture “somewhat,” but not “significantly,” out of an abundance of caution, Browne said.

He notes that the area already has heavy security.

An FBI official says law enforcement partners in New York were notified out of an abundance of caution since Wall Street is a high interest target - but also said there is no corroboration at this time.

The CIA has concluded that members of al-Qaeda and allies of Pakistani tribal leader Baitullah Mehsud were responsible for last month’s assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and that they also stand behind a new wave of violence threatening that country’s stability, the agency’s director, Michael V. Hayden, said in an interview.
[...]

The same alliance between local and international terrorists poses a grave risk to the government of President Pervez Musharraf, a close U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism…

So, al-Qaeda was behind it all. But why Bhutto? I mean, with Musharraf being “a close U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism“, you would think al-Qaeda would have spent more energy going after him!

Am I missing something?

The FBI is reviewing the latest videotape released by al-Qaida. In the recording, U.S.-born Adam Gadahn, spokesman for the terrorist network, “urged its fighters to attack President Bush when he visits the Middle East later this week.”

Has Mr. Johndroe been in a coma since 2003? Would someone mind bringing him up to speed on Bush’s Iraq debacle? Lots of people get upset when you illegally invade their country, kill their neighbors and bring about ruin on a grand scale. And for what? It’s been established that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. They do, however, have those massive oil fields that US oil companies drool over at the prospect of controlling. And don’t these same companies control Bush and Cheney?

I can see how people would be pissed.

A picture worth a thousand words… but not much else. Heckuva job there, Bush!

White House: Al-Qaida expected to intensify

Homeland Security report says group trying to place agents within U.S.

WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida remains the “most serious and dangerous” terrorism threat and is expected to intensify attempts to place agents inside the United States, a White House report said on Tuesday.

Despite efforts to destroy the group responsible for the September 11 attacks, al-Qaida has protected its top leadership, replenished its lieutenants and “regenerated a safe haven” in Pakistan’s tribal areas, the report said.

Al-Qaida also continues to pursue weapons of mass destruction and is trying to acquire and use chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material, said the “National Strategy for Homeland Security” report.

Reuters

MSNBC.com

Leak severs link to al-Qaeda’s secrets

Firm says Bush administration’s handling of video ruined its spying efforts

A small private intelligence company that monitors Islamic terrorist groups obtained a new Osama bin Laden video ahead of its official release last month, and around 10 a.m. on Sept. 7, it notified the Bush administration of its secret acquisition. It gave two senior officials access on the condition that the officials not reveal they had it until the al-Qaeda release.

Within 20 minutes, a range of intelligence agencies had begun downloading it from the company’s Web site. By midafternoon that day, the video and a transcript of its audio track had been leaked from within the Bush administration to cable television news and broadcast worldwide.

Joby Warrick, WashingtonPost.com

MSNBC.com

By DAVID RISING
The Associated Press

BAGHDAD - The most prominent figure in a revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaida in Iraq was killed Thursday in an explosion near his home in Anbar province, police said.

Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha was leader of the Anbar Salvation Council, also known as the Anbar Awakening - an alliance of clans backing the Iraqi government and U.S. forces.

He was among a group of tribal leaders who met President Bush earlier this month at al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province.

Abu Risha and two of his bodyguards were killed by a roadside bomb, said Col. Tareq Youssef, supervisor of Anbar police.

No group claimed responsibility for the assassination but suspicion fell on al-Qaida in Iraq, which U.S. officials say has suffered devastating setbacks in Anbar thanks to Abu Risha and his fellow sheiks. It’s unclear how his death would affect U.S. efforts to organize Sunnis against the terrorist network.

A senior member of Abu Risha’s group, Sheik Jubeir Rashid, said the explosion took place at 3:30 p.m. as Abu Risha was returning to his home in Ramadi, Anbar’s provincial capital.

“It is a major blow to the council, but we are determined to strike back and continue our work,” Rashid said. “Such an attack was expected, but it will not deter us.”

A Ramadi police officer said Abu Risha had received a group of poor people at his home earlier in the day, to mark the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity out of security concerns, said authorities believed the bomb was planted by one of the visitors.

read more HERE

from AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A new video purportedly featuring Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden appeared on the Internet Tuesday, the sixth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States, CNN reported.

The video shows a still image of Bin Laden with a voice identified as his praising September 11 hijacker Walid al-Shehri, who was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 which crashed into the World Trade Center, it said.

The authenticity of the video was not immediately confirmed, the television network said, adding that the video did not appear to show any moving images of Bin Laden.

Bin Laden appeared on a video on Friday, his first since October 2004, when he threatened new attacks against the United States in a video just days before the US presidential election.

Al-Qaeda’s media arm, As-Sahab, had said Monday that it would release a second video of the group’s leader.

CNN said the video released Tuesday appeared to be purely a eulogy of Shehri, who like Bin Laden hails from Saudi Arabia. There is also no indication of when it was recorded, the US news network said.

But questions over the elusive Saudi extremist’s beard cropped up at a Congressional hearing Monday featuring top US security experts, including Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell.

“First, is this his beard?” Republican Senator Norm Coleman asked the spy chief. “Do we expect that — is it a signal?”

read more HERE

The Associated Press

CAIRO, Egypt - Terror mastermind Osama bin Laden plans a new video addressing the American people regarding the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, terror monitoring groups said Thursday.

SITE Intelligence Group said an Internet announcement of the plan included a photo of the al-Qaida leader from the upcoming video - his beard, which in previous messages had been streaked with gray, was entirely dark.

Intelcenter, which is based in Alexandria, Va., and also monitors Islamic Web sites, said the video was expected within the next 72 hours, or by Sunday. That would come before the sixth anniversary next Tuesday of the World Trade Center attack. The last bin Laden video was in October 2004, shortly before the U.S. presidential elections.

Rita Katz, director of the Washington-based SITE Institute, said bin Laden’s beard appeared to have been dyed, which she said is a popular practice in the Middle East.

“I think it works for their benefit that he looks young, he looks healthy,” Katz said of the new image.

by Jane Mayer
from the New Yorker

This is an absolutely chilling article by New Yorker writer Jane Mayer that everyone in America should read. Your blood will run cold. The article was posted earlier this week, but after hearing Air America Radio host Mike Malloy talk about it on Friday Night’s show, I felt the need to repost it. Prepare to be disgusted and angry. Below is an excerpt from the article.The link follows below- JS

In March, Mariane Pearl, the widow of the murdered Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, received a phone call from Alberto Gonzales, the Attorney General. At the time, Gonzales’s role in the controversial dismissal of eight United States Attorneys had just been exposed, and the story was becoming a scandal in Washington. Gonzales informed Pearl that the Justice Department was about to announce some good news: a terrorist in U.S. custody-Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the Al Qaeda leader who was the primary architect of the September 11th attacks-had confessed to killing her husband. (Pearl was abducted and beheaded five and a half years ago in Pakistan, by unidentified Islamic militants.) The Administration planned to release a transcript in which Mohammed boasted, “I decapitated with my blessed right hand the head of the American Jew Daniel Pearl in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. For those who would like to confirm, there are pictures of me on the Internet holding his head.”

Pearl was taken aback. In 2003, she had received a call from Condoleezza Rice, who was then President Bush’s national’security adviser, informing her of the same news. But Rice’s revelation had been secret. Gonzales’s announcement seemed like a publicity stunt. Pearl asked him if he had proof that Mohammed’s confession was truthful; Gonzales claimed to have corroborating evidence but wouldn-t share it. “It’s not enough for officials to call me and say they believe it,” Pearl said. “You need evidence.” (Gonzales did not respond to requests for comment.)

The circumstances surrounding the confession of Mohammed, whom law-enforcement officials refer to as K.S.M., were perplexing. He had no lawyer. After his capture in Pakistan, in March of 2003, the Central Intelligence Agency had detained him in undisclosed locations for more than two years; last fall, he was transferred to military custody in Guantnamo Bay, Cuba. There were no named witnesses to his initial confession, and no solid information about what form of interrogation might have prodded him to talk, although reports had been published, in the Times and elsewhere, suggesting that C.I.A. officers had tortured him. At a hearing held at Guantnamo, Mohammed said that his testimony was freely given, but he also indicated that he had been abused by the C.I.A. (The Pentagon had classified as “top secret” a statement he had written detailing the alleged mistreatment.) And although Mohammed said that there were photographs confirming his guilt, U.S. authorities had found none. Instead, they had a copy of the video that had been released on the Internet, which showed the killer’s arms but offered no other clues to his identity.

read more HERE

By LAUREN FRAYER
The Associated Press

BAGHDAD - Wearing a bandanna that hides his face, Omam Abed leads U.S. soldiers on raids in the west Baghdad streets where he grew up - kicking down doors and interrogating neighbors in search of fighters for al-Qaida in Iraq.

The 20-year-old is part of a ragtag collection of former Sunni insurgents - some even from the al-Qaida ranks - who have thrown their support behind U.S.-led security forces under pacts of mutual convenience.

The Sunni militiamen have grown leery of al-Qaida in Iraq and its ambitions, including self-proclaimed aims of establishing an Islamic state. The Pentagon, in turn, has latched onto its most successful strategy in months: partnering with former extremists who have the local know-how to help root out al-Qaida in Iraq.

But for Abed and others, this new war also brings grave dangers.

In Abed’s Amariyah neighborhood - an affluent district that was home to privileged insiders under Saddam Hussein - the U.S.-allied band of about 150 former Sunni militants is now the No. 1 target for al-Qaida hitmen.

Last month, two of Abed’s best friends, both 18-year-old members who also decided to aid U.S. forces, were dragged out of their high school during final exams and beheaded. Their bodies were flung up into a tree with the severed heads displayed on the sidewalk below, according to Abed and U.S. military officers stationed in the area.

read more HERE

from USA TODAY
and The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities were taking extra counterterrorism precautions Friday in response to what they said was an unsubstantiated radiological threat to the city.

Officials said they had not changed the city’s terror alert status in response to online chatter mentioning a truck packed with radioactive material. But police deployed extra radiological sensors on street, water and air patrols, and were stopping vehicles at checkpoints in lower Manhattan and around the city.

Deputy Police Commissioner Paul J. Browne called the measures “strictly precautionary.” He said the online posts were made following a video released Sunday that featured an American member of al-Qaeda threatening foreign diplomats and embassies across the Islamic world.

“We are closely monitoring the situation,” said Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke. “There continues to be no credible information telling us that there’s a threat to the homeland at this time.”

The FBI also said there was no credible threat.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the police measures were nothing out of the ordinary.

“These actions are like those that the NYPD takes every day - precautions against potential but unconfirmed threats that may never materialize,” he said in a statement.