NYT: BREAKING NEWS 8:28 PM ET: U.S. Had Information Before Christmas of a Terror Plot

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.nytimes.com

No other information!

[high density]

1. err, I think we always have information about terror plots

I recall the colors blinking all over the place under a previous administration.

[mcablue]

27. Article talks about a terror plot by a Nigerian

"Two officials said the government had intelligence from Yemen before Friday that leaders of a branch of Al Qaeda there were talking about “a Nigerian” being prepared for a terrorist attack."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html?hp

[babylonsister]

2. Hmm. I imagine they have lots of info about a lot of potential terror plots.

I guess we'll see as this develops.

[zeemike]

13. I am sure they do.

And that makes it so easy to let one slip through the cracks if they need to raise the terror lever to keep us in a constant state of fear.

[babylonsister]

15. Tell me who has raised the terror level to make us constantly fearful?

If I had a place to go, I'd get on a plane tomorrow.

[zeemike]

20. The Shadow knows.

The shadow government would be my guess.
Obama was probably just as surprised as the rest of us.

[NewLIfeArea]

3. huh?

:wtf:

[tblue]

4. Yeah. There's no article or nothing.

:shrug:

Who is "U.S."?

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. This Christmas?

I dare say there's been numerous potential plots investigated.

[havocmom]

6. While being adverse to accusations of flamebait

just :wtf: is the point of the OP, with such a subject line and nothing to add?

[flpoljunkie]

22. Ask the NYT. Breaking News is often covered this way.

[jpak]

7. Oh Noooose!

not that!!!111

[backscatter712]

8. President Obama said as much in his press conference today.

They had information on this guy for some time, but as usual, there was the problem with the left tentacle not knowing what the right tentacle or the other 600 tentacles were doing, and the intel languished.

[johnaries]

26. Yep. The article is up now, and it's about his press conference.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html?_r=1&hp

Unlike Georgie, nothing hit Obama's desk until after the fact. And, unlike Georgie, Obama has ordered a full investigation into the breakdown.

[BunkerHill24]

9. Judy Miller is that you?

[flpoljunkie]

10. No. I think the NYT must be referring to info in this AP article. Weird they don't say!

Senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press that intelligence authorities are now looking at conversations between the suspect in the failed attack and at least one al-Qaida member. They did not say how these communications with the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, took place - by Internet, cell phone or another method.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the conversations were vague or coded, but the intelligence community believes that, in hindsight, the communications may have been referring to the Detroit attack. One official said a link between the suspect's planning and al-Qaida's goals was becoming more clear.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/29/AR2009122900225.html

[IndianaGreen]

11. That's exactly what the AP is reporting tonight

Senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press that intelligence authorities are now looking at conversations between the suspect in the failed attack and at least one al-Qaida member. They did not say how these communications with the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, took place - by Internet, cell phone or another method.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the conversations were vague or coded, but the intelligence community believes that, in hindsight, the communications may have been referring to the Detroit attack. One official said a link between the suspect's planning and al-Qaida's goals was becoming more clear.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AIRLINER_ATTACK_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-12-29-20-53-53

WaPo is reporting the AP story, which has Obama as a source.

[flpoljunkie]

12. Now there is an article: U.S. Had Early Information of a Terror Plot, Official Says

December 30, 2009

U.S. Had Early Information of a Terror Plot, Official Says

By PETER BAKER

HONOLULU – The United States government had intelligence about a possible Al Qaeda attack around the holidays and had more information about where the suspect had been and what some of his plans were, an official said.

Some of the information at the time was partial or incomplete and it was not obvious that it was connected, the official said, but in retrospect it now appears clear that had it all been examined together it would have pointed to a pending attack involving the Nigerian suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Mr. Abdulmutallab allegedly tried to carry out a bombing on a Detroit-bound flight Christmas Day.

The official said the administration is “increasingly confident” that Al Qaeda had a role in the planned attack, as the group’s Yemeni branch has publicly claimed.

President Obama alluded to the intelligence in a statement he issued Tuesday. “Had this critical information been shared, it could have been compiled with other intelligence and a fuller, clearer picture of the suspect would have emerged,” the president said. “The warning signs would have triggered red flags and the suspect would have never been allowed to board that plane for America.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html?_r=1&hp

[IndianaGreen]

17. Wasn't the whole idea of reorganizing intelligence agencies (and creating Homeland Security)

a response to the lack of coordination prior to 9-11. Looks like all the money we flushed down the toilet to the authoritarian among us, did not prevent this incident, or the Richard Reed incident in 2002.

[boppers]

25. Did you know what a "cake and two sticks" meant ahead of time?

Hindsight is 20/20.

[babylonsister]

19. Their sensational headline belies the info in the article...

"Some of the information at the time was partial or incomplete and it was not obvious that it was connected"

I don't know how this specific threat could have been acted on. Having said that, the intelligence agencies need to get their shit together and communicate more. I heard last night the CIA and FBI still don't share info. :grr:

[flpoljunkie]

21. I agree with both your points.

[BunkerHill24]

16. Yep, they don't say ......

But all we're told is that "official" who spoke on condition of anonymity, or official said ......


That's complete and utter BS.....and a tabloid journalism, imo.

[flpoljunkie]

18. Connecting the dots always easier in hindsight. It's not like Obama got a PDB saying 'Bin Laden

Determined to Attack in U.S.'

[BunkerHill24]

23. Currently, Journalism in the US is at lowest point.....

...and the usual suspects of NYT, WAPO and the rest of M$M are selling regenerated, propaganda, rot, tabloid journalism in order to to sell few pages to unsuspecting american readers.

[IndianaGreen]

28. If today's WaPo had been around the time of Watergate break-in

Richard Nixon would have finished his second term without anyone having a clue as to all of this dirty tricks.

Today's journalists in the larger media are nothing but stenographers and megaphones.

Some of the best news stories have been reported by smaller newspapers and TV stations.

[cal04]

14. U.S. Had Early Information of a Terror Plot:President Obama alluded to the intelligence

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html?hp


The United States government had intelligence about a possible Al Qaeda attack around the holidays and had more information about where the suspect had been and what some of his plans were, an official said.

Some of the information at the time was partial or incomplete and it was not obvious that it was connected, the official said, but in retrospect it now appears clear that had it all been examined together it would have pointed to a pending attack involving the Nigerian suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Mr. Abdulmutallab allegedly tried to carry out a bombing on a Detroit-bound flight Christmas Day.

The official said the administration is “increasingly confident” that Al Qaeda had a role in the planned attack, as the group’s Yemeni branch has publicly claimed.

President Obama alluded to the intelligence in a statement he issued Tuesday. “Had this critical information been shared, it could have been compiled with other intelligence and a fuller, clearer picture of the suspect would have emerged,” the president said. “The warning signs would have triggered red flags and the suspect would have never been allowed to board that plane for America.”

In his statament, Mr. Obama blamed a “systemic failure” in the nation’s security apparatus for the attempted bombing of a passenger jet on Christmas Day and vowed to identify the problems and “deal with them immediately.”



Obama Is Told of Signs That Should Have Grounded Plot
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html?hp

[Canuckistanian]

24. Then why wasn't the color changed?

Goddamit, I want to see colors changing when something's happening.

Who's responsible? I want heads to roll.