attacks on financial institutions ?
 

a 25 year old pakistani computer enginner has been arrested by officials after it was found that he was relaying messages on behalf of al qaeda leaders.

source: nytimes

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/02/po...rint&position=

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

i always wonder with things like this , is it misinformation to direct the security efforts away from the real thing , the way i look at it is , are they really that stupid , somehow i dont think so ;) :erm: :disturbd:

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Call me cynical but couldn't the recent announcments about an increased risk of attack on the east coast of america kinda be a way of scaring people into voting for Bush?

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

noooo thats way too cynical........it really is............is it ?

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Orwell could have been 20 years out...

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

OK. You are cynical...:D


Seriously, I do find it odd that both Bush and Blair have elections coming up in the next few months and all of a sudden there is a massive terrorist threat that hasn't been there before!

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Thing I don't understand is.. if they are hyping up the terrorist threat because of the impending elections.

What makes them think that we will vote for them? For the stirling work they have done do far??.... I don't think so.

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Historically, any prime minister or president who has politcally been in a weak position has got a slight "boost" in ratings if he or she has gone to war. I think the theory goes that we, as a population, feel they have somehow made us safe.

I know, I don't understand it either.

It could also be that when nothing happens, they can say that their warnings worked...

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

I really wish they stuck with the tried-and-tested policy of "what we don't know wo't hurt us". With so many foiled attacks and red herrings, i'm worried we will get a "boy-who-cried-wolf" senario.

And it is really against Bush's interest to somehow let a terrorist attack happen pre-election. The one area (except maybe economy) Bush is ahead of Kerry (the only one thing seeming to carrying him through the swing voters atm) is homeland defense which Bush takes seriously (if maybe a little too serious). If an attack does happen, people would probably think we might as well vote for Kerry.

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Haven't they just found out that the information is 4 years old?

Re: attacks on financial institutions ?
 

Uh huh. There were loads of senarios in which this intelligence might not be implemented, and in this case, they probably dropped it in favour of 9/11. So now next time when it might be a serious threat, noone will take any notice a la boy-who-cried-wolf.

Anyways, the next target on US soil would probably be more geared towards either showmanship, or mass casulties, rather than an idealistic target.