warpedskydiver

FBI Worries About an Osama-Sopranos Link Sunday, October 1, 2006 11:33 AM EDT The Associated Press By PAT MILTON WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI's top counterterrorism official harbors lots of concerns: weapons of mass destruction, undetected homegrown terrorists and the possibility that old-fashioned mobsters will team up with al-Qaida for the right price. Though there is no direct evidence yet of organized crime collaborating with terrorists, the first hints of a connection surfaced in a recent undercover FBI operation. Agents stopped a man with alleged mob ties from selling missiles to an informant posing as a terrorist middleman. That case and other factors are heightening concerns about a real-life episode of the Sopranos teaming with Osama bin Laden's followers. "We are continuing to look for a nexus," said Joseph Billy Jr., the FBI's top counterterrorism official. "We are looking at this very aggressively." The new strategy involves an analysis of nationwide criminal investigations, particularly white collar crime, side by side with intelligence and terrorist activity. "We have developed an ability to look harder and broader in a greatly enhanced way to see if there is any crossover," Billy said in an interview with The Associated Press. Organized crime syndicates could facilitate money transfers or laundering, human smuggling, identification fraud or explosives and weapons acquisitions, officials said. The options are many for terrorists groups. There are the five reputed La Cosa Nostra families in New York, Russian criminal enterprises from Brighton Beach in the New York borough of Brooklyn to Moscow, and the emerging Asian crime syndicates that operate in many Islamic countries with al-Qaida offshoots. A contract study produced recently for the Pentagon and obtained by the AP warned that the potential for organized crime assisting terrorists is growing. "Although terrorism and organized crime are different phenomena, the important fact is that terrorist and criminal networks overlap and cooperate in some enterprises," the study said. "The phenomenon of the synergy of terrorism and organized crime is growing because similar conditions give rise to both and because terrorists and organized criminals use similar approaches to promote their operations." The traditional mafia has highly developed networks for acquiring goods and services and money, all for a price. The mob's potential interest in helping a terrorist has nothing to do with ideology or sympathy but with greed, said Matt Heron, head of New York FBI's organized crime unit. "They will deal with anybody, if they can make a buck," Heron said. "They will sell to a terrorist just as easily as they would sell to an order of Franciscan monks. It's a business relationship to them." "If the mob has explosives and a terrorist wants them and they have the money, they could become instant friends," he said. Pat D'Amuro, a retired senior FBI official and now chief executive of Giuliani Security, said a Mafia boss once acknowledged that the mob would help terrorists. "I am aware of a high-level Mafia figure, who was cooperating with authorities, being asked if the Mafia would assist terrorists in smuggling people into Europe through Italy," D'Amuro said. "He said, 'The Mafia will help who ever can pay.'" Officials said they have no specific evidence that such a relationship has been cemented. But concerns were heightened last year after an Armenian immigrant was arrested in New York for allegedly leading a plot to sell military weapons to an FBI informant posing as a middleman for terrorists. Arthur Solomonyan had claimed to be able to deliver shoulder-fired missiles from his connection in Russian organized crime to the informant, who claimed to have ties to al-Qaida, federal prosecutors said. Solomonyan and 17 others in New York, Florida and California were charged in the case. Solomonyan is scheduled for trial this month. His lawyer, Seth Ginsberg, said he plans to "vigorously contest" the charges and call the government's confidential informant to the stand to challenge his motives. The Italian, Russian, and Asian mafia remain active, particularly in New York, even though the government has successfully prosecuted numerous figures in recent years. In the past three years, well over 100 associates from all five La Cosa Nostra families have been arrested in New York, Heron noted. While the potential of a gangster-terrorist marriage is on the FBI's radar, homegrown terror cells and weapons of mass destruction are also big concerns for those in the FBI given the job of stopping the next terrorist attack. "We are not only aware that they want to come across the ocean to attack us but they may be physically here developing in our own homeland," Billy said. The Internet has become the new Afghanistan, allowing terrorist sympathizers to promote their radical ideas and to recruit and train followers right their home computers. That makes it far more difficult for investigators to identify them. Billy said his biggest concern remains weapons of mass destruction. While Hezbollah and Hamas are more defined terrorist groups, with a territorial focus and a political platform, al-Qaida is more unpredictable. "We know they were trying to acquire it prior to 9/11, bin Laden's own words said that," said Billy. "What makes us think they are still not trying?"

No thanks I wouldn't do it even if I were gay, or ultra liberal.

I think that a Ultra Liberals only Forum is an excellent idea. That way there will be no dissenting views, you will not feel opressed, and you can all dress like cheerleaders and do pom-pon routines for each other. That is all.

I deleted my posts, nobody gives a shit what I have to say anyways. It's all about what is read in the media, not about what really happens.

Good job Bob, you know someone is watching your every move don't ya?

Same, I'd at least let him have the price of a jump ticket. He's the kind of guy that you want around at your dz. there are far too few of his kind in this world.

And then we can all join hands and "sing together"

If Clay gets nabbed by insurgents or any other group in the theater of operations, sleep deprivation will seem like a trip to disneyland, by comparison to what they will do to him. Is that plain enough for you?

You mean the same way he wipes his ass with the US Constitution? Has he quartered troops in your home without permission, then? Or imprisoned you without trial? Or tapped your phone without a warrant? He was the states attorney during tortures of innocent suspects, made the second ammendment invalid in chicago, and has treated the public at large as criminals in many instances. why do you feel the need to defend anyone with all his nefarious activities?

Hopefully the thiefs remains will wash up someday nearby

Don't you have a "canned" laugh button over there? You could use one

Whatever Bill you can't even laugh huh? that is sad, oh and people read the Onion for facts too huh?

You mean the same way he wipes his ass with the US Constitution?

When they installing the gas chambers is my next question? And where. Gonna be a state secret I suspect. You know. "To keep us safe" No secret about that it's call a Super Otter with the door closed on the way to altitude

There had better be something left in that fucking bottle!!!! I have an appointment with the contents (Just to make sure it is palatable of course)

Escaped Hamster Interrupts Jet Flight Friday, September 29, 2006 10:49 AM EDT The Associated Press INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) — It wasn't "Snakes on a Plane," but an Austrian Airlines jet made an unscheduled stop Friday after a passenger sneaked a hamster aboard concealed up his rectum, and the rodent escaped. The flight from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to the southern Austrian city of Graz made a stop in Innsbruck so officials could search for the hamster and make sure it didn't gnaw through any wiring, the airline said. It said the flight was diverted after a passenger notified the crew that he had brought a hamster aboard up his rectum and had lost track of it. Passengers were ordered off the plane, and some were taken by bus to Graz. It was not immediately clear how many hamsters were aboard. midafternoon, a search of the aircraft still had not turned up any sign of the hamster, authorities said. Austrian Airlines said the jet would remain grounded until the hamster was found "because it can't take off that way for safety reasons." Quote What a shitty thing to have happen

Well at least she is christian and can just go gargle tommorrow in church! Do they also make holy water in the handy disposable applicator bottle? BTW what did your mum say about all the screaming? I meant Scoop screaming

We're already full. Have them all swim to france they can re-enact D-DAY using brooms and mops And the French will surrender!!!

I am glad youre going to be okay

That might keep alot of people in these parts from "entertaining themselves"

Was Chris Carr really driving?

Dude chill out before the guard comes over and "vaporizes" you again hey those brownies are awfully small and gritty too duuuude

That's the one I saw before!!! If I can remember what I was told, bozo is hanging just out the door, but I'm probably wrong. nope....thats me right next to Ray Cottingham second from your left Jimbo let us all in on a secret, which one is the "Real Elvis" hehehehe

Hey Clay do they serve "space cake" on Al Frankens flying saucer?

mmmmmm cakehehehehe and who doesn't like cake? I wonder why they use these "space cakes"for the astronauts? they kind of taste funny too maaaaaaan