Reported by ABC News, increased clutter of intelligence suggests that Al Qaeda is priming for an attack on New York City businesses by way of suicide bombers and truck bombs.

Sources at several law enforcement agencies tell ABC News that an “overseas source” has provided the information about the threat to New York and that it is more significant than the usual “chatter” intercepted from likely terrorists that has prompted warnings in the past.

Officials from dozens of local and federal agencies met into the night Friday and again this morning.

“Intelligence reporting indicates that al Qaeda continues to target for attack commercial and financial institutions, as well as international organizations, inside the United States,” the New York City Police Department said in a statement released today on the “ongoing al Qaeda threat.”

[snip]

Intelligence sources say al Qaeda plans to move non-Arab terrorists across the border with Mexico.

Authorities already have in custody a woman of Pakistani-origin arrested after crossing into Texas. She carried a South African passport with several of the pages torn out, $7,000 in cash and an airplane ticket to New York.

- ABC News

The news of Al Qaeda wanting to attack businesses to disrupt our economy and desire to attack New York is nothing new to intelligence centers, however it’s that they plan on crossing the border from Mexico reinforces the need to close the borders down tightly instead of just increasing numbers in the Border Patrol.

It is interesting that the intelligence clutter is suggesting that Al Qaeda plan on using non-Arabs to infiltrate the U.S. through the borders. Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed, the woman captured in McAllen, TX, is of Arabic descent though she had a South African passport. South Africa has warned the world that Al Qaeda was producing fake passports in their country’s name. It has also been rumored that Al Qaeda plans on using members from Africa to conduct terrorist attacks in the United States.

The United States border with Mexico is as pourus as Swiss Cheese in some areas. Texas has an advantage because of the Rio Grande, however illegals like Ahmed still swim accross the river to gain access to the United States. Humane Borders is a group in Arizona that has campaigned to put water stations in the desert to ensure that illegals that do cross the border through the vast desert have water on their trip. While their intentions might be good, this group has single handedly encouraged thousands more illegals to enter this country by providing them places to gather strength.

Most of the travelers of this region are Mexicans looking for a better life, we now know that there are Al Qaeda terrorists entering through Mexico who are intent on attacking the United States and our interests.

Again, I urge President Bush to do something about the border. There’s no way Kerry will close the borders if he’s elected because it will not a popular objective with many hispanic voters that he panders to. The risk to President Bush to close the borders with armed guards could cost him the election, however the risk to the United States if the borders are not closed could be catostrophic.

Other coverage:
Michelle Malkin
Blogs of War

Urban Scrawl linked with New Al Qaeda Threats on NYC
Blogs of War linked with Al Qaeda Plotting to Attack New York City Companies

Iran has announced that it has resumed building nuclear centrifuges despite pressure from the International Atomic Energy Agency and threats from Israel to destroy the plants before they are operational.

Iran’s decision backtracks from a pledge in October to the European Union (news - web sites)’s “big three” members — Britain, France and Germany — to suspend all uranium enrichment-related activities.

“We have started building centrifuges,” Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told a news conference.

However he insisted Iran had not resumed enriching uranium, the key part of the process which can either produce fuel for power stations or bomb material.

Iran had previously said it would restart making centrifuges to retaliate against a resolution from the U.N. nuclear watchdog last month deploring Tehran’s failure to co-operate fully with inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Diplomats say Iran has also restarted work at a uranium conversion facility near the central city of Isfahan. The plant turns processed ore, or yellowcake, into uranium hexafluoride gas which is pumped into centrifuges to form enriched uranium.

- Parinoosh Arami, Reuters

This news comes on the the heels of the 9/11 Commission report that indicates strong ties between Iran and terrorism activity and involvement with 9/11.

With this threat of nuclear weapons in a regime that already supports terrorist groups Hezbollah and possibly Al Qaeda, the world must step in and either disable the plants and/or negotiate heavily with Iran. North Korea can be put on the side to curb Iran’s refusal to hold up to their earlier agreement and threat facing the world. Iran is a bigger threat to not only the United States, it’s sworn enemy since the Jimmy Carter years, but the entire civilized world.

Unfortunately the public support in the United States will not allow anything to be done to Iran’s regime other than negotiations. In a political season, the Democrats have played their appeasement card too well to allow any type of military action to stop the process. This includes special operations groups as well unless they are cloaked in absolute secrecy. If Bush were to allow military operations against these nuclear facilities in Iran and the public found out, he would lose office. If he doesn’t and a nuclear weapon ends up in terrorists hands and lands in America, the Democrats would cry that Bush didn’t do anything. It’s a fine world we live in today with the political culture of the Democratic Left will not allow anything to get done to make the world safer. The error in the Democratic philosophy is in the politicization of national security.

Hat tip: California Yankee

Catherine Zeta Jones is an attempted murderer, at least according to the lawyer of the woman accused of stalking her.

The lawyer for the woman accused of making death threats against Catherine Zeta Jones has blamed the actress for his client’s alleged suicide attempt.

Attorney Richard Herman said Dawnette Knight, 32, had tried to kill herself with barbiturates while in prison.

He said his client had been driven to it by a “campaign of vilification” in the media and by Zeta Jones herself. “The real blood is on her hands,” he added.

[snip]

Ms Knight has pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of making criminal threats and stalking. The hearing aims to determine whether she will face trial.

Zeta Jones testified against Ms Knight on Wednesday, reading extracts from 19 threatening letters to the court.

“We are going to slice her up like meat on a bone and feed her to the dogs,” said one letter read in court by the actress.

- BBC News

Don’t you just love lawyers? I can just it now. Under Kerry’s guise of wanting to try Osama Bin Laden in three U.S. courts we will hear a similar statement that Bush is the guilty one. Oh wait, we already do hear that from some Liberals.

All cheers in Cub-land as the perenial losers aquired Shortstop Nomar Garciapara in a four-team trade deadline deal.

To Chicago: Garciapara and minor leaguer Matt Murton
To Boston: Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz
To Montreal: Alex Gonzalez, Francis Beltran and Brendan Harris
To Minnesota: Minor leaguer Justin Jones

Garciapara who is in his last year of his deal will become a free agent after the season if the Cubs do not resign him. This is huge news for Cub fans as they now have the firepower to back up Sosa and hopefully climb into the wildcard playoff slot. They currently sit 11 games out of first place in the NL Central and 1.5 games back from the wildcard slot.

Boston gains too in this trade as it gets enough bat to help their offense out and it gets rid of a player in Garciapara that has already stated he will not resign with the team. Montreal gets a solid shortstop in Alex Gonzalez, a young relief pitcher in Beltran and a young third basemen in Brendan Harris. Minnesota just dumps salary for a prospect in Justin Jones, who is reportedly a top pitching prospect.

During John Kerry’s address at the Democratic Convention, Kerry challenged President Bush to run a “clean campaign” and one that didn’t attack each other. What an interesting statement from a man that flip-flopped his call less than 24 hours after he made the comment.

“We’re living in a world that’s changed dramatically from the world of four years ago, and we deserve leadership that tells the truth to the American people, and helps America act like a beacon to the world,” he said in reference to Mr. Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq.

Mr. Kerry promised to “reassert America’s credibility and respect in the world” and be a president who “understands the time-honored tradition the United States of America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to.” He’ll never allow American troops to be “held hostage” to Middle East oil, he said.

“We need a president who understands what it’s like for a parent who wakes up in the middle of the night worried about whether or not there’s going to be health care for them or for their children,” he said.

- Borys Krawczeniuk, Sranton Times Tribune

Apparently Kerry doesn’t exactly follow what he says much less what he votes for (read: Iraq War)..

The “Week of the Democrats” is finally over and now we can reflect upon what was said and what we now know about the Democratic ticket of John Kerry and John Edwards. We no longer have to turn on the television to see Michael Moore running around the floor or Ben Affleck making out with Kerry’s daughter. It’s 93 days until Americans cast our ballots and decide who leads this nation for the next four years.

Monday night had some great speeches. Al Gore got off of his MoveOn.org high horse and actually sounded more reasonable despite his constant allusions to the 2000 election. Jimmy Carter showed America just why he was voted out of office with such authority in 1980 by furthering his appeasement policy. It is odd though that he alluded to the Democrats restoring pride in America when his tenure as president crushed the hopes and dreams of many Americans. Hillary Clinton spoke longer than she was allotted to open up for her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Clinton gave a good speech, but this is something he is known for. The one item that I still vividly remember is that Clinton applauded Kerry for joining the Vietnam War and lamented President Bush and his own “dodgings” of the war.

Tuesday began with news of Teresa Heinz Kerry telling a reporter to “shove it.” While many of us probably agree with her comment to the reporter, it was her denial of her comments that is disturbing. Democrats continual use of the words “un-american” and “un-patriotic” demonstrate who is actually running a negative campaign. Ted Kennedy took the stage and introduced the theme of Boston’s historical patriotism in bringing a change to Colonial America. How the conclusions between America’s colonial age and today are intertwined I do not know. I’m not sure that many Americans will understand this as well. Howard Dean gave a speech that lasted at most five minutes and failed to either pump up Kerry or discuss the mainstream Democratic ideals. Is he promoting himself for a run in 2008? Arizona Governor Janet Napalitano discussed health care, completely ignoring the illegal immigration crisis that grips her state. An unknown before the convention, Barack Obama, captured the attention of all Americans with his outstanding performance on stage leaving some to already pick him to run in 2008. Obama sounded like a conservative Democrat, something the current Democratic nominees are not, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in 2008 after his Senate record is revealed.

Former President Ronald Reagan’s son, Ron Reagan, discussed the issue of stem-cell research claiming that he was not at the Convention as a partisan. A non-partisan doesn’t take shots at the other party. The Democrats felt this would show Americans that they are a bi-partisan party, yet it should be known that Ron Reagan has voiced his Democratic ideology for over 20 years. Teresa Heinz Kerry was up next and despite the media hoping for a good quote, there weren’t any. In fact, the speech only had one memorable line concerning her opinionated self and the right for women to be so. This would have been a great opportunity to show the personal side of her husband however she went on and on talking about herself and how she faught against apartheid in South Africa.

Wednesday brought vice-presidential candidate John Edwards on stage. Edwards’ strong suit is domestic policy. This is where he has appeal and brings the little bit of public policy experience to the table. Of course in this respect he did well. Edwards however discussed foreign policy and sounded as knowledgable as a 16-year old repeating what Terry McAullife has told him. He seemed rushed and nervous dispite his trial attorney days of winning lawsuits against corporations for serving hot coffee.

Thursday was the day that we got to see John Kerry take on the world and try to establish himself as an actual candidate for President of the United States. News of Kerry’s Vietnam War footage to be used in a short film before his speech had hit the internet in large form casting serious doubts on the credibility of the film. Kerry didn’t divulge any new information to the political pundits watching his speech other than he was once in a band in high school. Only if we could turn back the clock Kerry.

Overall, the Democrats continued what they have already been campaigning about; economy, Bush lied, health care, Bush misled, Iraq, Bush is incompetent, etc. The feeling I got from watching all of the speeches was that the Democrats seem to be riding a ticket of pre-9/11 ideals, not the post-9/11 climate that we now live in. The week was a drag and nothing new about John Kerry was revealed. He still will not pull the troops out of Iraq even though he deems the war an “unjust” war and despite many of his delegates wanting a full-out retreat. Kerry still maintains that he can get “our allies” into the Iraq War and provide a “safer and stronger America.” Nothing new, nothing gained.

It will be interesting to see if the polls get a boost from this convention. There will be some sort of boost, but will it be enough for Kerry to defeat Bush in November? Bush has a major advantage in this scenario though. The Republicans were smart enough to have their convention after the Democrats and much closer to the election. Americans are a people of short attention spans and have a “what have you done for me lately” attitude when it comes to public policy. The DNC’s choice to have their Convention in July will have a devastating effect on the overall election.

I am seeking help in trying to get the video released by the GOP concerning Kerry and his Iraq statements. I know it’s available for a streaming download on DemsExtremeMakeover.com, however I’m on a dial-up account and cannot see any video coming through. If anyone has found a direct link to the video where you can download the entire clip, please let me know either through the comments in this post or through email. Thanks.

I admire Kerry to have his children introduce him, but they almost put me asleep before the video started. Ok, on to the critique.

Video: Good coverage of Buddy Holly wanna-be Kerry in a band. That scores some points with the common people that he alienates through his other actions. “John placed his life right along us.” Isn’t that what being in war is all about? The truth about Kerry when he got back is that he accused his fellow soldiers of war crimes. This must have had an amazing effect on morale of the troops. I especially enjoyed the comment that implies Kerry puts politics behind what he believes is for the common good. How do you explain all of the flip-flops trying to conform to what voters want then? You can’t. You can only assume that statement is a complete lie. Of course Kerry left out his entire Senate voting career, or lack there of, for the video.

Oh for the love of God! Why so much about the Vietnam War? I should have been playing the Kerry speech drinking game. So Kerry is a war hero. Good for him. I still contend that Kerry joined the Navy to further his career as a politician. Even with that said, I am thankful for his service. We are in a different time though. Why must the Democrats constantly mention Vietnam? And by the way, how could the Democrats compare the American Revolution to today? Do they honestly believe that the United States is in such dire troubles as back then?

Kerry takes a page from the old Clinton card by entering through the audience and shaking hands on the way to the stage. Apparently the same song played during his entrance was played at the conventions of Carter and Dukakis as well. Somone smell a McAullife aboard?

Kerry said nothing new in his hour long speech. He just keeps repeating his talking points and his supporter’s quotes for the past year. He still insists that President Bush misled the country to go to war despite that this information concerning WMDs came from four different intelligence sources.

One of those same tiresome lines Kerry repeated tonight was that the United States needs to work with our allies before we go to war. What happened to the right to defend yourself Mr. Kerry? Should we sit back and get the OK from France and the United Nations before striking those that have declared war on us? Why not praise our current allies in our War on Terror not constantly mention you want other nations behind us? France and Germany are the only allies who are not helping us out in this cause and Germany has already announced debt relief of Iraq. So that leaves France. Just because you can speak French doesn’t mean you can convince Chirac to join our cause. He is an appeaser who would rather sit back and relax; perhaps the reason his approval rating is so low.

You have to laugh at the lack of research done by Terry McAullife and the DNC when they came up with the slogan of “Help is on the Way.” Not only was that Cheney’s call when he accepted the vice president nomination in 2000, but it also is too similar to Edward’s call of “Hope is on the Way.” It also signifies that Kerry and the DNC truly belive that the United States is in such a poor position now that we need help. Is that why Jesse Jackson has asked the UN to administer our elections?

As much as Kerry covered in his speech, why was so much of it about his war experience in Vietnam? It would have been much better if he would have actually told the undecides about his record in the Senate. Explain why his votes changed as dramatically as they did. His campaign should know by now that the GOP will continue to label Kerry as a flip-flopper. Why not address this issue now instead of letting Bush hammer away at him in the three debates scheduled this fall?

Kerry and the Democrats have failed to grasp where we are today. He lays out a loose plan concerning terrorism and Iraq, yet goes in depth about how he wants to change the tax structure, health care and education. According to polls, voters want to know about the War on Iraq and terrorism. It is their number one concern right now. It’s not what Kerry explained in depth. Kerry seems to be taken in by conspiracy theorist Michael Moore and despite wanting to further the work of the 9/11 Commission, he doesn’t act like he has read the report.

While Kerry actually did change the pitch of his voice, his speech was never alarming or a call to action. It didn’t excite many people other than those that were in attendance or watching him on television that already back him. The speech was called “the speech of his lifetime” before he actually gave it, but it didn’t resonate as loudly as it needs to for Kerry to get a sizable boost to his poll ratings.

“I’m John Kerry and I’m reporting to you!” My name is Chad Evans and I’m not voting for you. Furthermore soldier, you are dismissed.

Other Coverage:
Captain’s Quarters
Martini Pundit
Power Line
Wizbang
QandO
Poliblog
Michelle Malkin
Political Musings
Blogs for Bush

Blogs for Bush linked with The Bush Blogosphere Reacts To Kerry's Speech
PoliBlog(TM) linked with Bite-Size Toast for Thurday Night
PoliBlog(TM) linked with Bite-Size Toast for Thurday Night

Tonight at the Democratic Convetion, Senator Joe Lieberman, Retired General Wesley Clark and Democratic Presidential Nominee John Kerry will be speaking.

It seems odd to me that Clark is given such a cushy time slot. He didn’t exactly appeal to many voters and his rhetoric concerning terrorism is a bit frightening. Clark has claimed that he could guarantee that the United States would never be hit by terrorism if he was elected. What person in their right mind could guarantee a claim like that? The answer: NO ONE. Clark is delusional.

Joe Lieberman was in my opinion, the best candidate running for the Democratic nomination. This is based on his appeal to Independents and possibly some Republicans. The Liberals would have voted Lieberman just because he would have been their nominee. Instead they have placed a huge anti-war cry that Kerry at one time resonated as well. Then again there isn’t a time that Kerry hasn’t had two sides to an issue.

I remember watching the debates for the Democratic nominee and seeing Kerry go from a political spokesman, to an anti-war liberal back to a “conservative Democrat.” In fact, I must say from the first debate I laughed at Kerry as he changed his stances based on the audiences reaction to Howard Dean’s slander against the President. That was day 1. Now we are getting a laughable “anti-war” candidate who know supports the war. Are you as confused as I am? Good.

The Associated Press is reporting that among other things, Kerry will be talking about the war in Iraq. It will be interesting to see how many references he uses about his Vietnam War experience in detailing how much he knows about war. Of course my running talley of mentions will be in high alert tonight.

If Kerry does indeed tell the nation “America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to,” it will be hard to explain his reasoning why he voted for the war and then against funding our troops. He has tried before, but much like the rest of his rhetoric it is all wishy-washy.

I would like to ask Kerry what are the reasons a country goes to war. Weapons of Mass Destruction? National Security? Human rights? Terrorism? The only one of those that Bush did not advocate as a cause to go to war was human rights. Since then Bush has jumped on that bandwagon however. Very few WMDs have been found sure, but how could a president look past what many intelligence agencies have said? It would have resulted in a disaster if true. Saddam did harbor terrorists. He aided terrorists and he actively pursued relationships with terrorists. A president cannot ignore this. Kerry on the other hand, has now decided to walk the thin line of the Democratic party where half are anti-war Liberals and the other half are Clinton Democrats.

Kerry is expected to reveal to the nation “who John Kerry is.” If he continues with his moderate Democrat lingo as he has of late, no one watching will have any idea who he really is. That is the sad state of the Democratic party at present. They have absolutely no idea who they have nominated to represent their platform.

News reports out of Pakistan indicate that terrorist Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani has been captured.

Al Arabiya satellite news channel quoted Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf as saying the suspect was arrested Sunday.

“The Pakistani president said the arrested person is Tanzanian who is married to an Uzbek woman, and who is wanted by the United States,” the station said.

Al Arabiya said the suspect may be Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian who is on the FBI’s most wanted “terrorists” list for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings by al Qaeda of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

- Reuters

There was a $5 million reward for the capture of Ghailani according to the FBI web site. Pakistan remains a key ally to the United States in the War on Terror and has been pushed by the U.S. for more probes into their tribal region to root out more terrorists, possibly Osama Bin Laden.

I can already hear the Democrats crying that Pakistan had him in custody and released him to try to quell the Democratic Convention. Don’t you just love the conspiracy people?

via The Corner

Other Coverage:
Right Thinking from the Left Coast, Backcountry Conservative

Backcountry Conservative linked with Pakistan Captures High Level Al-Qaeda