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Al Qaeda Prison Breaks Now Considered a Factor in Closures

CNN reports the recent al Qaida prison breaks factored into the decision to close embassies in the middle east and Africa.

CNN also refers to a recent statement by Ayman al-Zawahiri and his appointment of AQAP's Nasir al Wuhayshi as "general manager" of al Qaeda's multiple networks. McClatchy reports the threat came from intercepting communications between the two. [More...]

An official who’d been briefed on the matter in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, told McClatchy that the embassy closings and travel advisory were the result of an intercepted communication between Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the head of the Yemen-based Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, and al Qaida leader Ayman al Zawahiri in which Zawahiri gave “clear orders” to al-Wuhaysi, who was recently named al Qaida’s general manager, to carry out an attack.

Also, the threat information likely came not just from chatter and electronic surveillance, but human sources. Via CNN (linked above)

U.S. officials cautioned that there may be multiple sources of intelligence, including intercepts of electronic information from phone calls and web postings and the interrogation of couriers or other operatives.

Days before the announcement of the threat and closures, President Obama met with Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi at the White House. I wonder if it wasn't Hadi who got the threat information from Yemen's national security forces and passed it on to Obama, resulting in the NSA NSA checking chatter to confirm. The human sources seem to be in Yemen. Whose sources are they -- Yemen's or the U.S.?

Here's a rough timeline of events.

There were a lot of al Qaeda statements issued in July. Some provided confirmation that al Sheri was killed in a drone strike (although the statements didn't say when and it had been months since the last report of his death.)

There were also reports of several drone strikes last week in Yemen killing AQAP members and others.

If anyone wants to read the English translations of some of the recent al Qaeda statements you can find them at Jihadology here. Examples:

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  • Display: Sort:
    About the terror warning (5.00 / 6) (#1)
    by bmaz on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 08:22:32 PM EST
    Thought this report kind of incredulous, then I looked up and saw who wrote it. Noted Pentagon and Security governmental stenographer Barbara Starr of CNN. And the earlier report is by someone nearly as tied into the terror/surveillance state, James Meek at ABC. So, basically mouthpieces.
    So, let's see here. We have liquid bombs, body cavity bombs, underwear bombs and regular bomb bombs all in play. The targets could be US Embassies, airplanes, cargo planes, US interests in Yemen and Pakistan, US Special Ops, and CT and/or intel officials. The jailbreaks are a concern, but so too is any arm or affiliate of AQ. And the big boogeyman Zawahiri too.

    It is all better since bin Laden's death...or it isn't. Whatever, it's all just really bad and scary. But only for this week. Or the rest of August. Or something.

    This is just a cobbled together potpourri of gibberish terror tropes. Oh, and nevermind that it comes at a time when the government is increasingly being recognized by the public as the secretive liars they are on surveillance modalities and intrusiveness.

    How convenient.

    Just saying (2.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Politalkix on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 08:48:01 PM EST
    "Oh, and nevermind that it comes at a time when the government is increasingly being recognized by the public as the secretive liars they are on surveillance modalities and intrusiveness."

    There are other events going on in the world also, since you seem not to be paying attention. Egypt is at a boil, there is a good chance that Muslim Brotherhood leaders may face trial there. You may want out to check out more about Al Zawahari and read more on past political events in Egypt that motivated him to join forces with Bin Laden. Events in Egypt and Saudi Arabia's involvement in that country (Bin Laden was from Saudi Arabia) in recent weeks may possibly have more to do with Zawahari's action than what you seem to be be imagining. If you have a one track mind, everything will look like NSA fear mongering to you.

    Just saying...

    Parent

    Thanks (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by bmaz on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 09:41:02 PM EST
    But I keep plenty abreast of things and am certainly aware of all those points. Nice fearmongering, but even the government is not referring to any of those as an issue currently. Secondly, NONE of those require the surveillance modalities complained of, they are traditional foreign-foreign in nexus.

    Parent
    Crikey (none / 0) (#2)
    by bmaz on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 08:22:57 PM EST
    My bad; not sure how I got this on this thread.

    Something weird (none / 0) (#3)
    by bmaz on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 08:23:41 PM EST
    going on with comment posting ....

    I wonder if all those emails (none / 0) (#6)
    by shoephone on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 10:30:44 PM EST
    shared between me and my best friendthe  about Wagner's "Ring" cycle at Seattle Opera were instrumental in the NSA catching intercepts between al-Zawahari and AQAP?

    I have no doubt that there are serious threats in the works all the time, and that the prison breaks are of grave concern. I just wish it was easier to discern the relationship between exposure of government malfeasance and sudden exposure of Al Qaeda terror threats.

    Are you saying (2.00 / 2) (#7)
    by Politalkix on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 10:42:34 PM EST
    that the Government should not close consulates or issue travel alerts to US citizens if the security situation in certain countries deteriorates?
    I cannot understand why the consulate closures are bothering you so much. It does not seem that you had any plans to visit the affected countries in the days ahead.
    Here is a link that tells more about the situation in Egypt. link

    Parent
    How you got that from my comment (5.00 / 3) (#8)
    by shoephone on Mon Aug 05, 2013 at 11:33:20 PM EST
    is beyond me.


    Parent
    US orders evacuation of Yemen embassy (none / 0) (#9)
    by jbindc on Tue Aug 06, 2013 at 08:10:19 AM EST
    Link

    In a travel warning posted on the State website, the department ordered the departure of all "non-emergency" U.S. personnel from the country "due to the continued potential for terrorist attacks."

    "U.S. citizens currently in Yemen should depart. As staff levels at the Embassy are restricted, our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency and provide routine consular services remains limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation," said State.

    "The security threat level in Yemen is extremely high," the note warned.