-Caveat Lector- >From http://216.26.163.62/2002/me_israel_12_02.html
U.S. advance intelligence on Kenya 'was not relayed' to Israel SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM Sunday, December 1, 2002 JERUSALEM — Israeli officials acknowledged their nation's security agencies were caught off guard by Al Qaida's attack on Mombasa, Kenya. They said the United States, Australia and Germany and were alerted to the prospect of an attack in Kenya and other areas of east Africa. But the information was not sent to Israel in advance of two attacks attributed to Al Qaida that killed three Israelis on Thursday. "It could be that the information was not relayed," Knesset member Ophir Pines, a member of parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said. "We have to investigate why." Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have restricted major public gatherings because of new intelligence warning of an Islamic attack. Officials ordered the suspension of activities at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium in wake of what they said was information that the facility could be a target of Islamic insurgents. They said the information of a possible attack was general but focused on areas where large crowds of Israelis gather. A soccer game planned to be held in the stadium on Sunday will be held in the Tel Aviv area. At the same time, Israeli security forces have been moved to Jerusalem. Authorities have reviewed security measures as the Islamic fast month of Ramadan draws to a close. On late Sunday, Muslims will observe Leilat Al Khader, which marks the end of the fast and is celebrated by fireworks. In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli military force destroyed the homes of three Palestinian insurgents around the northern town of Beit Lahiya. Palestinian sources said one Palestinian was killed and 11 others were injured in the subsequent clash on early Sunday. The force left Beit Lahiya hours later. Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said the military would be more active in the Gaza Strip. But in a meeting with senior officers over the weekend, the minister, a former chief of staff, ruled out the capture of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of the Gaza Strip. Print this Article Email this article >From http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=237261&contrassID= 1&subContrassID=0&sbSubContrassID=0 Israel had information of possible Qaida attack in Africa Intelligence services in Israel had prior information suggesting that al Qaida intended to carry out a terrorist attack in Africa, with Mombasa as one of the possible sites, but no details that Israelis would be targeted. Brig. Gen. Yossi Kupperwasser, head of the military intelligence research division, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that Israel did not have specific information - like Germany and Australia did - that attacks were being planned in Mombasa, Kenya, Knesset spokesman Giora Pordes said Tuesday. Germany and Australia put out advisories in mid-November warning their citizens against visiting Mombasa, based on intelligence they had that terror groups were planning attacks on Western targets in the Kenyan port city. Asked by a legislator whether Israel had similar information, Pordes quoted Kupperwasser as saying: "No, there was no concrete and exact information. There was general information, but not regarding Israeli targets, rather on the attempt to carry out an attack in Kenya. Israel was never mentioned." Three Israelis were among the 15 people killed in the suicide bomb attack on the Paradise Hotel in Mombasa. Only moments before the hotel blast, shoulder-launched Strella missiles were fired at an Arkia passenger plane taking off from Mombasa. The missiles narrowly missed the passenger-filled plane. U.S. official: Missile launcher linked to attack in Saudi Arabia The missile launcher used in the failed attack on the Arkia plane has been linked to a launcher used in an attempt to shoot down a U.S. military plane in Saudi Arabia earlier this year in an action blamed on al Qaeda, a U.S. official said on Monday. "Essentially, the serial number found in the Prince Sultan Air base attack last May is close in sequence to that used in Kenya, suggesting it came from the same batch," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The burnt-out launcher of a Soviet-made anti-aircraft missile found in May just outside Prince Sultan air base near Riyadh was linked to al Qaida, the official told Reuters, adding that there was increasing reason to believe al Qaida was involved in last week's dual attacks in Kenya. Al Qaida statement on Internet claims Mombasa attacks A purported al Qaida statement posted on the Internet on Monday claimed that the Islamic group had carried out last Thursday's twin attacks on the Paradise hotel and Arkia airliner in Kenya. Internet analysts said that the statement includes phrases, terms and nicknames that have characterized other remarks made by the group. The statement surfaced on www.arabforum.net, and was signed by the "Political Office of Qaida al-Jihad." Reuven Paz, who researches Islamic fundamentalism, told Ha'aretz that the "political office" has been mentioned since April on Internet sites associated with al Qaida and bin Laden's supporters. According to Paz, the site is operated out of Qatar. Other such sites that had publicized material from bin Laden's "political office," such as ones in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Pakistan have fallen, apparently hacked by the CIA or other espionage organizations. According to Paz, the site is considered one of the main forums for bin Laden followers, and the person who wrote the statement is proficient in the dialect of Arabic spoken in Saudi Arabia. The statement said that that purpose of the attacks in Mombasa, in which three Israelis and ten other people were killed, was to, "destroy the dreams of the Judeo-Crusader alliance, which wants to preserve their strategic interests in the region. This operation was intended to strike another blow against the Israeli establishment, like the one in the past at the synagogue at Jerba." The statement went on to say that another goal of the attack was to destroy the myth that that Mossad can reach anyone anywhere. The statement said that the attacks came as a response to, "the conquering of our holy places," and the Israeli killing and destruction in the territories. "We will kill your children for the killing of ours, your women for our women, your elderly for our elderly, your castles for our houses," it said. Paz and other experts stress that this is indeed al Qaida language and it is similar to at least three or four previous Internet statements. However, they added that it was hard to determine with full certainty if indeed it is an authentic bin Laden statement, if he is alive, or whether it was published by someone posing as him or trying to continue his legacy, or even an imposter. By Yossi Melman, Ha'aretz Correspondent and Agencies /hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=237261 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Forwarded as information only; I don't believe everything I read or send (but that doesn't stop me from considering it; obviously SOMEBODY thinks it's important) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." --- Ernest Hemingway <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
