Former FBI Analyst Predicts Terror Attack After Election
October 1, 2008 by national
Filed under Homeland Security News
Al-Qaida or affiliated groups probably will attack the United States in the months after the election to welcome the new president, says Frederick Stremmel, a former top FBI counterterrorism analyst.
Stremmel, who retired from the FBI a year ago after working the major counterterrorism cases for 25 years, tells Newsmax that al-Qaida would not attack before the election.
They know our weaknesses and in some cases how to impact public opinion, he says. The best example is the timing of the Madrid bombings which occurred near election day in Spain. The Madrid attacks probably impacted the Spanish elections and ultimately led to diminished Spanish government support of U.S. foreign policy.
Al-Qaida knows that an attack before the election would help elect Republican Sen. John McCain, Stremmel says. The terrorists would prefer Democratic Sen. Barack Obama because they believe he would swing the pendulum back to more lenient anti-terrorism policies, Stremmel says.
The months following the election or inauguration of the new administration is prime time for an attack, he says. They will want to impact the new administration and its policies. There is a history of Islamic terrorists wanting to make life miserable for successive administrations.
That is why al-Qaida attacked the U.S. less than eight months after President Bush took office.
I do not think the timing of the 9/11 attacks came out of the blue, Stremmel says. I have always thought that al-Qaida wanted to attack the new administration that followed Clintons. I think a goal of al-Qaida was to attack within a year of the new administration taking power.
Al-Qaida sees the economic crisis as another reason to attack soon.
Al-Qaida is looking at the current financial meltdown in the United States and the West, Stremmel says. They know the United States is spending itself to death. Through terrorist attacks, they will want to try and get us into a bigger economic hole. Never forget that Bin Ladens first job was business and finance related.
The most likely target will be the domestic U.S., Stremmel says. However, he says the FBI does not believe al-Quaida has a presence in this country. But an attack such as al-Quaidas 2006 effort to take down nine American airliners flying to the U.S. would have an effect on the economy as severe as an attack here, Stremmel notes.
If my analysis is on the mark, al-Quaida has already chosen its target and the time to stage an attack,he says.
James R. Fitzgerald, a former FBI profiler who interviewed terrorists at Guantanamo Bay and has had access to al-Qaida documents, agrees with Stremmels assessment.
So this guy was a CT professional for how many years? And all this happened on his watch – my college students could have told you what he said – no wonder we are in danger, with idiots like this incharge of keeping us safe, they should all be held responsible for dereliction of duty for letting 9/11 happen.
Know the Enemy, obviously our intelligence (oxymoron) agencies have no idea what is going on
Dear Paddy,
Interesting assessment. However, I respectfully disagree with your concluding remark. Firstly, waging [localized] attacks on the U.S. homeland is a relatively easy task (Dependent on what the attacking element(s) is or are attempting to achieve). Relative to your opinion pertaining to responsibility for dereliction of duty on 9/11 – nonsense. Are you aware that M. Atta and company held a “going away” street party in S. FL a few days prior to 9/11? Friends of mine (were even invited). That one was a surprise (after the fact). High level intel agencies (those with deep pockets and many tech capabilities/resources) know exactly what is going on at any given time (granted full awareness/knowledge of low level, time dependent, asymmetric (random) events) is extremely difficult to achieve (if not impossible to detect and mount a counter-defense plan). Advise not throwing stones unless you have access to (classified) briefings/documents pertaining to the case at hand. Have a nice day.
Is this possibly the reason why a U.S. Army Brigade is being Deployed For Homeland Missions?
Coyote: You got it.
The combo of financial hardship and an ugly event will put the public (some of them) into a fearful state of mind again and willing to go along with anything they are spoon fed from the media pulpit.
My advice: Store some Coyote food. Fill up your tank. Watch and see how they play it.
Coyote: You got it. [I agree]
The combo of financial hardship and an ugly event [Like a Pandemic] will put the public (some of them) into a fearful state of mind again and willing to go along with anything they are spoon fed from the media pulpit.
My advice: Store some Coyote food. Fill up your tank. Watch and see how they play it. Be sure to have extra prescription meds in the cabinet, spare glasses, emergency first-aid supplies, alternative heating methods.
I agree J and Coyote. Each family needs to be prepared for impending terrorist attacks, Pandemic Flu, or other disasters to survive for a minimal period of three months and more. This should include means of acquiring water, plus storage of food supplies, extra prescription medicines and first-aid supplies.