Decision ‘08

Al Qaeda About To Attack?

The level of “chatter” by al Qaeda operatives is currently as high or higher than in the months prior to 9-11, and the question in many parts of the U.S. and European intelligence communities is not if al Qaeda will strike again, but when. Much of the thinking centers on the near-term. This is also reflected in current corporate security alerts being circulated among elite business establishments.

There are several factors that point to al Qaeda at least having a plan for an imminent attack. The first is the January appearance of Osama bin Laden himself after months of silence. The second is the repeated warnings and boasts from bin Laden, Zawahiri and on al Qaeda web sites of impending action.

More pro:

In a directive issued today (Friday), obtained by ABC News, the FBI says a posting on an extremist message board “advocated suicide attacks against sporting events as a cost-effective means of killing thousands of Americans.”

The FBI says the Internet posting said the suicide attacks would be justified because the United States refused a truce offered by Osama bin Laden in his last videotaped statement, Jan. 19, 2006.

According to the FBI bulletin, the author of the posting recommended using “three to five blond or black American Muslim suicide bombers.”

Con:

Given that the source is Douglas Farah, though, i’m skepticle. GIMF, mentioned by all concerned, should not be used as a legitimate intelligence source since they are a propaganda outlet. GIMF warning of attacks is nothing new, since all of their propaganda pretty much carries that theme. However, in light of today’s offensive against Sammara, perhaps the AQ gang got wind of something?

In any event, there seems to have been a slight decline in the number of these videos released by the ‘mujahidin’ from Iraq recently–in spite of obvious pieces of propaganda such as this. In fact, a number of us who follow these things have noticed that certain ‘insurgent’ groups have begun recycling footage from ‘operations’ and trying to pass them off as new. Like a recent video from the 1920’s Revolution Brigade announcing an operation which had killed American soldiers which was, in fact, some footage from some months before.

More con:

Iraq’s Interior Minister Bayan Jabr revealed that Iraqi internal security had broken up a plot to place 421 al Qaeda fighters as guards controlling access to Baghdad’s International or “Green” Zone. Once in position, the terrorists planned to storm the U.S. and British embassies, take hostages, and wreak havoc. They were “one bureaucrat’s signature away” from implementing the plan when it was uncovered.

Let’s hope nothing comes of it…

One Response to “Al Qaeda About To Attack?”

1 All Things Beautiful Says:
March 16th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
“Operation Swarmer” And The First Strike War Doctrine

Somehow I think the President is trying to tell us something, launching the largest air attack on Iraq in three years, on the same day and almost simultaneously giving the zero tolerance message in the national security report, following along the line…