TA-ANALYSIS: Seized al-Qaeda Documents Reportedly Years Old

submitted by: Zion Mainframe, Article by: Banshee
In a disturbing revelation on the heels of Sunday's hurried press conferences on the latest terror alert, it has been discovered that much of the intelligence cited is nearly 4 years old. On Sunday, Tom Ridge delivered an address detailing what was considered a new and very serious imminent threat against major financial institutions in NY, NJ and Washington, DC. According to the Washington Post, however, much of the data used to determine this threat is from operative surveillance gathered before the 9/11 attacks.

According to an anonymous official interviewed, "There is nothing right now that we're hearing that is new. Why did we go to this level? . . . I still don't know that."

The computers seized in a raid in Pakistan contained plans and information pointing towards attacks on locations in major US cities. However, the information, including detailed traffic pattern surveillance and building infrastructure data, was compiled at least 3 years ago. In addition, much of the data is readily available on the internet.



Despite the urgency of the terror alert issued by DHS Secretary Tom Ridge and NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg, anonymous sources seem to indicate that there isn't as much of a threat as has been publicized.

The alert level remains elevated at key financial centers.

Related ATSNN Stories:
Credible Intel on Al Qaeda Plots to Bomb New York City
US Financial Sector & DC Alert Level Raised to Orange


Original Submission
More than half a dozen government officials claim the Al-Qaida documents seized in Pakistan were at least three years old and contain hardly any new information. One official remarked "Why did we go to this level? . . . I still don't know that."

[edit on 3-8-2004 by Banshee]

[edit on 8-3-2004 by Valhall]

[edit on 3-8-2004 by SkepticOverlord]

[edit on 8-4-2004 by Valhall]

Bush announced today the creation of a National Intelligence Center with a czar presiding over all intelligence. I think that is our reason for the terror alerts. Congress is out of session and this was created by an Executive Order.

I hate to say I told ya so, but in the other topic I said they were just scaring us and everyone said "No, you're wrong!" It was like I had spoken blasphemous words lol. It's getting close to election time. I am sure Bush will have some trick up his sleeve that could win him the election, whether if be a fake terrorist attack to postpone the elections or revealing that Osama has been captured.

[edit on 3-8-2004 by gm0n3y]

How long did they take to plan 9/11. If there is one thing we have learned, they are patient and once they pick out a target, they will stop at nothing to hit it.

Also, maybe we have some different information and are baiting them. Not likely since it cost so much money to raise the alert level. Maybe that's why the alert level was raised in lonly a select few areas.

...the information, including detailed traffic pattern surveillance and building infrastructure data, was compiled at least 3 years ago.

Does building infrastructure data (read: floorplans/blueprints) change much over the course of 3 years?

What about all the computer files that were updated in January '04?

How does this diminish the possibility of what may be an uncovered plan?

I sure hope nothing happens.
Believe me, I don't ever want to see something like 9-11 happen again.

But unlike so many people here, I do want to know.

If you controlled the "shell game" your intent is to decieve your opponent. Is it not probable that is what is happening? Deception is the name of the game and the terrorist organizations are masters of this.
It is up to the opponent not to be decieved and I believe we are beginning to take control away from the "shell masters".

What a crock.

story.news.yahoo.com.../ap/20040803/ap_on_go_pr_wh/terror_threats_intelligence_6

U.S. officials say the detailed surveillance photos and documents that prompted higher terror warnings dated from as far back as 2000 and 2001, and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Tuesday the government concluded "it was essential" to publicize it and raise the terror alert.

Essential WHY?!

Top Bush administration officials said some of the surveillance was apparently updated as recently as January of this year. And they denied any allegations that the public release of the information now, and the raising of the terror alert, were politically motivated. They said the information was released now because it was just uncovered in Pakistan.

Does the Bush Administration really think the US public is so stupid and gullible to buy this load of malarkey? ARE they in fact so stupid and gullible? I'm starting to doubt it.

I watched a clip of his speech on the Daily Show. He denied it was political in one breath, then made the statement "We are safer due to the efforts of George Bush & his leadership", in another. His facial mannerism, though, looked like he threw up a little in his throat when he said that.
Now why divorce this "heads up" from benevolence & marry it so hard to partisan political distraction to counter the other teams upward spike?

***EDIT***

I found the exact quote:
""We must understand that the kind of information available to us today is the result of the president's leadership in the war against terror."

Campaign Ad or what?

[edit on 3-8-2004 by Bout Time]

Originally by Bout Time
I found the exact quote:
""We must understand that the kind of information available to us today is the result of the president's leadership in the war against terror."

Campaign Ad or what?

Tom Ridge is getting tongue tied:

"We do not do politics at the Department of Homeland Security," Mr Ridge said. "Our job is to identify the threat."

Tom Ridge, August 2004
news.bbc.co.uk...

Which one is it?

1) Complaints about an Executive Order being used to create a national intelligence body are not helpful. Why would you prefer if Congress was in session? So someone could filibuster the issue and we'd see the creation of the new office in 2009? The 9/11 Commission, which so many of you think are the best thing sinced sliced bread called for the creation of this office. If the President is able to make it happen quickly, what is the problem? Does everything have to be done in a way so that more people can get credit? Who cares?? We need this, and we need it now, not when some Congressmen get through leeching ammendments onto it.

2) Complaints about the age of the intelligence are simply ignorant. People who are annoyed because the intelligence is 3 years old simply do not understand the enemy or the intelligence community in general. For your information this is not an enemy who snaps photos on Tuesday, draws plans on Wednesday, and attacks on Thursday. Years of preparation went into the September 11th attacks and years of preparation would go into any other large scale attack. As Banshee said, look at what the intelligence indicates they collected. Parking lot schematics, camera locations, security teams. Those things don't change in such short times. The shape of a building, the locations of its emergency stairways and elevators don't change or move. Those things are just as relevant now.

What really bothers me about this is how many people scream about how disgraceful our intelligence community has been and all of the failures it has committed. Yes, there were problems. A commission was appointed to identify those problems and suggest solutions. The government was caught with its pants down. Not just the Bush administration, but previous ones too. So if you're complaining that they slept too long and didn't pay enough attention why are you now complaining when they do?

Hmmm...Maybe the authorities are trying to give the illusion that Al-Qaeda somehow operates and plans way, years, before they strike.

Now that the authorities have shown that they take Intel that is years old seriously, I don't doubt the possiblity that they will probably use the same assumption after the real terrorist attack happens. They'll probably pull out information and Intel that is, let's say, 5 years, 10 years, maybe 15 years old because Al-Qaeda plans a very long time.

As of right now, I think Al-Qaeda already knows where they're going to strike. Just think of it, there's somebody in Washington right now sitting comfortably in their leather chair waiting to push a button for the sleeper cells to be activated.

Old intelligence? Have we already forgotten how long the 9/11 attacks were being planned? We had intelligence on possible attacks at least three and a half years before 9-11?

www.cooperativeresearch.org...

The cynics should please offer an expiration for "old" intelligence.

Ok so the intel is years old.That doesn't necessarily indicate scare mongering.With the arrests just recently in Pakistan of potential high profile al queda members along with computers maybe those computers held data indicating that the plans they knew of are still in motion and coming close to actually being excecuted.Just a thought.

I'm losing track of the timing of some of this stuff. Did Ridge issue that comment before or after he spoke of resigning his position so that he can earn better money to send his kids to college? Is there any cause-and-effect relationship between these two comments?

All alone I said that something did not seemed right we all this alerts and high security I am going to go as far as to say that some groups or people got benefits from this last latest terror scare.

For some reason our attentions have been channeled to this terror alert. But like anything things will come out into the light sooner or later.

Better safe than sorry!

More lies.

More lies to come. followed up with more lies., then stay tunned for lies again.

My intelligence has been insulted once again. Im hopping mad

I hope no one posts here that they still believe dubya and his stooges.

PLEASE, GET OUT AND V O T E- iT doesnt matter who takes over, anything is better than this. Im not crazy about Kerry but at least there's a little ray of hope for us with him, and he can always be impeached if he doesnt work out.

What they told us was a pure lie.

alert was " New terror threats to Washington DC and New York"
THIS STATEMENT IS A BOLD A$%%% LIE!

The TRUTH: We re raising terror alert due to updating of intelligence dating back to year 2000. A situation may arise. Stay in bed.

Come on, please, give me a break- Surely, you are more intelligent than that, arent you?

Bush administration got hammered for not doing enough to stop 9/11. Now that they are trying to stop another attack the far left says its political. So let me get this right if Bush raises the terror warning to make us safer because al qada may stike he gets bashed, when he doesn't raise the alert level and al qada does strike he gets bashed. What more can you expect form the left

WestPoint23,

Tell me, what attack where are the suspects, Oh!!!!!!!!I forgot it was not human it was a computer file, whoa!!!!!!!!!!!Beware people computer files are the latest terrorist attackers in the making. Oh I forgot we have a human but he is in Pakistan Right?