~Spectre
29th October 2010, 23:53
Reporting from Washington —
President Obama (http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics/government/barack-obama-PEPLT007408.topic) declared Friday that authorities had uncovered a "credible terrorist threat" against the United States after the overseas discovery of explosives in at least two U.S.-bound packages aboard cargo jets.
Discovery of the packages, addressed to Jewish organizations in Chicago, triggered a worldwide alert amid fears that Al Qaeda (http://www.latimes.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/terrorism/al-qaeda-ORCIG000003751.topic) was attempting to carry out terrorist attacks. Authorities searched cargo planes and trucks in Philadelphia (http://www.latimes.com/topic/us/pennsylvania/philadelphia-county/philadelphia-%28philadelphia-pennsylvania%29-PLGEO100101023010000.topic), New York and Newark, N.J., and were examining other packages addressed to the U.S. from Yemen (http://www.latimes.com/topic/intl/yemen-PLGEO00000072.topic), where the two containing explosives originated. More suspicious packages were discovered on UPS planes at the Philadelphia and Newark airports, the carrier said.
The events "underscore the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism," Obama said at a briefing Friday afternoon. He did not explicitly blame Al Qaeda but, referring to a Yemen (http://www.latimes.com/topic/intl/arabian-peninsula-PLGEOREG000002.topic)-based branch of the terrorist network, said, "We also know that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens, and our friends and allies.
The president said the packages were addressed to "two places of Jewish worship in Chicago."
John Brennan (http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/john-brennan-PECLB000652.topic), the deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism, said authorities had identified the two packages containing explosive materials, which were isolated and "made inert." Brennan said authorities had been on the alert for a potential plot, but declined to elaborate on how they learned of it.
Suspicious packages were first found on cargo flights that landed in Britain and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday night, White House (http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics/government/executive-branch/white-house-PLCUL000110.topic) Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed Friday.
Gibbs said Obama was first briefed on the matter Thursday night and directed U.S. intelligence and Homeland Security agencies to ensure American safety and determine whether the suspicious packages were part of a terrorist plot.
Brennan said more forensic work was needed to determine whether the packages included a mechanism to detonate the explosives. He said he was not surprised that cargo planes were involved instead of passenger jets because Al Qaeda has been trying to adapt to increased Western security measures by finding vulnerabilities in the system.
He said the plot is evidence that extremists remain determined to strike against the U.S.
"Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been open in its venom toward the United States," Brennan said. "Not only are they intending to do certain things … they will in fact take steps to carry out those intentions."
Intelligence officials have been concerned for months that Al Qaeda was changing tactics to focus less on spectacular attacks and more on small-scale strikes in the United States to sow fear and disrupt commerce, said a U.S. intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.
All the packages in question were sent from Yemen to U.S. destinations. Bomb technicians searched numerous locations Friday, including UPS cargo hangars at Newark Liberty International Airport, the official said, who added that a UPS truck in Brooklyn also was searched.
The package examined in Britain contained a device that looked like a toner cartridge for a printer but had been altered with wires and a circuit board and had white powder coming out of it, CNN (http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/media/news-agency/cnn-ORCRP000008070.topic) reported.
On its website, UPS said it was "working closely with authorities" after suspicious packages were found on its planes at the Philadelphia and Newark airports.
FedEx (http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/fedex-corporation-ORCRP005636.topic) confirmed that local authorities, in cooperation with the FBI (http://www.latimes.com/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/fbi-ORGOV000008.topic), had confiscated a suspicious package at its facility in the emirate of Dubai that originated in Yemen.
"As an additional safety measure, FedEx has embargoed all shipments originating from Yemen," said Maury Lane, spokesman for FedEx, the world's largest cargo airline.
______
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cargo-planes-20101030,0,5847748.story
A lot of pundits are already stirring the war drums. A few things though:
Obama announced that there was "apparently explosive material", after hours of it being reported as just sort of "visible wires and a chip".
After being so uncertain, they're trying to pass off their certainty that it came from Yemen and specifically Al Qaeda in Yemen?
Why would anyone send two shitty bombs through UPS from Yemen to the United States to begin with? Bombs can be made anywhere and it's not like these devices were some gamebreaking level of devastating that can't be replicated by the domestic agents that would have theoretically had to detonate these devices anyway?
They're now claiming that they can trace the type of explosive this was to the same bomb maker they claim made the (also an allegedly Yemeni plot) "Christmas bomber"'s bomb. Another plot that was conveniently thwarted, conveniently involving planes, and came at around a time when the U.S. had struck Yemen.
I'm not much for conspiracy, but does anyone else find anything at all fishy with their narrative?
President Obama (http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics/government/barack-obama-PEPLT007408.topic) declared Friday that authorities had uncovered a "credible terrorist threat" against the United States after the overseas discovery of explosives in at least two U.S.-bound packages aboard cargo jets.
Discovery of the packages, addressed to Jewish organizations in Chicago, triggered a worldwide alert amid fears that Al Qaeda (http://www.latimes.com/topic/unrest-conflicts-war/terrorism/al-qaeda-ORCIG000003751.topic) was attempting to carry out terrorist attacks. Authorities searched cargo planes and trucks in Philadelphia (http://www.latimes.com/topic/us/pennsylvania/philadelphia-county/philadelphia-%28philadelphia-pennsylvania%29-PLGEO100101023010000.topic), New York and Newark, N.J., and were examining other packages addressed to the U.S. from Yemen (http://www.latimes.com/topic/intl/yemen-PLGEO00000072.topic), where the two containing explosives originated. More suspicious packages were discovered on UPS planes at the Philadelphia and Newark airports, the carrier said.
The events "underscore the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism," Obama said at a briefing Friday afternoon. He did not explicitly blame Al Qaeda but, referring to a Yemen (http://www.latimes.com/topic/intl/arabian-peninsula-PLGEOREG000002.topic)-based branch of the terrorist network, said, "We also know that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens, and our friends and allies.
The president said the packages were addressed to "two places of Jewish worship in Chicago."
John Brennan (http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/john-brennan-PECLB000652.topic), the deputy national security advisor for homeland security and counterterrorism, said authorities had identified the two packages containing explosive materials, which were isolated and "made inert." Brennan said authorities had been on the alert for a potential plot, but declined to elaborate on how they learned of it.
Suspicious packages were first found on cargo flights that landed in Britain and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday night, White House (http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics/government/executive-branch/white-house-PLCUL000110.topic) Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed Friday.
Gibbs said Obama was first briefed on the matter Thursday night and directed U.S. intelligence and Homeland Security agencies to ensure American safety and determine whether the suspicious packages were part of a terrorist plot.
Brennan said more forensic work was needed to determine whether the packages included a mechanism to detonate the explosives. He said he was not surprised that cargo planes were involved instead of passenger jets because Al Qaeda has been trying to adapt to increased Western security measures by finding vulnerabilities in the system.
He said the plot is evidence that extremists remain determined to strike against the U.S.
"Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been open in its venom toward the United States," Brennan said. "Not only are they intending to do certain things … they will in fact take steps to carry out those intentions."
Intelligence officials have been concerned for months that Al Qaeda was changing tactics to focus less on spectacular attacks and more on small-scale strikes in the United States to sow fear and disrupt commerce, said a U.S. intelligence official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.
All the packages in question were sent from Yemen to U.S. destinations. Bomb technicians searched numerous locations Friday, including UPS cargo hangars at Newark Liberty International Airport, the official said, who added that a UPS truck in Brooklyn also was searched.
The package examined in Britain contained a device that looked like a toner cartridge for a printer but had been altered with wires and a circuit board and had white powder coming out of it, CNN (http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/media/news-agency/cnn-ORCRP000008070.topic) reported.
On its website, UPS said it was "working closely with authorities" after suspicious packages were found on its planes at the Philadelphia and Newark airports.
FedEx (http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/fedex-corporation-ORCRP005636.topic) confirmed that local authorities, in cooperation with the FBI (http://www.latimes.com/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/fbi-ORGOV000008.topic), had confiscated a suspicious package at its facility in the emirate of Dubai that originated in Yemen.
"As an additional safety measure, FedEx has embargoed all shipments originating from Yemen," said Maury Lane, spokesman for FedEx, the world's largest cargo airline.
______
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cargo-planes-20101030,0,5847748.story
A lot of pundits are already stirring the war drums. A few things though:
Obama announced that there was "apparently explosive material", after hours of it being reported as just sort of "visible wires and a chip".
After being so uncertain, they're trying to pass off their certainty that it came from Yemen and specifically Al Qaeda in Yemen?
Why would anyone send two shitty bombs through UPS from Yemen to the United States to begin with? Bombs can be made anywhere and it's not like these devices were some gamebreaking level of devastating that can't be replicated by the domestic agents that would have theoretically had to detonate these devices anyway?
They're now claiming that they can trace the type of explosive this was to the same bomb maker they claim made the (also an allegedly Yemeni plot) "Christmas bomber"'s bomb. Another plot that was conveniently thwarted, conveniently involving planes, and came at around a time when the U.S. had struck Yemen.
I'm not much for conspiracy, but does anyone else find anything at all fishy with their narrative?