CIA Director Warns of New al-Qaida Attacks - is there a more sinister story here?

When you read this, keep in mind the Presidential Directives signed by Bush that enable the Executive Branch to seize control of all government operations right down to the local sheriffs offices in the event of a "threat to national security" and that enable them to brand anyone who speaks out against homeland security measures as traitors.  Note also my two highlighted areas. - DQ

CIA Director Hayden Warns of New al-Qaida Attacks

Friday Sept 7th

NEW YORK -- In a rare public address CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden warned of new attacks by al-Qaida:

"Our analysts assess with high confidence that al-Qaida's central leadership is planning high-impact plots against the U.S. homeland."

Hayden's unusual public address was made at his request at the Council of Foreign Relations.

The newly minted CIA chief also took the unusual step of making his appearance in military uniform, though as CIA director he is not on active military assignment.

Hayden's address appears to be part of a coordinated White House public relations campaign leading up to the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks next week.

Hayden also told the Council that:

"Al-Qaida has protected or regenerated key elements of its homeland attack capability. That means safe haven in tribal areas of Pakistan, operational lieutenants, and a top leadership engaged in planning ... al-Qaida's success in planting operatives in this country, is less certain."

The CIA director warned:

"We assess, with high confidence that al-Qaida is focusing on targets that would produce mass casualties, dramatic destruction and significant aftershocks."

Details on these warnings were not given, though the general was pressed for them by the audience.

Hayden spoke about the difficulties in combating terrorist groups:

"We are now in an age in which our adversary is easy to kill, but hard to find...Moreover, the moment of our enemy's attack, may be just that, a moment, a split second."

To neutralize such threats Hayden talked about centering the agency's assets on compromising the terrorists' planning, their preparations:

"Behind the point of attack is a trail of planning, travel, communication, training and all the other elements that go into a large-scale terrorist operation. This is where there are secrets we can steal, operatives we can capture and interrogate, plots we can and must disrupt. This is where the American people expect us to fight."

Hayden also took the opportunity to "shoot" down the firestorm about the extent and scope of the CIA's secret rendition programs under which "enemy combatants" were secretly captured and imprisoned:

"The CIA's programs-which are carefully controlled and lawfully conducted-are hardly the centerpiece of our efforts. Nor are they as big as some think. But the intelligence they've produced is irreplaceable."

The director went on to state that since the "renditions" began in the spring of 2002, "fewer than 100 people have been detained at CIA facilities."

He insisted that the programs are "targeted and selective." He explained that they were designed only for the "most dangerous terrorists" and those "believed to have the most valuable information, such as knowledge of planned attacks." He added " but, they also have been the subject of wild speculation, both here and overseas."

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