Do you like the "A-ha!" experience?

With the approach of American military action against Iraq, the United States and its war allies, including Israel, have gone on top alert to steel themselves against a multi-pronged mega-terror offensive assault. According to DEBKAfile and DEBKA-Net-Weekly's exclusive counter-terror and intelligence sources, six entities have come together to prepare this offensive, operating both together and independently. They are:
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1. Iraqi military intelligence, or rather the dread Unit 999, which is an arm of the super-secret Fedayeen Saddam (Saddam's Martyrs), commanded by the Iraqi ruler's eldest son, Uday.
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2. Al Qaeda's top men.
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3. Iraqi and Al Qaeda sleeper cells planted in the United States, Europe, the Persian Gulf and Israel.
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... In some Internet sites associated with the group [al Qaeda], such slogans as "the way to kill Americans is by nuclear attack," [1] appear of late. Another favorite is: "There are no Western civilians. Every Westerner is a combatant whom we are enjoined to kill." Mega-Terror Menaces on Three Continents , Combined DEBKAfile-DEBKA-Net-Weekly Special Report , February 4, 2003, 8:20 PM (GMT+02:00)

US President George Bush's Homeland Security Adviser Tom Ridge ... who spoke to the BBC earlier in the week, said it was "correct" to suggest that al-Qaeda sleeper cells were operating in America. "We believe they are there and not only sympathisers but operatives and we have to plan and prepare accordingly and we are." Only matter of time before US hit by terrorists: Ridge November 11 2002

The CIA revealed last week that while Saddam probably won't attack the U.S. since he hasn't thus far, if he's attacked first and doesn't see any choice, he can be expected to retaliate if he can. Such retalliation could happen on U.S. soil and would likely involve CBW (chemical and biological weapons). There has been no plan released to the public on what to do in case of such an attack and no public education planned by the administration. -Alan Murray, Wall Street Jorunal's Washington Bureau Chief, CNBC, October 16, 2002, 11:57:33

Larry Wayne Harris was the target of a high profile bust in February of 1998, when Nevada police thought he was in posession of "enough deadly anthrax germ to 'wipe-out' Las Vegas." It turned out he, in collabaration with a lab-owner acquaintance, were actually attempting to develop an antidote to anthrax. Subsequently Harris authored "Biological Warfare: A Major Threat to North America," a manual purported by Harris to help you protect yourself and family from biological attacks. In the following excerpt from the introduction, Harris recounts what Miriam, an Iraqi woman he became friends with at Ohio State in 1991 later told him:

"A few hours ago a band of fanatics blew up the World Trade Center [the first attack on the World Trade Towers, Feb. 26, 1993]. I am sure that my beloved Iraq did not do this thing. For when payback comes, I am sure we will demand at least one American life for every one of my country that you Butchered. [Depending on who keeps score, that could be from 200,000 to 700,000 men, women and children. LRW] We would not settle for some silly old building." ... The vessel of choice would be a metal spray can (stainless steel). You know, like the one you use to spray your garden and exterminators use to spray bug spray. ... To this you would add your culture. Following an appropriate amount of time, the batch is ready. You then insert the spray tank's air pump, pump up the sprayer and you are ready." ... "For one thing, it will not be just a target, but many (hundreds of) targets simultaneously across the country. The prime of these would be the subway systems. Who would notice another maintenance man down there spraying for bugs? Other inviting targets would be the air ducts of large office buildings. Or, say, a large gathering of people like at a stadium, or just sticking it out of the side of a building over those crowded streets of many cities. ... I asked her how she would get her culture (bacteria)? To this Miriam replied that it is very easy for a woman to hide a small sealed vial of dehydrated culture vaginally and get it into North America. ... "That is where the real irony is, for you see, Iraq bought all of the dehydrated vials from companies right here in the United States, who shipped them to Iraq, and those same vials are the ones that Iraqi women have been bringing back into this country to be used against this country." ... (Ed. Note, Miriam has been apprehended doing just this). -Larry Wayne Harris R.M., A CIVIL DEFENSE MANUAL, Edited/condensed by: Richard L. Finke e-mail: ricfinke@greenapple.com

The letter [signed by the deputy C.I.A. director, John McLaughlin, on behalf of George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence] said "Baghdad for now appears to be drawing a line short of conducting terrorist attacks" with conventional or chemical or biological weapons against the United States. "Should Saddam conclude that a U.S.-led attack could no longer be deterred, he probably would become much less constrained in adopting terrorist action," it continued. It noted that Mr. Hussein could use either conventional terrorism or a weapon of mass destruction as "his last chance to exact vengeance by taking a large number of victims with him." The letter dated Oct. 7 also declassified an exchange from a closed Congressional hearing on Oct. 2 in which a senior intelligence official judged the likelihood of Mr. Hussein's initiating an attack in the foreseeable future as "low." C.I.A. Warns That a U.S. Attack May Ignite Terror By ALISON MITCHELL and CARL HULSE, nytimes.com, WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 [Link may require nytimes.com memembership]

[Chief UN Arms Inspector] Dr [Hans] Blix ... said the choice for the UN was between continued containment [of Iraq] and invasion. Both strategies had problems, but an invasion required 250,000 troops and over $100bn [$100 billion] while for containment the numbers were 250 inspectors and $80m. [$80 million] US claim dismissed by Blix, Dan Plesch in New York, Wednesday February 5, 2003, The Guardian

Tough decision?

NOTES:

[1] There are speculations there may be nuclear devices in the hands of these sleepers. Unfortunately, this speculation is plausible: return

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Investment guru Warren Buffett offered a bleak prediction for the nation's national security, saying a terrorist attack on American soil is "virtually a certainty." ... "We're going to have something in the way of a major nuclear event in this country," said Buffett ... "It will happen. Whether it will happen in 10 years or 10 minutes, or 50 years ... it's virtually a certainty." -Billionaire Predicts Nuclear Attack, Sun May 5,10:28 PM ET, By JOE RUFF, Associated Press Writer [Why listen to him? Buffett is the second richest man in the world, got that way writing insurance, and his Brikshire Hathaway company is among the few insurance companies writing terrorist insurance policies. - LRW]

As part of an ABCNEWS investigation , a team successfully smuggled 15 pounds of depleted uranium, half enough to make a nuclear device if it had been enriched -- and plenty for a "dirty nuke" all by itself -- from Austria thru Romania, Turkey and on ship-board, right thru U.S. Customs' most sophisticated detection equipment in the Port of New York and on into the U.S. heartland.

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