Al Qaeda Nuclear Plot: The Story Is Gaining Momentum

Good afternoon readers. It's lunchtime again, and I hope I can get this post done int he time allotted. Let me start by stating, unequivocably, that while this is far from being a solid fact, there is enough that Allah Pundit has been tracking this story for some time. Last week, those two posts (linked above) set some bloggers into research mode to determine how much of a threat this story might be.

In short, it is time to raise the "threat level." Al Qaeda has warned Muslims to stay out of Washington, DC and New York over Ramadan, and they seem to be sending the signals that eighter A) they have a nuclear device that has already been smuggled itno the US, or B) they are close to achieving that goal. The plan is to detonate a nuclear weapon in one of those cities over the Islamic holy days of Ramadan.

Now, the initial report stated that this plot would involve the infamous "suitcase nukes" that everyone was worried about back in 2001. Richard Miniter's book "Disinformation" did a good job of debunking the possibility, except for the fact that the Russians refuse to be consistent as to whether or not they existed. They sometimes state that they were reasearched, but never developed, and then they present stories stating that they were developed, but never deployed.

According to the latest spin coming out of Russia, the weapons were only in the hands of the KGB, and they were confirmed to have been destroyed. Furthermore, according to scientists now, the tritium used in the detonator's construction would probably have decayed so much that detonating them would be difficult. In addition to the fact that the core itself might have deteriorated to the point where fission would not occur, but plutonium could be scattered by the detonation. If the case is the current ideas regarding such a device, then we are looking at a dirty bomb.

However, if it is not that scenario, if al Qaeda has found a way to construct a crude nuclear device, then the results could be far worse than a simple dirty bomb. It could be devastating to the economy and the nation. The idea of such a device being used on our soil would provoke panic in the streets.

Do I think that it's possible they could pull this off? Yes, I do think they could pull such an operation off. Do I think it will happen? I can't honeslty say. I read the "tea leaves" as much as intelligence analysts do (granted I don't have the access to information like they do), and I can't make a call on whether such an attack will happpen this year over Ramadan. BTW, that does begin this coming Saturday. In all honesty I think the rumor might be enough to set people on edge; bloggers are carrying the water on this story, not the MSM.

But AllahPundit's post today revolves around the journalist that seems to have exclusive access to al Qaeda, and the interview that he had with Glenn Beck. Vinnie over at My Pet Jawa had this to say about the interview:

Hot Air has the audio up here. Saving you a buck or two.

Some relevant points made:

--Was warned to not embed with NATO troops in Afghanistan anymore.

--Osama is alive, and won't do video because the CIA can target him anywhere in the world based on the video. Which makes sense, and doesn't. Osama was pinpointed by geologists in a video he released after 9/11 by the rocks he was sitting in front of in the video. They were rocks found only in one part of the world. Ever since, if you haven't noticed, AQ videos have a curtain behind the speaker, or are inside. Oh, and I'm not talking about AQ in Iraq videos. The main men, so to speak. Osama, Ayman, Azzam the Asstard.

--Reiteration of the call for all Muslims to leave America. Why? Because American Muslims are a "shield." However, if they stay, the attack will go on anyway.

--Details of a meeting between Adnan Al-Shukri Jumaa and AQ leadership in Khost, Afghanistan two months ago.

--I blinked and almost missed it. Hamir doesn't claim Adnan Al-Shukri Jumaa smuggled nukes across the southern border, he uses the phrase "dangerous materials." Wow, what a relief.

--Reports that he was told that the terrorists working to carry out this attack are not using Muslim names, they are hiding behind Western sounding names and related documents, such as passports.

--There is no timeframe for any attacks, inside U.S. or Afghanistan. Backs up 300 suicide bomber claim by saying that shortly after he returned to Pakistan, suicide attacks began in Afghanistan, which is true.

--Say's that Osama has completed the "cycle of warnings." Under Islamic law, the defender is given three warnings before being attacked. Says that Osama is trying to legitimize his actions with Islamic scholars who criticized him for 9/11.

--Doesn't believe they're bluffing. Said in earlier interviews with Osama, he didn't believe he'd ever strike America. He was proven wrong.

--Says it's an "open secret" that AQ is in Lebanon, and is allied with both Iran and Hezbollah. Says that Osama forged an alliance with Hezbollah when he was still in the Sudan. Says that Iran is providing arms and money to both AQ and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Finally, I can't make it out well, but the name of the AQ person he talked to sounds like Abu Daoud. I've backed it up and re-played it numerous times. It still sounds like Abu Daoud.

Which is interesting, because Abu Daoud masterminded the 1972 Munich slaughter, and Abu Daoud was also captured in Iraq.

Since the first Abu Daoud is obviously a hero to the Islamotards for killing those filthy joooo athletes bravely in cold blood, it's only logical that future Islamotards would appropriate his name.

Sadly, Ahmad Shah Massoud doesn't seem to be popular in Islam, since the man who carried it warned us of 9/11, and was assassinated two days before.

Well, I guess I saved you 7 bucks. Like I said, hopefully we can get some actual audio of the interview.

As for the concern about being "alarmist." I think that's just silly. I also think that it's more a worry that the Left, or so-called "Moderates" are going jump your shit.

Frankly, most people, despite what you think, are walking around plenty alarmed already. They're just not outspoken about it like we are. They know that it's not "if" but "when."

They also know, quite well, that when it all boils down, there ain't a damned thing we can do about it. So the thing to do is to live your life normally.

But keep your eyes peeled.

Let me reiterate that I am not among the alarmists, per se; I am a humble servant that joins his soon-to-wife in keeping people informed. There is no doubt that our enemy wants to hit us again, and in ways that make 11 September look like a Sunday drive up the Pacific Coast highway. I can't state for sure that this threat is real, but there are enough warning signs that we should raise the threat level in the country, and pay close attention to our enemies here. We can't turn a blind eye to the possibility that these people might just carry out such an attack on us. They have been busting their humps to nail us again (and have had about as much luck as the Democrats have had taking back the Congress and the White House), but they're not deterred. They are on a warfooting. we are, too, but vigilance is key in this war. If we fail to see the threats before they become imminent, then we will be cleaning up bodies and debris again, and the next time it could be worse than 11 September, 2001.

Publius II