Chertoff: Plot 'suggestive' of al-Qaida

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_terror_plot;_ylt=As_OkNUoQAMSE7VUf147kGqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Chertoff: Plot 'suggestive' of al-Qaida

By LARA JAKES JORDAN, Associated Press Writer 6 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The terror plot disrupted in London is "suggestive of an al-Qaida plot," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday as the government issued its highest terrorism alert ever for commercial flights from Britain to the United States.


"There is currently no indication of any plotting in the United States," Chertoff said, but the government raised the threat level for all domestic and international flights.

Chertoff said officials cannot assume that the terror operation in Britain had been completely thwarted.

The U.S. government banned all liquids and gels from flights, including toothpaste, makeup, suntan lotion. Baby formula and medicines were exempted.

Chertoff said the alleged plot "was sophisticated, it had a lot of members and it was international in scope." He added, however, that "because the investigation is still underway we cannot yet form a definitive conclusion.".........

Officials said the government has been aware of the nature of the threat for several days, and President Bush was fully briefed.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff issued a statement overnight.

"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," Chertoff said in announcing that the threat level for flights from Britain to the United States has been raised to the highest "severe or red" level.

A statement issued by Chertoff said "currently, there is no indication ... of plotting within the United States."

A U.S. law enforcement official said there have been no arrests in the United States connected to the plot.

and you know what that means... time for the US to invade England!

developments. They'll remind "the folks" why they need dear leader to protect them.

it's like hypnotizing chickens
terra terra terra

Nah, the govt wouldn't play politics with the alert system. *What* was I thinking?

I thought they were all in Iraq and we were winning!!! How can this be??? :sarcasm:

years ago, when we attacked a country that had nothing to do with 9-11?

Osama What's-His-Name?

Someone farting in the Capitol building would be considered an al-Qaeda plot.

They're as desparate as any group of thugs I have ever seen.

Rp

when it turns out, if there is anything to the "plot" at all, that it had nothing whatsoever to do with Al Qaeda at all. And at that point, it will be too late, the fear impact would have been achieved and maybe more Patriot Acts will be passed.

contortions to try to not be pinned down on whether the x-ray screeners could detect explosives (he would answer Blitzer as to whether they could or couldn't) said they are still "studying" better detection methods so that passengers wouldn't have to be so restricted in what they carried on and said when they got all the facts about what the "terrorists were going to use" the would "study it and see if the threat level needed to be taken down."

He sounded like "Mr. Know Nuttin', say Nuttin'" that might come back to bite me in the ass.

He was very "shifty" in his answers, imho.

GOP is in trouble.

and you claim to be working on keeping us safe? Give me a fudging break!

It will be interesting to learn the details of this 'plot'. These 'plots' often turn out much less threatening when the facts come out. I'm sure the security folks have known that liquids could be used as explosives. Why the sudden fear?

There seems to have been close bush/blair collusion on this one.

I know, we must all be afraid, we must all be afraid. Only republicans can protect us...

As if the Bush gang had been warned before 9/11, but ignored the warnings. Hey, some of have been saying that for some time! We're supposed to be reassured that they are being cautions NOW.

Chertoff also mentioned how well all the government agencies were working together. But he didn't add "since Katrina."

(I wonder how sure they are that the "terrorists" are unable to use timed explosives. You know, the kind that go in the luggage NOT being inspected.)

Now matter how valid this threat is--Bush & Co are working it for all its worth.

they way they want. So I suspect a string of pant wetting threats...liquids, shoes, nail clippers...wonder what else they can freak out about in order to make travel more insanely difficult and our basic personal integrity more suspect.

Don't fly anywhere you need sunscreen...this country has lost its friggin mind.

because if it was someone unconnected with them, then it would show that this bullshit "war on terror" is a colossal failure. That have taken the mercury and smashed it with a hammer.

We are watching the previews of a world yet to come.

This failed imitation of a leader* has set the world a fire. Al queda is but a small portion of what is brewing a head of us.

I guess I was smart not to have kids. :(

because if it was someone unconnected with them, then it would show that this bullshit "war on terror" is a colossal failure. That have taken the mercury and smashed it with a hammer.

We are watching the previews of a world yet to come.

This failed imitation of a leader* has set the world a fire. Al queda is but a small portion of what is brewing a head of us.

I guess I was smart not to have kids. :(

Tony Blair postponed his vacation to deal with the M.E. Will our fearless leader disrupt his brush-clearing and bike riding to deal with this latest threat in D.C.?

... British-born may indicate possible problems in our approach to fighting terrorism, seeing this as evidence that violence begets violence.

However, I very much look forward to hearing Limbaugh, Hannity and O'Reilly extrapolating that these native-born "terrorists" provide evidence that all Democrats are just one untapped phone call away from blowing-up a Tuesday afternoon Girl Scout meeting.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

but I don't think they'd worked their way up to them having their fingerprints all over it.

I wonder what ever happened to that poor bastard that got busted in Ohio for terrizing a mall in a swing state before the 2004 election. Someone should tell al-Qaeda to stop helping the GOP win elections ... unless, al-qaeda wants the GOP in charge....