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| Atlanta metro an al-Qaeda target |
| 2004-06-30 |
| Attorney General John Ashcroft warned metro Atlanta on Tuesday to be alert this summer for a possible al-Qaida attack. "We face serious challenges, imminent danger," said Ashcroft, speaking in downtown Atlanta. "Al-Qaida wants to hit us and hit us hard, especially sometime during this year — summer or fall." Because of its importance to the country’s economy and air traffic system, Atlanta could be a target, the attorney general said. "This leads us to believe we should do everything we can to mobilize our resources and cooperate, particularly in conjunction with state and local authorities." Credible intelligence indicates al-Qaida has plans that "are largely in place" to attack the United States soon, Ashcroft said, listing as possible targets July Fourth holiday celebrations or the upcoming Democratic and Republican conventions. So far, Ashcroft said, authorities have broken up terrorist cells all across America. "But al-Qaida has shown an ability to adapt as law enforcement has been changing its way of pursuing them," he said. Ashcroft made his remarks at the federal courthouse after meeting with the Atlanta Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, a group of local law enforcement officials dedicated to gathering intelligence and disrupting terrorist cells. Ashcroft also appeared before Atlanta reporters with rows of uniformed law enforcement officials standing behind him so they could be photographed with the attorney general. Addressing Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court rulings, which denounced the Bush administration’s denial of due process rights to detainees designated as "enemy combatants," Ashcroft said Justice Department lawyers were working to "determine how we would adjust or modify our processes to satisfy those rulings." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #10 Hey! Was that Ron Rico in the upper right hand corner? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-06-30 8:20:17 PM |
| #9 #8: One could argue that would do good for the city. I work right across the street from 5 points, and it never fails to provide humor/fear from all the panhandlers/homeless. Funny thing is, a few months back the Atlanta Journal-Constitution printed photos front page showing the homeless lining up for a soup line...guy first in line was decently dressed and had a cell phone on his hip! guess its the whole "army of the homeless" that was supposed to show up when Bush took office. |
| Posted by: BA 2004-06-30 7:07:33 PM |
| #8 Bad news. Methinks 5 Points would be the likely target. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2004-06-30 6:49:34 PM |
| #7 lets just hope the swing voters can see through the meaning of an attack between now and november. it would really be sad if our election was swayed by terrorist actions. the poli commentators are already all over the place saying a major attack in iraq could change the polictical landscape..in this we are a bunch of morons..we are scripting to our enemies what their next moves should be.. .com thanks for the pict..this one is going up in my cubicle... |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-06-30 12:59:21 PM |
| #6 #2, BH: Yeah, they are! Coca-Cola is as American as apple pie in my book (sorry, you Pepsi fans)! I was also thinking the Bank of America building downtown (large skyscraper representative of our financial might) or even of the Westin Hotel (tallest hotel east of the Mississippi River). |
| Posted by: BA 2004-06-30 12:21:16 PM |
| #5 Yeah, those special connections could prove valuable... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-30 11:51:29 AM |
| #4 A sad article to have read-it brought back the WTC attack in all its horror. I was living in NY in 2001; on the morning of 9/11, I was in a taxi heading towards the airport for a flight to Atlanta. I lived because the terrorists used Boston, not NY, as their launch pad; I lived because of chance. It could have been me in one of those planes. Since that day, I have never been the same, and have never since had a doubt or confusion about who the bad guys are, at least in terms of my own survival. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-30 11:49:30 AM |
| #3 Maybe Ted Turner should demand that the UN use some of the BILLION dollars he gave them to send help with Atlanta security. Maybe get his wife to ask the VC for help. |
| Posted by: Chris W. 2004-06-30 11:43:18 AM |
| #2 Got to be the Coca-Cola HQ. Those bastards are trying to hit us where we live, now. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-06-30 11:41:22 AM |
| #1 Interesting! Being here in metro Atlanta, this raised my neck hairs some. Don't know how much of this was reported (more attention paid to Florida and San Diego areas), but supposedly Mohammad Atta and a couple other 9/11 goons flew some small aircraft here for "training" from a local County airport (right near my house), not Hartsfield Int'l airport. The guy at the airport they flew out of said (after 9/11) it was strange b/c they wanted to fly over downtown Atlanta, and this airport is 35+ miles away (there are other small municipal airports closer to downtown). Wonder what we know? Atlanta is the hub for Delta and is always either #1 or #2 (bouncing back and forth with O'Hare in Chicago) airport as far as traffic goes. Also, a big banking industry here for the entire SE. |
| Posted by: BA 2004-06-30 11:39:28 AM |