Frogg
03-04-2005, 01:06 AM
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By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek
Updated: 6:07 p.m. ET March 2, 2005
EXCERPT:
Zarqawi Too Busy for Mainland U.S. Attack?
A Homeland Security Department bulletin sent to local law-enforcement agencies last week cited a secret message between Al Qaeda leaders and Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the terrorist leader in Iraq, as evidence that Osama bin Laden's network is still intent on mounting new terror attacks inside the United States. What was not publicly disclosed, however, is that U.S. intelligence also reported that Zarqawi had replied to Al Qaeda leaders with an answer that is open to multiple interpretations—one of which is that Zarqawi is too preoccupied in Iraq to contemplate attacks on the U.S. mainland.
According to officials familiar with the Homeland Security bulletin, the message from the Al Qaeda leadership, still apparently based somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan, urged Zarqawi to use terrorist allies around the world to conduct new attacks specifically on American soil. Officials said they could not confirm news reports that the message to Zarqawi was issued in the names of either bin Laden himself or his principal deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
According to intelligence sources, the leadership message to Zarqawi is very brief but definitely urges new attacks inside the United States rather than against American targets elsewhere around the world. But the message contains no specific attack plans and is not regarded by U.S. analysts as constituting an operational order or direct threat.
What was not reported in the media—or in the Homeland Security bulletin to local cops—is that U.S. intelligence also picked up what analysts believe was a reply message from Zarqawi—who formally affiliated his Iraq-based terror network last year with the larger Al Qaeda movement. U.S. officials familiar with Zarqawi's reply are offering different interpretations of it.
According to one U.S. source, in his reply Zarqawi expressed deference to Al Qaeda leaders and indicated he would do what he could to follow up on their instructions. But according to two other U.S. sources, who also have access to intelligence analyses, Zarqawi was less than enthusiastic about the Al Qaeda leadership's suggestion. According to one source, Zarqawi's reply amounted to a "total blow off," in which the Jordanian-born jihadi indicated that he had his hands full keeping the insurgency going in Iraq and was not interested at the moment in expanding his activities halfway around the globe.
Whatever their interpretation of Zarqawi's reply to the Al Qaeda leadership, U.S. officials said that they did not believe the exchange of messages between the Iraqi-based insurgent and Al Qaeda leaders constituted evidence of any imminent terrorist threat against the U.S. mainland. Some officials also expressed anger that information about the exchange of messages leaked out, because the leaks could jeopardize U.S. intelligence sources and methods.
These officials indicated that the damage done to U.S. intelligence capabilities by the leaks may be far more serious than the benefit that the public (or local law-enforcement agencies) could reap from knowing that Al Qaeda and Zarqawi were in communication and that they were still interested in attacking the continental United States. Some intel officials believe the messages between Zarqawi and the Al Qaeda leadership were so cryptic in the first place because the terrorists already suspect their communications channel is being monitored by American authorities.
© 2005 Newsweek, Inc.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7067798/site/newsweek/page/3/
By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek
Updated: 6:07 p.m. ET March 2, 2005
EXCERPT:
Zarqawi Too Busy for Mainland U.S. Attack?
A Homeland Security Department bulletin sent to local law-enforcement agencies last week cited a secret message between Al Qaeda leaders and Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, the terrorist leader in Iraq, as evidence that Osama bin Laden's network is still intent on mounting new terror attacks inside the United States. What was not publicly disclosed, however, is that U.S. intelligence also reported that Zarqawi had replied to Al Qaeda leaders with an answer that is open to multiple interpretations—one of which is that Zarqawi is too preoccupied in Iraq to contemplate attacks on the U.S. mainland.
According to officials familiar with the Homeland Security bulletin, the message from the Al Qaeda leadership, still apparently based somewhere in Afghanistan or Pakistan, urged Zarqawi to use terrorist allies around the world to conduct new attacks specifically on American soil. Officials said they could not confirm news reports that the message to Zarqawi was issued in the names of either bin Laden himself or his principal deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
According to intelligence sources, the leadership message to Zarqawi is very brief but definitely urges new attacks inside the United States rather than against American targets elsewhere around the world. But the message contains no specific attack plans and is not regarded by U.S. analysts as constituting an operational order or direct threat.
What was not reported in the media—or in the Homeland Security bulletin to local cops—is that U.S. intelligence also picked up what analysts believe was a reply message from Zarqawi—who formally affiliated his Iraq-based terror network last year with the larger Al Qaeda movement. U.S. officials familiar with Zarqawi's reply are offering different interpretations of it.
According to one U.S. source, in his reply Zarqawi expressed deference to Al Qaeda leaders and indicated he would do what he could to follow up on their instructions. But according to two other U.S. sources, who also have access to intelligence analyses, Zarqawi was less than enthusiastic about the Al Qaeda leadership's suggestion. According to one source, Zarqawi's reply amounted to a "total blow off," in which the Jordanian-born jihadi indicated that he had his hands full keeping the insurgency going in Iraq and was not interested at the moment in expanding his activities halfway around the globe.
Whatever their interpretation of Zarqawi's reply to the Al Qaeda leadership, U.S. officials said that they did not believe the exchange of messages between the Iraqi-based insurgent and Al Qaeda leaders constituted evidence of any imminent terrorist threat against the U.S. mainland. Some officials also expressed anger that information about the exchange of messages leaked out, because the leaks could jeopardize U.S. intelligence sources and methods.
These officials indicated that the damage done to U.S. intelligence capabilities by the leaks may be far more serious than the benefit that the public (or local law-enforcement agencies) could reap from knowing that Al Qaeda and Zarqawi were in communication and that they were still interested in attacking the continental United States. Some intel officials believe the messages between Zarqawi and the Al Qaeda leadership were so cryptic in the first place because the terrorists already suspect their communications channel is being monitored by American authorities.
© 2005 Newsweek, Inc.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7067798/site/newsweek/page/3/