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Title: Be vigilant Post by Ted on Dec 5th, 2002, 10:05pm Be observant. Be strong. Be brave. Most of all, be careful. Al Qaeda: 'Gift' of terror on its way Thursday, December 5, 2002 Posted: 3:14 PM EST (2014 GMT) Last week's attack in Kenya, claimed by al Qaeda, destroyed the Israeli-owned Paradise Hotel and killed 13. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The end of Ramadan has stirred renewed concerns over the threat of a terrorist attack against U.S. citizens and the nation's allies. Earlier this week, an al Qaeda statement posted to the Internet threatened a strike to coincide with the end of the Muslim holy season -- which is December 5 and 6. The statement said, "You have not learned your lesson." "You did not understand the reasons for the raids of Washington and New York," said the al Qaeda statement, according to a translation of the message, which was posted on several Web sites that have carried al Qaeda messages in the past. "Oh American people, you are the victim of your leaders, but you are also a partner in the war on us. The gift for the holiday is on its way," the statement continued. The translation was provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute, a Washington-based service that translates and distributes articles from Arabic newspapers. U.S. intelligence officials said they were "mindful" of such threats and "not dismissive" of them. But, as one source said, "A heightened state of alert has been there for some time," including threats of attacks immediately before Ramadan, during it and immediately following the holiday. Al Qaeda's mode of operation has changed since the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Afghanistan put its leaders on the run. The group now is apparently choosing "softer" targets that are easy to hit. One example was last Thursday's twin attacks in Kenya -- a suicide bombing that killed 13 people at an Israeli-owned hotel and an unsuccessful missile firing at an Israeli airliner. Another was the October 12 bombing of a tourist hotel in usually serene Bali, Indonesia, that killed nearly 200 people. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for all three attacks. The organization claimed responsibility for the Kenya attacks in the same statement threatening new strikes at the end of Ramadan. In another development Wednesday, the Arab news network Al-Jazeera said it received a fax purportedly from Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, one of the most wanted men in the world. Titled an "end of Ramadan statement," the letter said America and its allies were spreading destruction and would face more "hostility, chaos and destruction." The letter has not been authenticated. One U.S. official could not vouch for its authenticity but said it is credible in the sense that is similar to what Omar has said in the past. The United States believes Omar is alive but it is not known where he is hiding, the official said. Al-Jazeera would not tell CNN from what country it received the fax. With the threats swirling, British officials closed their embassy in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Wednesday after officials received a "specific threat." They would not identify the nature of the threat. In Washington, President Bush said he believes al Qaeda was behind the Kenya attacks and that bin Laden's group "hates freedom." "I believe al Qaeda will strike anywhere they can in order to disrupt a civil society and that's why we're on the hunt," he said. The United States and its allies, Bush said, are "slowly but surely" dismantling al Qaeda and he promised to "bring them to justice." In the al Qaeda statement, the group warned Americans to leave Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Africa and Asia: "Otherwise, you will reap death because of your stupidity in ignoring our warnings to you." |
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Title: Re: Be vigilant Post by woobie on Dec 5th, 2002, 11:43pm I ain't afraid!!! :P Tina |
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Title: Re: Be vigilant Post by BobG on Dec 6th, 2002, 9:53am Nothing happened on the 5th so it must be going to happen today. Hope they don't mess with Caesar's Palace. I'm going to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. |
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Title: Re: Be vigilant Post by Drk^Angel on Dec 6th, 2002, 11:56am Al Qaeda is on a mission to blow up all the McDonalds in the world! NO! PFDAN..................................... Drk^Angel |
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Title: Re: Be vigilant Post by cerebus on Dec 6th, 2002, 3:03pm ya know....those are an awful lot of strong comments made by someone who is constantly running to save his own Ass and has to have others do his dirty work. Merry Christmas ...Osama...I got a gift fer ya! Cerebus |
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Title: Re: Be vigilant Post by Mark C on Dec 6th, 2002, 4:33pm |
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