Terrorists plan to pose as disabled travelers

[BEER980]

Terrorists plan to pose as disabled travelers
Pakistani nationals behind U.S. plot, warns new Homeland Security memo
Posted: December 26, 2003
8:18 p.m. Eastern

By Paul Sperry
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – A new U.S. intelligence report obtained by WorldNetDaily describes a plot by "Pakistani Islamic extremists" to pose as disabled travelers to obtain U.S. visas and carry out terrorist attacks once inside the U.S.

They also plan to conduct attacks in Britain using the same scheme, which is designed to "draw less scrutiny from law enforcement," according to the closely held two-page report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The attacks will allegedly take place in April 2004, says the report, which is marked "Law Enforcement Sensitive."

"Pakistani Islamic extremists are allegedly planning to conduct attacks in the U.S. and the United Kingdom in April 2004," according to the report's summary.

From intelligence gathered so far, U.S. intelligence officials believe the Pakistani nationals, all male, plan to obtain U.S. visas in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

"The operatives will accompany a disabled person and act as the disabled person's assistants when obtaining the visa," the report said, adding that a wheelchair may be used to help fool authorities.

The State Department screens foreign applicants for visas. Phone calls to the department were not immediately returned.

The report says that the scheme "fits with current al-Qaida methodology, as al-Qaida has been trying to recruit individuals who would draw less scrutiny from U.S. law enforcement entities."

Al-Qaida is still active in Pakistan, routinely described by the administration as a "key ally" in the war on terror. U.S. intelligence believes the terror network's top leaders, including Osama bin Laden, have taken refuge in the Islamic state's northern tribal belt.

About two-thirds of all designated terrorist groups in the world have a Pakistani connection, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

Bowing to pressure from Islamic groups in America, the Justice Department recently discontinued an antiterrorist immigration program to monitor Pakistanis and other foreign nationals from some two dozen Muslim nations visiting the U.S. on visas. They're no longer required to report to immigration inspection offices while staying in the U.S.

A top Homeland Security official distributed the report about the Pakistani plot to border and immigration agents on Christmas Eve.

"Al-Qaida remains interested in using Pakistanis as potential operatives," warned Roy Surrett, intelligence director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in a Dec. 24 security update to field operations directors.

"The most recent intelligence suggests that they may be using disabled Pakistani individuals along with an assistant as possible terrorist operatives," Surrett added.
Source

[Josephine96]

So now what..? We wait till April to see if these guys are going to attack us..?

I still think we may get attacked sooner than that since we had a potential attack stopped on Christmas Eve.

[streetsoldier]

I guess that leaves me out of air traveling...I'd have to call ahead and have a wheelchair waiting at departure AND arrival on the other end.

And a box of "Allahu Akbars" (the only candy that proclaims your faith with every bite!) to whoever cooked this one up.