You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Arabia
Al-Qaeda gearing up for an attack in the Gulf
2005-02-01
Concern is mounting among U.S. intelligence officials and diplomats that al-Qaida-related groups may be preparing terrorist attacks on Persian Gulf bases that support American military forces operating in Iraq.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said unknown individuals have been conducting surveillance of U.S. military and diplomatic facilities in Qatar, the Persian Gulf state that houses the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In nearby Kuwait, meanwhile, government security forces engaged in deadly clashes Monday with armed militants, the second such incident in two days and the fourth in January. On Friday, the State Department issued a travel advisory for U.S. citizens in Kuwait, warning that terrorists might try to attack housing complexes used by Westerners.

Increased security at official U.S. government installations might force would-be terrorists to seek "softer" targets, such as public transportation, residential areas and restaurants, the advisory said.

No similar travel advisory has been issued for Qatar, but military facilities have been on high alert there for some time. Spokespeople for the Kuwaiti and Qatari embassies in Washington weren't immediately available for comment.

U.S. officials wouldn't discuss the concerns on the record, citing the sensitivity of the issue. They said intelligence suggesting a possible attack, while thought credible, doesn't point to a specific time or place for an attack, they said.

Intelligence on terrorist threats isn't always followed by an attack. In November, for example, the State Department warned of a possible attack on hotels in Qatar's capital, Doha, but later rescinded the warning.

Suspicious activity around U.S. facilities in Qatar has been going on for more than a year. One Pentagon official said no increased activity had been detected, though others said recent intelligence had raised the level of alarm.

From the viewpoint of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network and its various affiliates, an attack on U.S. Persian Gulf military bases could destabilize Gulf states that cooperate with the United States and underscore many Arabs' opposition to the U.S. military presence in the region.

It would also likely drive up world oil prices.
Posted by:Dan Darling

#3  Putting an end to the root sponsorship is under way -- but realize it is probably going to take 5-10 years to complete. That's just realistic, no matter who's in the White House and what their policies. Of course, it could take a lot longer - or fail entirely - with the wrong people there. But 5-10 years with the right people and policies.

They are patient and determined. We need to be even more so.
Posted by: true nuff   2005-02-01 12:27:03 PM  

#2  Debka (www.debka.com) has an article about this today, which paints all this as a sophisticated and well organized effort. If there is any truth to that, then one has to wonder about the state or pseudo-state sponsorship behind it. Such efforts would take deep pockets and sophisticated organizational cover. I sure hope our side is working on a plan for putting an end to the root sponsorship, otherwise we are faced with stamping out the fires in many places for many years to come.
Posted by: DO   2005-02-01 9:57:36 AM  

#1  The sea lane choke points should be on guard, particularly since Oman has seen much infiltration of late. Visions of the Cole come to mind.
Posted by: Billary   2005-02-01 8:07:37 AM  

00:00