MI5 predicts terrorist attack imminent

Acies · Post by **Acies** » June 18, 2003, 3:29 pm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 85,00.html

Thoughts on this?

miir · Post by **miir** » June 18, 2003, 3:36 pm

I predict Mauve alert imminent

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » June 18, 2003, 3:40 pm

Sorry, I've heard "Wolf!" cried too many times now. I no longer have a reaction. My first thought is how apathetic I am about the article, which is pretty sad if it has a hint of truth.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » June 18, 2003, 3:45 pm

my thoughts on this: deflect the heat that Tony Blair is feeling as hearings started yesterday on the allegations of false pretenses for the war

Tony figures if it works for Bush, i'll try it here too!

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 18, 2003, 4:06 pm

My only question is, when has a terror attack not been imminent?

Skogen · Post by **Skogen** » June 18, 2003, 4:23 pm

"THE head of MI5 delivered a chilling warning yesterday that a biological, chemical or nuclear attack on the West by al-Qaeda is inevitable"

Yeah, like it takes a real mental giant to figure that out!

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » June 18, 2003, 4:27 pm

It's really a win-win situation if you're a government into fear mongering. You say that a terror attack is imminent and if it doesn't happen you can just say it's all because of intelligence and defence's heightened awareness, and if it does happen then you get more people to buy your line of bullshit.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » June 18, 2003, 6:46 pm

If you read her actual words there wasn't much to it.

"There will definitely be a terrorist attack on a western city at some point in the future". No shit.
And the usual "possibility of CBRN usage" vagueness.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » June 18, 2003, 6:50 pm

THERE HAS BEEN INCREASED CHATTER

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 18, 2003, 6:53 pm

hehe yea

Zamtuk · Post by **Zamtuk** » June 18, 2003, 10:21 pm

I think they will go for England next.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 19, 2003, 12:24 am

I dunno. I think a terrorist jackpot would be a 9/11 cataclysm in Israel. Think of it, Israel would totally unleash, which kind of plays in muslim hands as they finally would have just cause to team up and rally against her as they rightfully proclaim innocence. Israel does not have too many friends abroad aside from America. Think of the devistation suicide bombers and terrorist masterminds could wreak if Israel were fully engaged militarily.

But Israel runs the tightest ship in the business, she's the measuring stick for all other countries for national security.

I am not too sure the world would be tolerant with Israel retaliation on a grand scale, could possibly trigger one of the bigger boys on the block to stand against her. Pretty much a doomsday scenario.

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » June 19, 2003, 12:28 am

Make them scared so you can ram through some more draconian laws. For their own good of course.

I'm kind of surprised it hasn't been commercialized yet after the duct tape\plastic sheeting episode.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 19, 2003, 12:30 am

I don't think the Israeli public could be any more prepared than they are. If a 9/11 happened right now in England, I think Blairs political party would be doomed overnight. As it stands right now, they are already bleeding to death over the Iraq issue. The public in England did not want that invasion to happen. Bush could twist it into justification for brute force being the answer, Blair could not and his political career would be over.

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 19, 2003, 12:31 am

Personally I remain in high super extra elevated red watchful overload mega alert. I think that was the last one I was told to do, so I am holding until given the ok to downgrade to high super extra elevated orange watchful overload mega alert. I hope it is soon, sleeping in shifts is driving my family crazy.

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » June 19, 2003, 4:36 am

Heh don't count Isreal out so soon... most of the middle east have teamed up on them before only to get beaten back.

After what the Nazis did there are some crazy people over there just waiting to kill somebody, anybody for "retribution."

One of my best friends is a former Ranger, the detached group from Ft. Campbell KY. Anyway, his chalk got training in numerous different countries in the late 80s early 90s. They were like SF exchange students. While he admits all were gruling, except for the French which he said was easier than US Basic Training, nothing up to that point, even war prepared him for the crap they put them through in Isreal. I've heard a lot of stories, and seen him in many different situations. The only times I have EVER seen even a hint of fear is when he talks about the Isreali SF training... quote is always the same "there are some crazy MFer over there..."

But of course sheer number can always help...

Marb

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 19, 2003, 8:45 am

Lest we not forget that although Israel has the best military over there bar none, and the best air-force in the world, they were still taken by surpise by the arab sneak attack. The only reason the arabs stopped their advance was because they were shocked at how easily they were able to push past Israels defenses. Israel had become complacent, I don't think this will happen again though. My only point is Israel would suffer heavy casualties if faced with a huge military threat like that again, the suicide bombers and terrorists would be able to exploit the security weaknesses that would ensue and hit targets more liberally.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » June 19, 2003, 9:00 am

and hit targets more liberally

Damn liberals!

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » June 19, 2003, 11:40 am

Krimson Klaw wrote:Lest we not forget that although Israel has the best military over there bar none, and the best air-force in the world, they were still taken by surpise by the arab sneak attack. The only reason the arabs stopped their advance was because they were shocked at how easily they were able to push past Israels defenses. Israel had become complacent, I don't think this will happen again though. My only point is Israel would suffer heavy casualties if faced with a huge military threat like that again, the suicide bombers and terrorists would be able to exploit the security weaknesses that would ensue and hit targets more liberally.

What war are you talking about above?

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » June 19, 2003, 12:08 pm

When Egypt and Syria launched the surprise attack on Israel in 1973. The Egyptians for years had training excersises in which they rushed the Israeli border in a mock attack, then fell back. This all under the guise of anual training excersises. The final year when they rushed to the border, they did not fall back and launched a surprise attack and pushed all the way across the Suez Canal into the Sinai. The Egyptian command had not even taken into account that they would actually be able to break past the canal, much less push even deeper, so with Egyptian military structure the way it is (field commanders are not allowed to attack without orders) the Egyptian army halted. This left Israel the time it needed to defend itself successfully against the remaining arab countries that had attacked at the same time, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Simply put, the Israelis having grown complacent in it's military advantage over its neighbors (due to its stunning victory in the six day war 6 years earlier) , were caught off guard. This is why the sneak attack was so successful, also due in part to the Egyptians halting their attack out of sheer disbelief (having not drawn up a battle plan that included anything beyond the Suez Canal). Our government did urge strongly that Egypt not join in on the fight a few days later as well. Also, Sharon did a pretty good tank maneuver in which he took his tanks, split the Egyptian defenses, and attacked from behind which made the Egyptians think they were being surrounded by twice the number of tanks there actually were.

Off the top of my head, I may be slightly innacurate on a few things (there are plenty of people here that can correct me I'm sure, thanks google), but that's the big picture.

-edit as an aside, the Egyptian leadership were so tight lipped about the sneak attack that even the field commanders were not made aware about the attack until the very morning of the orders. There was only one Israeli commander that suspected something. He figured tis was the real deal because this time, the Egyptians did the anual training excersises with total radio scilence. When the Israeli commander voiced his concerns he was basically told he was crazy, that Egypt would never attack Israel.