How Al Qaeda can use UAE ports to attack the U.S.

[Tempest]

How Al Qaeda might strike the US by sea
Port authorities prepare for a variety of potential attacks from a terror group believed to own as many as 15 ships.

By Peter Grier and Faye Bowers | Staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor
from the May 15, 2003 edition

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0515/p02s02-usgn.html?s=widep

<snip>

Other officials confirm that US intelligence believes Al Qaeda controls at least 15 ships. Representative Bell says he's gravely concerned about port security. He represents Houston, which has an inland port with many lightly defended petrochemical plants near the water. "If one of those is bombed, and those toxic chemicals are released into the atmosphere - with that much exposed coastline the threat becomes very apparent," he says.

Since Sept. 11, much of the discussion about homeland maritime security has focused on shipping containers. Some 6 million of these big metal boxes arrive at US ports every year, and only a small fraction (3 percent) are subject to search.

The fact that thousands of pounds of illegal drugs enter the US via such containers highlights the permeability of this system. "Absent intelligence about the fact that something may be awry in a particular shipment, the chance of material getting through is very, very good," says Graham Allison, director of Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, which is holding a seminar on this subject Thursday.

But transshipment of bombs or other dangerous material is only one way ships might be used as weapons. The vessel itself could be turned into a bomb. Blowing up a ship near the inner harbors of cities built around ports, such as Baltimore, Boston, or Charleston, S.C., could cause profound physical and psychological shock. "To some extent can be the equivalent of that airliner flying into the World Trade Center," says Dr. Flynn.

Or a ship could be used to ram a critical bridge abutment in, say, Tampa, hampering the delivery of oil products. Another could be scuttled outside Norfolk, marooning Navy ships in port.

<more>

[Turbineguy]

1. Wow!

Houston. Would that be close to Bush's pig farm? If so, we'd better support some research to get the wind to blow the other way!

[MadMaddie]

2. It's bad enough that the UAE has connections with..

Al Qaeda, but it gets worse to know that Al Qaeda has ships....


<snip>
Other officials confirm that US intelligence believes Al Qaeda controls at least 15 ships.
<snip>


Please tell me we are in the Twilight Zone....this cannot be happening!!:banghead:

[JCMach1]

3. I will let Osama know you guys are onto him the next time I see him

:sarcasm:

[Bobbieo]

5. How al Queda can attack seaports

What is being relayed here is that not only cargo can be used in terrorist activity but the ship's crew members can also be involved at a U.S. port. That has bothered me from the onset of this whole deal with UAE.

[JCMach1]

8. dude, they can do that now... they don't need the DP World

for it...

[Bobbieo]

9. Attack on seaports

It sure would help when there is an entire crew of them. Guess they can't wait to meet those 90 virgins at the Gates of Paradise or is it 70 - Whatever!

[Dunvegan]

4. I've been hearing in security circles that bit about Al Qaeda's Armada...

...for some four years now.

It's was 15 ships four years ago. I should poke around and see what's being "floated" as the number now.

[Kahuna]

6. My issue with this isn't port security. I already know the ports are

unsecure. My issue is contraband that the UAE might turn a blind eye to or even aid and abet their terrorist buds.

[Tempest]

7. Contraband like Al-Qaeda bombs in Al-Qaeda ships?

That's the whole point of the article.

[Sydnie]

10. Friend shared these links with me tonight - what could happen

because it has happened. The devastation could be as bad as Katrina without the warning!

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/AtoZ/HalExpl.html

http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/metropolitan/txcity/index.html