Return-Path: <sentto-279987-4818-1023911374-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 [204.181.12.215] by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.7.4) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Wed, 12 Jun 2002 12:52:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 1358 invoked by uid 510); 12 Jun 2002 19:49:52 -0000 Received: from n9.grp.scd.yahoo.com (66.218.66.93) by all.net with SMTP; 12 Jun 2002 19:49:52 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-4818-1023911374-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com Received: from [66.218.67.201] by n9.grp.scd.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 12 Jun 2002 19:49:35 -0000 X-Sender: fc@red.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_3_2); 12 Jun 2002 19:49:33 -0000 Received: (qmail 78989 invoked from network); 12 Jun 2002 19:49:33 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.216) by m9.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 12 Jun 2002 19:49:33 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO red.all.net) (12.232.72.152) by mta1.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 12 Jun 2002 19:49:34 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by red.all.net (8.11.2/8.11.2) id g5CJndV15725 for iwar@onelist.com; Wed, 12 Jun 2002 12:49:39 -0700 Message-Id: <200206121949.g5CJndV15725@red.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL3] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> X-Yahoo-Profile: fcallnet Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 12:49:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [iwar] [fc:Ashcroft.overstated.the.potential.threat.posed.by.''dirty.bomb''.suspect.Abdullah.Al.Muhajir] Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=DIFFERENT_REPLY_TO version=2.20 X-Spam-Level: Threat of 'dirty bomb' softened Ashcroft's remarks annoy White House By Kevin Johnson and Toni Locy USA TODAY WASHINGTON -- Attorney General John Ashcroft on Monday overstated the potential threat posed by ''dirty bomb'' suspect Abdullah Al Muhajir, Bush administration and law enforcement officials said Tuesday. Ashcroft's remarks annoyed the White House and led the administration to soften the government's descriptions of the alleged plot. ''I don't think there was actually a plot beyond some fairly loose talk and (Al Muhajir's) coming in here obviously to plan further deeds,'' Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told CBS on Tuesday. His comments echoed those Monday of FBI Director Robert Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson. They backed away from Ashcroft's descriptions of the alleged plot but emphasized that Al Muhajir was dangerous and that his arrest was a victory against terrorism. When Ashcroft announced Al Muhajir's May 8 arrest, he said authorities had ''disrupted an unfolding terrorist plot to attack the United States by exploding a radioactive 'dirty bomb.' '' His 14-paragraph statement mentioned radiation or dirty bombs five times, and said Al Muhajir was being detained by the military ''for the safety of all Americans.'' Ashcroft's ominous tone surprised the White House and law enforcement officials here and abroad, including some who had tracked Al Muhajir to al-Qaeda meetings in Pakistan. The law enforcement officials say the evidence against Al Muhajir, 31, indicates he was interested in many scenarios involving explosives, and radioactive materials was one possibility. They say that the former Chicago gang member once known as Jose Padilla was up to no good, but that any plans involving radiation were not as mature as Ashcroft suggested. Administration sources say the White House emphatically told Ashcroft that it was dissatisfied with his description of the alleged plot. Publicly the White House defended Ashcroft, saying he was technically correct. ''There's always a tendency at times like this (that) the initial reports immediately lurch to the worst-case scenario,'' administration spokesman Ari Fleischer said. Justice Department spokesman Mark Corallo said Al Muhajir ''was definitely planning an attack.'' Ashcroft was traveling in Hungary on Tuesday. Despite their private concern that Ashcroft overstated the alleged plot, White House officials cited Al Muhajir's arrest as evidence that Congress should quickly pass President Bush's plan for a homeland security department. Monday's announcement came a day before a New York judge heard a request by Al Muhajir's attorney, Donna Newman, to try to force officials to charge her client or release him. U.S. District Judge Michael Mukasey on Tuesday denied prosecutors' requests to hold the hearing in secret, citing Ashcroft's remarks about the arrest. Newman wants a civilian court to decide whether Al Muhajir is being held lawfully. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Will You Find True Love? Will You Meet the One? Free Love Reading by phone! http://us.click.yahoo.com/Deo18C/zDLEAA/Ey.GAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2003-08-24 02:46:32 PDT