Newsweek: Al Qaeda: Plans for an October Surprise?

[DeepModem Mom]

Al Qaeda: Plans for an October Surprise?
Nov. 6, 2006 issue

Is Osama bin Laden going to weigh in on the midterm elections? A senior counterterrorism official, anonymous, like other officials NEWSWEEK spoke to, because the subject is sensitive, says that based on previous patterns—such as the release of a rare bin Laden tape just before the 2004 presidential vote—a message before Election Day wouldn't be surprising. Private expert Evan Kohlmann, who consults for the Feds on terror probes, says Al Qaeda has lately released tapes at a rate of two or three per month. This month, he says, they are "short by one or two," so he thinks a pre-election message is a "very good likelihood." Another U.S. official says intel experts believe Al Qaeda wants to be "relevant" to the U.S. political process. But a third counterterror official says "we don't have any indication" Osama & Co. are about to surface....Overseas, the threat is more ominous: reports of a possible attack on Saudi oil installations (which could raise U.S. gas prices)....U.S. agencies are not certain of the threat's credibility, an official said.

—Mark Hosenball

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15463034/site/newsweek

[MadMaddie]

1. Ironic that stories like this come out a week before elections

I wouldn't be surprised if Rove and company have a direct hand in making some of these events happen..

[AlinPA]

9. I was thinking the same thing ; suppose they (Rove & Co.) produced a

fake Bin Laden tape that said he hoped that Dems win or something like that.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Whatever .. the republicans are STILL gonna lose

[truthisfreedom]

3. UK and US ships are steaming into the mideast.

there's something afoot.

[still_one]

4. why would this even be considered LBN

The article itself indicates that "...U.S. agencies are not certain of the threat's credibility, an official said."

Of course it is being propagated by MSNBC, the same network that wouldn't show a paid advertisment for the Dixie Chicks, and of course we have ABC which shows that Bill Clinton was responsible for 9/11.

It comes right down to this, if we vote in NUMBERS WE WILL WIN, if we don't, then the unions, labor, and all Americans will get what they deserve

[rsmith6621]

5. mark

for future ref

[nashville_brook]

6. repubs have made bin Laden's life quite easy, why screw

that up with "an October Surprise?"

the best thing al Qaeda could do is lay low and HOPE the Republicans win big.

[KittyWampus]

7. remember that terrorist tape that looked like Rove?

[Nolo_Contendre]

8. He better get cracking, only two days left in October n/t

[libhill]

10. Bin Laden, terrorism,

blah blah blah. Yeah, right, every time the Rethugs get their ass in a crack, they break out a (phony) Bin Laden tape. Terrorism my ass. I think America is waking up to their lies and B.S., no one is buying it any more.

[Lilith Velkor]

11. Anyone who uses the October surprise canard in Novemeber is an idiot.

Just you watch though, there will be plenty of "Could this be the Oct Surprise?2?!!11" threads well into Novemeber. :eyes: