Mid-East Realitieswww.middleeast.org

THREATCON DELTA ORDERED TODAY

June 22, 2001

Highest State of Alert Short of War

MID-EAST REALITIES © - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 6/22: One day they will probably get Osama bin-Laden, former confident of King Fahd in Saudi Arabia, former CIA asset against the once mighty Soviet Empire, now arch nemesis of the American Empire. But even when they do there is now a whole generation of little Osamas, quite literally, for this Arab/Muslim Che has become hero and cult personality to many of the oppressed. And even when they do he has already in a sense won his gambit -- Washington is today an armed fortress, its government buildings surrounding with concrete barriers with uniformed agents and vigilant undercover types also quite literally everyhere as never before.

Throughout the world American Embassies are at times ordered closed, American serviceman are constantly warned of the peril and ordered out of their military uniforms, and American ships now must instantly drop anchor and head out to sea on a moments warning.

Some understandably believe that what goes around comes around; and that the future is now likely to be much more dangerous than even the present has already become.

Only the merchants of death and the vast intelligence services are truly pleased by this situation. And oh yes, the Israelis of course -- for they more than anyone else have helped their American friends bring about today's climate of hatred, suspicion, and confrontation. As for today: ThreatCon Delta is ordered!

U.S. FORCES IN GULF ON HIGH ALERT

POSSIBLE TERRORIST THREAT DETECTED, SHIPS LEAVE PORTS

U.S. Navy warships have pulled out of Persian Gulf ports following the detection of a possible "imminent" terrorist threat against Americans

[ABCNEWS - 22 June]: Administration officials say they are aware of an imminent, but unspecific terrorist threat.

The State Department is expected to update its worldwide caution regarding possible terror threats to Americans in the coming hours.

Military sources say the threat is "credible, and actionable," meaning it is serious enough for the military to pull ships out of port, standard procedure after the Navy ship USS Cole was hit by a terrorist attack while refueling in the Yemen port of Aden nine months ago. Seventeen sailors were killed.

U.S. military installations in the region that were not at the highest state of alert, "Threatcon Delta," have been raised to that status, warranting a series of protective actions military commanders take to protect forces.

Precautions Follow Khobar Towers Indictments The moves come a day after federal prosecutors indicted 14 people in the Khobar Towers truck bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. servicemen nearly five years ago. And less than a month ago, four followers of Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden were convicted for involvement in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans.

Shortly after that verdict, on May 29, the U.S. government issued a worldwide caution for Americans, warning intelligence had been received in early May that American citizens abroad might be the target of a terrorist threat from extremist groups linked to bin Laden's Al-Qaida organization.

U.S. authorities also suspect bin Laden associates were involved in the attack on the Cole. In Thursday's Khobar Towers indictment, 13 Saudis and one Lebanese national were indicted on 46 counts including the attempted murder of federal employees, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. The suspects included leaders of the Saudi Hezbollah group who were "inspired and supervised" by Iranian officials, Attorney General John Ashcroft said.

The Associated Press reports four men now have been charged on with working for suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden in a plot to blow up the U.S. Embassy in India, according to Indian police said. An Indian man was taken into custoday today, and three other men were arrested last week because of the suspected plot. ABCNEWS' Barbara Starr and Martha Raddatz contributed to this report.
Mid-East Realitieswww.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/6/255.htm