Rebels Knew The American Secret Service Code --

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, [10] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 08:13:40 09/17/01 Mon
Author: Nikolai von Kreitor
Subject: Rebels Knew The American Secret Service Code
In reply to: �� 's message, "�� " on 13:22:27 09/15/01 Sat

The Economic Times, India

Terrorists uttered Secret Service code

WASHINGTON
SHORTLY after a hijacked airliner crashed into the Pentagon early Tuesday, the Secret Service in Washington received a chilling message about the president�s official plane.

``Air Force One is next,�� said the caller. The message included code words indicating that the caller knew of White House security procedures for protecting the president during a crisis.

The call, which also came after two other hijacked jetliners smashed into New York�s World Trade Centre, was reported Thursday in The New York Times, quoting an unnamed senior US official.

White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Wednesday that there was ``specific and credible�� information that the terrorists were targeting the White House and Air Force One, the presidential plane.

The warning and the White House�s decision to publicize the threat help highlight why President George W. Bush waited 10 hours before returning to Washington after the first attack.

Bush has been criticized for following a zigzag path from Florida to Louisiana and air base in Nebraska before returning to Washington DC.

His response has been compared unfavorably to New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who rushed to the trade centre immediately after the first attack and was caught in a neighbouring building during a tower collapse, and to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who remained at the Pentagon throughout the day and even helped guide people out of the damaged building in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

The official who spoke to the Times said that vice-president Richard Cheney urged Bush not to return immediately to Washington but to proceed to Offut Air Force Base in Nebraska, which has secure communications facilities set up for crises.

He cited the possibility that aircraft other than the four hijacked airliners may have posed a threat to Bush�s plane. Bush�s detour to Louisiana was meant to throw off any attackers. ``It would have been irresponsible of him to come back, pounding his chest, when hostile aircraft may be headed our way,�� the official said.

Yet at least twice in the flight, Bush argued that he should do just that, said Karl Rove, a top Bush adviser who was with him on Air Force One.

The threat against Bush�s life, and the attacker�s apparent knowledge of White House code words and procedures, highlight the sophistication of the coordinated terror campaign unleashed against the symbols of US wealth and power.

``It�s very sophisticated attacks by very educated people at the top, and dedicated people that are carrying them out,�� said Senator Richard Shelby said. (Agencies)

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]