Alleged Mata Hari of Al Qaeda Could Provide 'Treasure Trove' of Intelligence

[RamboLiberal]

Source: ABC News

When she was arrested in Afghanistan last month, Aafia Siddique allegedly had in her possession maps of New York, a list of potential targets that included the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the subway system and the animal disease center on Plum Island, detailed chemical, biological and radiological weapon information that has been seen only in a handful of terrorist cases, as well as a thumb drive packed with emails, ABC News has learned.

That haul of information has led multiple government sources to describe Siddique, a 36 year-old MIT graduate, as a potential "treasure trove" of information on terrorist supporters, sympathizers or 'sleepers' in the United States and overseas.

"She is the most significant capture in five years," said former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who said she lives up to her reputation as an alleged terrorist 'Mata Hari.'

And there is an eagerness to see what, if anything, she can add to the thin trickle of fresh information on the activities of terrorists and terrorist supporters in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as what if any risk she might pose to national security.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5567066&page=1

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Brian Ross and ABC reporting - I'll take this report with a grain of salt.

[Hyuke4]

1. NO#2

She has to be a Number #2 Gal,very Important,very Key person,for the umpteenth time.
This is a major blow to Al quieda.We have turned another Corner,Victory is assured
We are winning:evilgrin:

[YDogg]

2. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[pansypoo53219]

3. ABC?

i am not buying it without more. like that 'letter' from suskind. too much?

does it smell like herring?

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. This is someone who was abducted and tortured for months

ISLAMABAD: Scores of people from different walks of life on Thursday protested ‘illegal’ confinement of a Pakistani scientist, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, by the US.

Holding placards and banners inscribed with messages against the president and the US, the protestors, including Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) workers, Jamia Hafsa students, family members of missing persons and civil society representatives showed up at D-Chowk near Parliament amid tight security.

They shouted slogans like ‘Go Musharraf Go’ and ‘Whosoever befriends America is a traitor’.

JI leader Liaquat Baloch, human rights activist Aamina Masood, Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s sister Dr Fauzia Siddique and Islamabad District Bar Council President Sardar Asmatullah Khan spoke to the protestors.

Liaquat Baloch accused intelligence agencies of first kidnapping Dr Aafia Siddiqui and her three children and then handing them over to the US agencies. He alleged that Dr Aafia was subjected to torture in illegal confinement.


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C08%5C08%5Cstory_8-8-2008_pg11_2

[Politicalboi]

4. Is she

Curveball's sister?

[bahrbearian]

6. We are moving up from chauffeurs, Now we have the people with maps.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. If she ws truly as valuable as they say, wouldn't it have been smarter to keep her capture a secret?

This sounds like another attempt to make themselves appear like they are actually accomplishing something.

[AngryAmish]

8. Hold her in a secret prison?

Ummm, Geneva convention? This is what we have been fighting for.


Plus they might already know.

[robcon]

9. Why did they reveal this?

Normally when you get a special breakthrough in intelligence, you keep it quiet until the "right" time. Examples - Mafia infiltrations, breaking the Japanese code in WWII, etc.

A couple of possible motivations...

1. Scare Al Qaeda?!?!?!

2. They've already used the info to capture/trap others?!?!?!

3. Boastfulness about the breakthrough

My net impression: it's probably "nice to know" info, but not really breakthrough stuff.

[dipsydoodle]

10. maps of New York ?

They're probably on Yahoo maps. They gonna shut Yahoo down too. :shrug:

[Javaman]

11. I guess the WWII analogies just don't cut it anymore. nt