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Al Qaeda plans to send suicide bombers to NY subways on Thanksgiving?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by BetterThanEver, Nov 26, 2008.

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  1. BetterThanEver

    BetterThanEver Member

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    The Feds are saying Al Qaeda might attack the NY subways for Thanksgiving. There's no way of telling what they really know. It's serious enoughfor them to make a public statement though.


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    http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/26/al.qaeda.transit.plot/index.html

    Federal authorities have received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al Qaeda may have discussed targeting transit systems in or around New York, the Department of Homeland Security said.


    Al Qaeda suicide bombers could target New York City subways, federal security officials say.

    "These discussions reportedly involved the use of suicide bombers or explosives" on subway or passenger rail trains, according to a joint Homeland Security and FBI statement issued Tuesday.

    "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," the statement said.

    The uncorroborated information indicates that al Qaeda may have discussed in late September targeting New York transit systems, Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keener said. She said the memo was issued as a precaution so local officials could make decisions appropriate for their areas.

    Although no adjustment is being made to the national threat level, she said, transit passengers in large metropolitan areas such as New York may see increased security in the days to come. That presence might include uniformed or plainclothes security officers, federal air marshals, canine teams and security inspectors, Keener said.

    New York police also are deploying additional resources on the city's mass transit systems as a precaution, said a statement by Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne.

    "It is not uncommon for the department to receive threat information and to adjust our resources accordingly," Browne said.


    The FBI received the information through a channel that has provided reliable information in the past, so the agency is taking the threat seriously, counterterrorism sources said.

    The FBI and Department of Homeland Security said they had no further information on the threat.

    "We are working closely with the U.S. intelligence community, state and local law enforcement and homeland security officials to vet and corroborate this reporting, and will continue to investigate every possible lead. We'll provide updates as we obtain further information," the statement said.

    The public should remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities, it said.

    Al Qaeda has the means to launch such an attack, said CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson, who has covered al Qaeda extensively since before the September 11 attacks.

    "The al Qaeda-affiliated groups are still willing to make these attacks," Robertson said. "What we've seen in the past is, they've become capable of making these homemade bomb devices with detonators and exploding them by cell phones or by suicide bombings."

    However, he said, it also would be possible for al Qaeda to plant false information.

    "They would love to sort of create fear when they're not actually capable of creating a strike. ... I've seen it myself, in Afghanistan. You get the Taliban out there on the ground, and they're very capable of knowing that the troops are listening to them, and feeding and sowing false information trails saying, 'We're over on this part of the hill' when they're nowhere near it. They're very capable and knowledgeable about feeding false information."
     
    #1 BetterThanEver, Nov 26, 2008
  2. across110thstreet

    across110thstreet Member

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    isn't every holiday season filled with the same uncorroborated, unsubstantiated report of a possible, yet unlikely attack?
     
    #2 across110thstreet, Nov 26, 2008
  3. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

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    doesn't make sense. the subway system is empty on Thanksgiving. Al Qaeda wants to maximize casualties.
     
    #3 Sweet Lou 4 2, Nov 26, 2008
  4. glynch

    glynch Member

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    Doesn't this unproven rumor just aid Al Qaeda's cause of terrorizing people? Is something gained by talking about it? Will it help stop it if it really is something?
     
    #4 glynch, Nov 26, 2008
  5. Cannonball

    Cannonball Member

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    I guess if people believe it then less people will ride the subway and if something does happen, then there will be fewer casualties. Of course if nothing happens and people altered their behavior because of a perceived thread, then the terrorists have a minor victory anyway.
     
    #5 Cannonball, Nov 26, 2008
  6. Nolen

    Nolen Member

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    I was thinking the same thing. Subways will be very quiet tomorrow.
     
    #6 Nolen, Nov 27, 2008
  7. Nolen

    Nolen Member

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    Not that I have a lot of confidence in our national security team, but in their defense, it's a hard situation for them to manage re: how much information to let out.

    On one hand, if they say little or nothing, people complain that they aren't informing us. If they do inform us, we wonder, is it really true? Is this information helpful?

    From what I understand, they are constantly monitoring "chatter" through various channels. There's all kinds of threats always being made, of course. But if they see some chatter coincide, or a specific threat repeated but through different channels or sources, it is taken more seriously. For some reason the intelligence they have on this particular threat is more credible than others they have seen recently.

    If the election wasn't over, I'd accuse them of whipping up fear to drive people to the republicans. But it's over.
     
    #7 Nolen, Nov 27, 2008
  8. JeopardE

    JeopardE Member

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    Also, the reports I'm reading say that this was a pretty credible threat -- they apparently had pretty specific details on exactly how they were going to carry out the attack, and that the target was Penn Station, which would obviously cripple a lot of rail transportation in the entire Northeast region for weeks to months.

    At least our anti-terrorism infrastructure seems to be working as it should, its flaws notwithstanding. Countries like India, though--that's a different story.
     
    #8 JeopardE, Nov 27, 2008
  9. Jugdish

    Jugdish Member

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    Disgraceful.
     
    #9 Jugdish, Nov 27, 2008
  10. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    that's a good question. i think if the government has what they believe to be credible information that an attack may be planned, they have a duty to share that information with the public. you and i can make decisions as to just how terrorized we are by that information.
     
    #10 MadMax, Nov 27, 2008
  11. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    This is a tough situation and given what's going on in India I'm guessing the intel agencies are feeling kind of antsy. It wouldn't surprise me too if people in NYC and other major financial capitals are feeling uneasy too.

    My own feeling is now isn't a time to get paranoid and if I was in NYC today and had to get somewhere I would ride the subway but as always people should be vigilant and keep an eye out for suspicious behavior or unattended packages.
     
    #11 rocketsjudoka, Nov 27, 2008
  12. The_Yoyo

    The_Yoyo Member

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    glad i went to NYC last week instead of this week.


    either way if there are bombers (and it looks like there werent any yesterday) I dont think the number of passengers will matter necessarily. even if they hit a few key subways and there are no deaths outside of the bomber themselves it will severely cripple the city. In an already tight time where the markets are teetering something like this where a good portion of NYC would have to be shut down or business slowed to an absolute crawl might push it over.
     
    #12 The_Yoyo, Nov 28, 2008
  13. DaDakota

    DaDakota Balance wins
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    Did they get lost?

    DD
     
    #13 DaDakota, Nov 28, 2008
  14. brantonli24

    brantonli24 Member

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    That's interesting, but the article does say that the Feds got this info through a channel, which makes me think they must have a spy in Al Queda or have people close to it. Just my opinion
     
    #14 brantonli24, Nov 28, 2008
  15. Refman

    Refman Member

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    This is where the government (at least when Republicans are in office) is in a catch 22. You say this now. If nothing were released and then something happened, you'd be up in arms about how the government had this information and did not share it and people died needlessly as a result.

    Please share your guidepost as to what information should be shared with the public and under what circumstances.
     
    #15 Refman, Nov 28, 2008
  16. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    They wanted to take the local but they accidentally took the express. Now they are stuck out in Coney Island and they can't get a cab and don't have the number for a car service. They are f-ked.
     
    #16 SamFisher, Nov 28, 2008
  17. VesceySux

    VesceySux World Champion Lurker
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    Dude, c'mon. Even terrorists can remember 777-7777 for Dial 7 car service.
     
    #17 VesceySux, Nov 28, 2008
  18. Refman

    Refman Member

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    Oh great...now Geico can have "so easy even a terrorist can do it" commercials.
     
    #18 Refman, Nov 28, 2008
  19. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    Dial 7? You mean the former Tel Aviv Car Service - LMFAO, as if the terrorists are calling them.....!
     
    #19 SamFisher, Nov 28, 2008
  20. mateo

    mateo Member

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    They're probably still waiting for the 9 train.
     
    #20 mateo, Nov 29, 2008
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