Just over 10 days ago, I offered a glimpse at something that is a pretty scary thought to me. In my article entitled Pandemic or the First Terrorist WMD? (See https://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_2123.shtml), I pointed out that the spread of the avian flu strain H5N1 may have started in Iran, instead of Southeast Asia, as most of the world media seems to be focused on. If so, the possibility that this human killer is being spread by terrorists as a slow WMD seems to be real. Since that article, there have been several significant events that enhance my concern.
In the past week, there were two incidents in the United States that caused great concern on major transit infrastructures. First, part of the New York City Subway was shutdown based on a report from a captured Islamic insurgent in Iraq. With the report duly forwarded to the New York City authorities in conjunction with an anonymous overseas telephone warning, the two pieces of information were deemed credible enough to close parts of the subway system.
Then a few days later, the tunnels from Baltimore to Washington DC were closed because of “credible evidence” that a plan was being executed to explode large explosive devices at the peak of rush hour. Suspects were taken into custody for questioning by the FBI within hours of the closure of that thoroughfare.
Military strategists will quickly point out that the element of surprise is the best case scenario for an inferior or weaker attacking opponent to succeed in a major offensive. September 11, although disputably a surprise, certainly fit that scenario. Both well funded and executed, it was unquestionably an attack on the homeland of America unparalleled in history. Of course, the element of surprise is only good once. After it has been used, successful or not, the recipient of the surprise will be on the defensive.
Now the next strategy is being employed. Just as both the allies and the axis powers did during WWI and WWII and as NATO and Soviet Block forces did throughout the cold war, each side must stimulate the opponent to observe the other’s defenses. We see this now with the terrorists. President Bush did an incredibly effective job, although he has been given very little credit for it since 9/11, of freezing or impinging upon AL-Qaeda’s financial assets and thereby limiting their ability to mount a major offensive in the U.S. Although their have been attacks in Spain, Turkey, Germany, France, and the U.K., it couldn’t be more obvious that those attacks were low-budget.
Because their financial resources have been so limited, the focus of major expenditures has been in the Iraq Theater of operations. It is close to home, for the terrorists, and there has been an abundance of weaponry available ”“ both through surplus as the war effort rapidly closed and via the assistance of friendly governments in the region such as Syria and Iran. Low budget operations dictate that the enemy’s weaknesses be specifically identified and exploited. We will continue to see the kinds of attacks in Europe (where Al-Qaeda can still reach by land) and the tripwire alerts in the United States as Al-Qaeda searches for another 9/11 opportunity.
In the interim, the WMD that was readily available to them has already been launched. The H5N1 avian flu strain has now been confirmed in the U.K. The infected Parrot that died in quarantine was shipped there from South America. This seems particularly odd to me as the “experts” try to tell the world that the spreading bird flu is the result of migrating wild species. I am researching the subject with my staff, but to date, we are not aware of any species of bird that migrates from Romania, Turkey, or anywhere else in Eurasia or Asia to South America ”“ particularly Parrots ”“ and particularly in less than two weeks.
For those in the U.S. who would be complacent ”“ before you get too comfortable, consider these three facts:
1 – Al-Qaeda, as seen in there captured training manuals, is very good at creating lethal weapons from non-lethal ingredients.
2 – Several species of birds migrate from South American through Central American to North America.
3 – A terrorist can walk or drive from South America to Los Angeles or New York!