US issues fresh al-Qaeda warning

Attacks could be 'more devastating' than those of 11 September 2001 The United States has issued a new worldwide alert about the danger of possible terrorist attacks. The US State Department said there were growing indications that al-Qaeda militants were preparing to strike American interests abroad. The warning comes in the wake of four blasts in Istanbul over the last week which killed more than 50 people. US authorities warn that al-Qaeda will attempt to strike in a more devastating manner than on 11 September 2001. The latest warning suggests US interests abroad are more likely as terrorist violence increases and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends. But the US Government has chosen not to raise the alert level in the US itself. The colour-coded warning remains at amber - the midpoint on the five-level scale, indicating an elevated level of threat. Al-Qaeda is linked to one of two groups which have claimed responsibility for the recent attacks in Turkey. The US also accuses al-Qaeda of being behind the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001. Worse than 9/11? The government "remains deeply concerned about the security of US citizens overseas," the State Department warning said. "We are seeing increasing indications that al-Qaeda is preparing to strike US interests abroad." "We expect al-Qaeda will strive for new attacks designed to be more devastating than the September 11 attack, possibly involving non-conventional weapons such as chemical or biological agents," says the statement. "We also cannot rule out that al-Qaeda will attempt a second catastrophic attack within the US." A similar warning was issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, warning of "a high volume of reporting indicating possible threats against US interests during the Muslim holiday, Ramadan, and the upcoming holiday season". This alert specifically warns of al-Qaeda's "continued interest in aviation" in carrying out attacks. In addition to the recent bombings in Turkey, the alerts follow a suicide attack on 8 November in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, which killed 17 people. But it appears they were also prompted by fresh intelligence, says Jon Leyne, BBC correspondent in Washington. Britain and the US have warned their citizens of further attacks in Turkey and are both advising against non-essential travel there.

war, politics, people fighting, never forgeting. i ask myself why we must be so hatred to one another. why has hate become apart of everyday life. why do people feel so alive in killing, why is it "cool" to shoot the kid at school. i wish for a better day. a happy day with no volence. a day where i can feel safe in my home.

run wile you still can.

George W. Bush claimed Saddam Hussein purchased uranium from Africa as evidence for his war in Iraq - even though he knew that was flawed intelligence. The White House also ignored their own State Department report that occupying Iraq would be difficult; disregarded their own Department of Defense report that proved Iraq's oil industry was not capable of producing significant revenues quickly despite Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz's contention that it would; discounted a report by their own Treasury Department that the Bush tax cuts would explode the deficit; and even blacked out the key recommendations of report to ensure diversity at Ashcroft's Department of Justice!

http://www.johnkerry.com/stopthemadness/

Bush Says He Sees No Need in Iraq for Adding G.I.'s

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 — President Bush said Tuesday that he saw no need for additional American troops in Iraq despite a lethal series of bomb and rocket attacks in Baghdad over the past three days, but he vowed that the United States "will stay the course" until stability is restored.

The president said the recent attacks were probably the work of remnants of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party as well as "foreign terrorists" who were trying to intimidate American forces into pulling out.

"Iraq is dangerous, and it's dangerous because terrorists want us to leave," Mr. Bush said during a 48-minute Rose Garden news conference, his most extensive question-and-answer session with the news media since July. "And we're not leaving."

Mr. Bush did not specify where he thought the foreign terrorists had originated. But he suggested that the attackers were crossing into Iraq from Syria and Iran. "We're working closely with those countries to let them know that we expect them to enforce borders, prevent people from coming across borders, if in fact we catch them doing that," Mr. Bush said.

He added, "We are mindful of the fact that some might want to come into Iraq to attack and to create conditions of fear and chaos."

Mr. Bush's comments put him at odds with a military official on the ground in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the commander of the First Armored Division, who said Sunday that he had not seen "any infusion of foreign fighters" in Baghdad. But Mr. Bush's remarks were consistent with recent statements from other military officials and L. Paul Bremer III, the top American civilian administrator in Iraq, who said Sunday that terrorists had infiltrated Iraq from Syria and Iran.

The president also declined to commit himself to turn over highly classified intelligence reports to a bipartisan federal commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, even though the panel has threatened the White House with a subpoena. Mr. Bush only said that he wanted to be "helpful" to the panel's leaders, Thomas H. Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey, and Lee H. Hamilton, a former Democratic congressman from Indiana, and that he wanted to reach a "proper accord" that would allow them to see some of the documents they have requested.

But Iraq dominated Mr. Bush's news conference. White House officials announced it only an hour and a half in advance, on another morning when a suicide car bombing, this one in Falluja, complicated the administration's efforts to get out its good-news message about restored electricity and reopened schools.

Mr. Bush, who returned late last week from a 26,000-mile, six-nation trip across Asia, appeared subdued and sometimes short-tempered with the drumbeat of questions about the American-led occupation. He declined a request to promise that a year from now he will have reduced the number of American troops in Iraq, calling it "a trick question, so I won't answer it."

Mr. Bush also indicated that he was not considering sending in additional American troops to help restore order, but said he was not the one making the decision.

"That's a decision by John Abizaid," Mr. Bush said, referring to the senior American commander in the region. "He makes that — General Abizaid makes the decision as to whether or not he needs more troops. I've constantly asked the secretary of defense, as well as when I was visiting with General Abizaid, does he have what it takes to do his mission? And he told me he does."

The president's news conference came nearly the six months after his triumphal landing on the deck of the carrier Abraham Lincoln, on May 1, when he stood under a large "Mission Accomplished" banner and declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq. Asked if his comments that day had been premature, Mr. Bush responded testily that the "Mission Accomplished" banner had not been put up by the White House advance staff.

Mr. Bush said in any case that his speech on the carrier was the right thing to do. "We had just come off a very successful military operation," he said. "I was there to thank the troops." He added: "My statement was a clear statement, basically recognizing that this phase of the war for Iraq was over and there was a lot of dangerous work. And it's proved to be right. It is dangerous in Iraq."

Once again, the president called Iraq the "new front" in the campaign against terrorism. In his most animated moment of the news conference, he declared: "We must never forget the lessons of September the 11th. The terrorists will strike, and they will kill innocent life, not only in front of a Red Cross headquarters — they will strike and kill in America, too."

The president defended his request to Congress for $20 billion in grants to help rebuild Iraq, saying that he expected the House and Senate to approve it, and that a "free and peaceful" Iraq was essential to stability in the Middle East. "That's why I've asked the American people to foot the tab for $20 billion of reconstruction," Mr. Bush said.

On Capitol Hill, action on an $87 billion emergency spending bill that includes the $20 billion in reconstruction for Iraq was postponed after Democratic senators on the joint House-Senate conference committee complained that they had not been informed about agreements reached by Republican leaders of the committee. Negotiations were to resume on Wednesday.

In his news conference, the president said $13 billion pledged for Iraqi reconstruction from nations at a recent conference of donors in Madrid, most of it in loans, "may be just only a beginning."

But he voiced some apprehension that the suicide bombings over the last 48 hours in Iraq, which left more than 38 dead and more than 200 injured, might stop other kinds of international aid. Asked if the attacks might discourage countries from contributing troops or manpower, Mr. Bush replied, "I hope not."

He added: "That's what the terrorists want. They want countries to say, `Oh, gosh, we better not send anybody there because somebody might get hurt.' "

The president also further distanced himself from recent comments by Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, the deputy under secretary of defense for intelligence and war-fighting supports. General Boykin has compared the battle against Islamic militants to a Christian struggle against Satan and has said at evangelical meetings that a Muslim militia leader in Somalia worshiped an "idol" and not "a real god."

Mr. Bush said General Boykin's remarks did not "reflect my point of view, or the view of this administration." But he did not address a question about whether the general should resign or be disciplined.

At the White House on Tuesday night, Mr. Bush celebrated his third annual iftar dinner, an occasion to break the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a toast, he said that "America rejects all forms of ethnic and religious bigotry," and that "we welcome the values of every responsible citizen, no matter the land of their birth."

Islam, Mr. Bush said, "is a religion that brings hope and comfort to good people across America and around the world."

Fifth officer resigns over racism film

Five police officers have resigned and three have been suspended, after an undercover BBC documentary revealed racism among police recruits. The first to resign was Pc Robert Pulling of North Wales Police, who was shown dressed in an improvised Ku Klux Klan hood and making a string of racist comments. He was followed later on Wednesday by three unnamed officers from Greater Manchester Police, and Pc Steve Salkeld from the Cheshire force. A further North Wales officer and two more from the Manchester force were also suspended after being shown making racist comments. All three forces involved strongly condemned the behaviour shown on the film The Secret Policeman, broadcast on Tuesday, and promised to do more to banish racism. Home Secretary David Blunkett said the racism was "horrendous" and urged better training for recruits. In the documentary, undercover reporter Mark Daly filmed Pc Pulling admitting being racist, voting for the British National Party and saying Hitler had the "right ideas". North Wales Deputy Chief Constable Clive Wolfendale said the programme had made him feel "physically sick". "Pulling has shamed his colleagues, his uniform and his service. He is a disgrace," he said. He said Mr Pulling had already been suspended because of concerns about his attitude, and had never undertaken unsupervised operational duties. Deputy Chief Constable Alan Green of Greater Manchester Police said he had been "shocked, ashamed and very saddened" by what he had seen, and promised a full investigation. He said while the majority of his officers were hardworking and not prejudiced, "we need to do more" against racist officers. He added: "We will use any tactics we possibly can, to root them out. "This is a big wake-up call for us and I know [Chief Constable] Michael Todd is determined we will leave no stone unturned in rooting out these people." Cheshire Assistant Chief Constable David Griffin said racist conduct, whether inside or outside the police service, was "abhorrent". He said: "There is great disappointment and anger at all levels within the police service that a small group of officers, including one from Cheshire, have let us all down." 'Horrendous' Home Secretary David Blunkett had previously criticised the BBC for its methods of reporting, questioning whether its intent was "to create, not report" the story. But on Wednesday he said: "The issue now is not how this was done [undercover] but what we can do... to ensure police services across the country root out racism." Mr Blunkett said a new training scheme on diversity should be adopted across the country to root out racists. The Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales called upon chief constables across the country to uncover any serving racist officers and dismiss them. President elect of the association, Rick Naylor, said: "We will not tolerate racism in any shape or form. We find it abhorrent and there is no place for it in a modern police service." His comments were echoed by Sir John Stevens, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and the UK's top police officer. "I have been a policeman for 41 years at the sharp end and I was absolutely astonished at that behaviour," he said. "I have never heard that type of conduct or behaviour and that type of racism - if I had, I would have arrested them for it." Sir John also revealed that the Met intends to plant informers in its own training classrooms to root out racist recruits. Their identities will remain secret for the rest of their careers and they will act as intelligence gatherers. Mr Daly, 28, joined Greater Manchester Police as a trainee officer and secretly filmed recruits at Bruche National Training Centre in Warrington, Cheshire. Mr Wolfendale added that the North Wales force would be writing to the family of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence to apologise for "obscene" comments Mr Pulling had made. However, he also criticised the BBC for not telling the force what it had uncovered before the programme was broadcast

-www.news.bbc.co.uk-