[Powderworks] NMOC/LMOC Arizona Nuke Plant Under Terror Threat
Kate Parker Adams
kate@dnki.net
Fri, 21 Mar 2003 17:12:20 -0500
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<Oily antinuke hat on>
Wow. The government is actually admitting that nuke plants are terrorist
targets and has called in the National Guard to secure a big one. So much
for the NRC's "Nuclear Renaissance" PR campaign to convince us that nuclear
power plants are safe and secure in the new world order ... I'm shocked
that Indian Point, within 50 miles of NYC, has yet to receive such National
Guard support given its recent travails.
If nuclear power risks can be kept low like its backers contend, the
nuclear industry needs to ante up and make it so. Meanwhile, all it takes
is an irradiated fuel storage facility and some shoulder-mounted artillery
to create a "dirty bomb" equivalent to a dozen or more Hiroshima detonations.
See www.nirs.org and www.nukebusters.org for more information on nuclear
security.
>March 20, 2003
>
>
>Nation's biggest nuclear power plant a terrorist target
>By Bill Gertz and Jerry Seper
>THE WASHINGTON TIMES
>
>
> Terrorists have targeted the United States' largest nuclear power
>plant near Phoenix, and security officials are looking for Iraqi
>government "sleeper cells" that might carry out the attack, The
>Washington Times has learned.
>
> The threat to the Palo Verde nuclear plant, located in the Sonora
>desert 50 miles west of Phoenix, prompted the deployment of National
>Guard troops to the facility, according to U.S. officials.
>
>"We understand the sensitivity of this time, and we are very, very
>committed to protecting the safe operation of Palo Verde," Jim McDonald,
>a spokesman for the Arizona Public Service Co., which owns the reactor
>complex, said in an interview.
>
>Mr. McDonald declined to comment on specific intelligence indicating a
>threat to Palo Verde but noted that the troops were added Tuesday by
>order of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.
>
>One official said the report on the Palo Verde threat was contained in
>classified intelligence reports distributed to law- enforcement and
>security officials.
>
>A second U.S. official confirmed the report and said it was
>"uncorroborated threat information" that was sent to appropriate U.S.
>security authorities.
>
>Palo Verde is the largest nuclear power facility in the United States
>with three reactors that produced 30 billion kilowatt hours of
>electricity last year, Mr. McDonald said.
>
>The threat to attack the facility came from sensitive information
>indicating that the plant was targeted by Middle Eastern terrorists who
>were not further identified.
>
>The threat to Palo Verde comes as other intelligence reports indicate
>that Iraq has set up clandestine cells of operatives inside the United
>States or abroad that could be called on to conduct attacks or sabotage
>on behalf of Baghdad.
>
>For example, recent intelligence reports indicated that Iraqi diplomats
>in Cairo had conducted surveillance of the U.S. Embassy there, U.S.
>officials said.
>
>Officials did not say how many Iraqi cells are in the country. Baghdad
>has nearly 250 officials posted to the United States, most of them at its
>U.N. mission in New York.
>
>A Bush administration official said the State Department has decided to
>expel the three Iraqi diplomats posted to Baghdad's interest section in
>Washington. The expulsion order is expected as early as today.
>
>Only Iraqi officials engaged in improper intelligence or
>terrorism-related activity can be expelled from the U.N. mission.
>
>Meanwhile, the FBI warned law-enforcement officials yesterday to watch
>for suspicious activity by people driving Iraqi diplomatic license plates.
>
>"Suspicious activity involving vehicles bearing Iraqi diplomatic license
>plates should be reported immediately to the nearest Joint Terrorism Task
>Force," the FBI stated in a weekly intelligence bulletin.
>
>Codes used by cars driven by Iraqi diplomats in Washington bear the "TF,"
>and Iraqi U.N. diplomatic vehicles in New York have the "TS" code.
>
>Intelligence officials said the administration has urged governments
>around the world to expel Iraqi diplomats, and several have complied.
>
>Iraqi diplomats have been expelled in recent days from Czech Republic,
>Hungary, Romania, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Thailand and Australia.
>
>Two Iraqis also were expelled from the United States on March 5 after
>they were identified as intelligence officers, U.S. officials said.
>
>Justice Department officials yesterday confirmed that the FBI is looking
>to interview as many as 50,000 Iraqis now in the United States for
>information that could help U.S. forces. They said a war with Iraq is
>expected to dramatically increase the chances of terrorist attacks
>against U.S. targets in this country and abroad.
>
>One senior department official said that while most Iraqis in this
>country are not believed to be terrorists or associated with terrorist
>organizations, Muslim extremists within the Iraqi community who are
>affiliated with al Qaeda could use a war as the reason for an attack.
>
>Among the Iraqis being sought for questioning are 3,000 illegal
>immigrants said to be missing, amid U.S. concerns that some could be
>connected with groups or agents of the Iraqi regime.
>
>Earlier this week, Mexican authorities detained six Iraqi citizens as
>they sought to cross into the United States from Tijuana. The six,
>including one woman, claimed to be German citizens on their arrival at
>the Tijuana airport Tuesday night on a flight from Mexico City. They have
>been returned to Mexico City for questioning.
>
>It could not be learned if the detained Iraqis were connected to the plot
>to attack Palo Verde.
>
>Border Patrol authorities also confirmed that a diary written in Arabic
>was found last week in a backpack discovered on a southern Arizona trail
>frequently used by illegal aliens. The diary, according to the sources,
>contained names and telephone numbers of at least two persons in Canada
>and Iran.
>
>The FBI has since taken custody of the diary, but refused comment on it
>yesterday.
-------------------------------------------
Kate Adams
-------------------------------------------
Gradual Student
Researcher
Cyclist
Activist
Friend
Wife
Mother
Daughter
Person
-------------------------------------------
"Keep Joy out of the reach of children.
If Joy gets in your eyes, flush thoroughly with water.
If Joy is swallowed, drink a glass of water to dilute"
- label for Joy dishwashing liquid
-------------------------------------------
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<Oily antinuke hat on><br>
<br>
Wow. The government is actually admitting that nuke plants are
terrorist targets and has called in the National Guard to secure a big
one. So much for the NRC's "Nuclear Renaissance" PR
campaign to convince us that nuclear power plants are safe and secure in
the new world order ... I'm shocked that Indian Point, within 50 miles of
NYC, has yet to receive such National Guard support given its recent
travails.<br>
<br>
If nuclear power risks can be kept low like its backers contend, the
nuclear industry needs to ante up and make it so. Meanwhile, all it
takes is an irradiated fuel storage facility and some shoulder-mounted
artillery to create a "dirty bomb" equivalent to a dozen or
more Hiroshima detonations. <br>
<br>
See <a href="http://www.nirs.org/" eudora="autourl">www.nirs.org</a> and
<a href="http://www.nukebusters.org/" eudora="autourl">www.nukebusters.</a><a href="http://www.nukebusters.org/" eudora="autourl">org</a>
for more information on nuclear security.<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>March 20, 2003<br>
<br>
<br>
Nation's biggest nuclear power plant a terrorist target<br>
By Bill Gertz and Jerry Seper<br>
THE WASHINGTON TIMES<br>
<br>
<br>
Terrorists have targeted the United States' largest nuclear power<br>
plant near Phoenix, and security officials are looking for Iraqi<br>
government "sleeper cells" that might carry out the attack, The<br>
Washington Times has learned.<br>
<br>
The threat to the Palo Verde nuclear plant, located in the Sonora<br>
desert 50 miles west of Phoenix, prompted the deployment of National<br>
Guard troops to the facility, according to U.S. officials.<br>
<br>
"We understand the sensitivity of this time, and we are very, very<br>
committed to protecting the safe operation of Palo Verde," Jim McDonald,<br>
a spokesman for the Arizona Public Service Co., which owns the reactor<br>
complex, said in an interview.<br>
<br>
Mr. McDonald declined to comment on specific intelligence indicating a<br>
threat to Palo Verde but noted that the troops were added Tuesday by<br>
order of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.<br>
<br>
One official said the report on the Palo Verde threat was contained in<br>
classified intelligence reports distributed to law- enforcement and<br>
security officials.<br>
<br>
A second U.S. official confirmed the report and said it was<br>
"uncorroborated threat information" that was sent to appropriate U.S.<br>
security authorities.<br>
<br>
Palo Verde is the largest nuclear power facility in the United States<br>
with three reactors that produced 30 billion kilowatt hours of<br>
electricity last year, Mr. McDonald said.<br>
<br>
The threat to attack the facility came from sensitive information<br>
indicating that the plant was targeted by Middle Eastern terrorists who<br>
were not further identified.<br>
<br>
The threat to Palo Verde comes as other intelligence reports indicate<br>
that Iraq has set up clandestine cells of operatives inside the United<br>
States or abroad that could be called on to conduct attacks or sabotage<br>
on behalf of Baghdad.<br>
<br>
For example, recent intelligence reports indicated that Iraqi diplomats<br>
in Cairo had conducted surveillance of the U.S. Embassy there, U.S.<br>
officials said.<br>
<br>
Officials did not say how many Iraqi cells are in the country. Baghdad<br>
has nearly 250 officials posted to the United States, most of them at its<br>
U.N. mission in New York.<br>
<br>
A Bush administration official said the State Department has decided to<br>
expel the three Iraqi diplomats posted to Baghdad's interest section in<br>
Washington. The expulsion order is expected as early as today.<br>
<br>
Only Iraqi officials engaged in improper intelligence or<br>
terrorism-related activity can be expelled from the U.N. mission.<br>
<br>
Meanwhile, the FBI warned law-enforcement officials yesterday to watch<br>
for suspicious activity by people driving Iraqi diplomatic license plates.<br>
<br>
"Suspicious activity involving vehicles bearing Iraqi diplomatic license<br>
plates should be reported immediately to the nearest Joint Terrorism Task<br>
Force," the FBI stated in a weekly intelligence bulletin.<br>
<br>
Codes used by cars driven by Iraqi diplomats in Washington bear the "TF,"<br>
and Iraqi U.N. diplomatic vehicles in New York have the "TS" code.<br>
<br>
Intelligence officials said the administration has urged governments<br>
around the world to expel Iraqi diplomats, and several have complied.<br>
<br>
Iraqi diplomats have been expelled in recent days from Czech Republic,<br>
Hungary, Romania, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Thailand and Australia.<br>
<br>
Two Iraqis also were expelled from the United States on March 5 after<br>
they were identified as intelligence officers, U.S. officials said.<br>
<br>
Justice Department officials yesterday confirmed that the FBI is looking<br>
to interview as many as 50,000 Iraqis now in the United States for<br>
information that could help U.S. forces. They said a war with Iraq is<br>
expected to dramatically increase the chances of terrorist attacks<br>
against U.S. targets in this country and abroad.<br>
<br>
One senior department official said that while most Iraqis in this<br>
country are not believed to be terrorists or associated with terrorist<br>
organizations, Muslim extremists within the Iraqi community who are<br>
affiliated with al Qaeda could use a war as the reason for an attack.<br>
<br>
Among the Iraqis being sought for questioning are 3,000 illegal<br>
immigrants said to be missing, amid U.S. concerns that some could be<br>
connected with groups or agents of the Iraqi regime.<br>
<br>
Earlier this week, Mexican authorities detained six Iraqi citizens as<br>
they sought to cross into the United States from Tijuana. The six,<br>
including one woman, claimed to be German citizens on their arrival at<br>
the Tijuana airport Tuesday night on a flight from Mexico City. They have<br>
been returned to Mexico City for questioning.<br>
<br>
It could not be learned if the detained Iraqis were connected to the plot<br>
to attack Palo Verde.<br>
<br>
Border Patrol authorities also confirmed that a diary written in Arabic<br>
was found last week in a backpack discovered on a southern Arizona trail<br>
frequently used by illegal aliens. The diary, according to the sources,<br>
contained names and telephone numbers of at least two persons in Canada<br>
and Iran.<br>
<br>
The FBI has since taken custody of the diary, but refused comment on it<br>
yesterday.</blockquote><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font face="Batang">-------------------------------------------<br>
Kate Adams<br>
-------------------------------------------<br>
Gradual Student<br>
Researcher<br>
Cyclist<br>
Activist<br>
Friend<br>
Wife<br>
Mother<br>
Daughter<br>
Person<br>
-------------------------------------------<br>
"Keep Joy out of the reach of children. <br>
If Joy gets in your eyes, flush thoroughly with water. <br>
If Joy is swallowed, drink a glass of water to dilute" <br>
- label for Joy dishwashing liquid<br>
-------------------------------------------</font></html>
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