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U.S. Has Flight Numbers of Specific Hijack Targets
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 8:30 am
by BEER980
Looks like our intel is getting the job done just in time.
U.S. Has Flight Numbers of Specific Hijack Targets
Intelligence gathered by Homeland Security and Defense Department officials that caused terror alert levels to be elevated on Sunday included specific airline flight numbers targeted for hijacking by al-Qaeda as well as the names of airports involved in the plot.
"U.S. intelligence agencies had gathered detailed information about the plan, in which they said al Qaeda operatives would hijack foreign airliners and fly them into targets in the United States," reported NBC News late Tuesday.
"In some instances, the intelligence is so detailed as to include specific flight numbers," the network said.
"Federal air marshals, who usually fly only on domestic flights, are now boarding international airlines into those airports," NBC revealed.
U.S. officials said the highly detailed intelligence includes the name of at least one East Coast airport: New Jersey's Newark International, where incoming flights are being closely watched.
In addition to large urban centers like New York and Los Angeles, al-Qaeda is also believed to be targeting Las Vegas, according to the network's sources. Las Vegas is the nation's No. 2 vacation destination and is scheduled to host a number of large conventions and trade shows beginning next month.
Surface-to-air missiles have been deployed by the Pentagon to many of the cities most likely to be targeted.
Source
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 9:02 am
by Josephine96
Woah.. Now that is scary a bit if they have actual flight numbers. Lets see if these Al Qaeda wierdos carry out any of their wacky plans.
I sure hope not. But we'll see..
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 9:51 am
by Stephanie
That's probably why Tom Ridge said that the threat was the highest since 9/11 itself.
Sounds like they are doing everything they possibly can!
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:06 am
by Rainband
Stephanie wrote:That's probably why Tom Ridge said that the threat was the highest since 9/11 itself.
Sounds like they are doing everything they possibly can!
I agree. Now that this intel is out the terrorists may think twice and realize we are ahead of them at every corner

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:09 am
by hunter84
i hope all this info does indeed stop their plans.
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:12 am
by Rainband
hunter84 wrote:i hope all this info does indeed stop their plans.
I remember hearing that a few months back AQ sent scouts to check out targets in NYC. They reported back to their superiors "the weather is too hot" due to the security level at the targets. I think they will find the same is true in this case. I pray they do.
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:29 am
by Josephine96
It will be interesting to see if Al Qaeda tries anything. If our intelligence has the flight numbers.. we have a problem.
We can't ground those flights.. because you never know if a terrorist is actually on the planes.
We let the planes fly.. we run the risks of another September 11th.
This is 1 of those where we have to take the chances and defy the terrorists and fly the planes. If we don't they win..
God Bless America and Merry Christmas y'all

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:33 am
by Rainband
Josephine96 wrote:It will be interesting to see if Al Qaeda tries anything. If our intelligence has the flight numbers.. we have a problem.
We can't ground those flights.. because you never know if a terrorist is actually on the planes.
We let the planes fly.. we run the risks of another September 11th.
This is 1 of those where we have to take the chances and defy the terrorists and fly the planes. If we don't they win..
God Bless America and Merry Christmas y'all

Unfortunately...I have heard there are STAM batteries at locations in alot of major citys ready to shoot down any hostile aircraft. The victims, if anything occurs, will most likely be those on the aircraft being hijacked

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:36 am
by Josephine96
What are STAM batteries? are those the people who are requested to shoot down enemy aircraft?
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:38 am
by stormchazer
Here is another good and ominous story on the threat...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3775771/
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:40 am
by Rainband
Josephine96 wrote:What are STAM batteries? are those the people who are requested to shoot down enemy aircraft?
Surface to Air Missiles

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:53 am
by nystate
The other possibility is that they are not planning an attack, but just making it seem like they are to scare people out of flying once again. Besides killing as many people as possible, they want to hurt the economy also...
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 11:56 am
by Josephine96
That is so true NY state... They wanna scare us 1/2 to death... We can't let that happen

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:05 pm
by nystate
In a way, even if their plans get discovered and an attack is prevented, it is still a victory for them. The details of the plot will come out, and people will become more and more afraid. Whether the target be malls, planes, or buildings, people will be afraid to do things they once used to do daily. It's sad, really.
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 12:16 pm
by blizzard
nystate wrote:In a way, even if their plans get discovered and an attack is prevented, it is still a victory for them. The details of the plot will come out, and people will become more and more afraid. Whether the target be malls, planes, or buildings, people will be afraid to do things they once used to do daily. It's sad, really.
Or those same people will see that our defense systems in place are working so they may be less afraid.
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 1:15 pm
by azsnowman
A *little, VERY little* inside info......we've got some crediable info at the PD in Whiteriver about sleeper cells crossing the Az border. That's all I can say, just found this out a hour or so ago!
Dennis
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 1:22 pm
by Stephanie
Good Lord Dennis! It really sounds like Homeland Security was really onto something!
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 1:26 pm
by wx247
:o :o :o
Thanks for sharing what little you can. :o
Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 1:26 pm
by streetsoldier
Yeah, I suppose it would be easy to get over the border with papers belonging to "Ahmed Chavez"...
But, seriously, I have seen reports of Middle Eastern people detained all over our southern borders..Yemenis, Egyptians, Syrians, Saudis, etc.
And those are only the ones we FOUND.

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 2:43 pm
by BEER980
azsnowman is that the US/Mexico border?