Al-qaida Attack Planned In Thailand?

[rainman]

No, this isn't official news, but rather something I just read. You probably all noticed the news on CNN today about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks confessing at a US military hearing in Guantanamo Bay.

Well, CNN has an unclassified transcript of the hearing right now at:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/03/14/t...pt_ISN10024.pdf

I was reading through it and noticed that in his statement, he admits that

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many night clubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

The above statement, among admitting the 9/11 attack, the Bali night club bombings, etc. is on page 18 of the above .PDF transcript.

In my interpretation, this would mean that Al-Qaida planned attacks on night clubs most likely in Bangkok, like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

[Old Man River]

No, this isn't official news, but rather something I just read. You probably all noticed the news on CNN today about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks confessing at a US military hearing in Guantanamo Bay.

Well, CNN has an unclassified transcript of the hearing right now at:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/03/14/t...pt_ISN10024.pdf

I was reading through it and noticed that in his statement, he admits that

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many night clubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

The above statement, among admitting the 9/11 attack, the Bali night club bombings, etc. is on page 18 of the above .PDF transcript.

In my interpretation, this would mean that Al-Qaida planned attacks on night clubs most likely in Bangkok, like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

This was reported this morning on CNN. In August 2003, Hambali was arrested in Ayudhya and in Oct. 2003 Thailand was made a Major Non-Nato Ally of the US. Thaksin remained close with US intelligence and it can only be hoped that the CNS has continued this relationship.

[rainman]

Someone has been living in a cave.

[h90]

No, this isn't official news, but rather something I just read. You probably all noticed the news on CNN today about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks confessing at a US military hearing in Guantanamo Bay.

Well, CNN has an unclassified transcript of the hearing right now at:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/03/14/t...pt_ISN10024.pdf

I was reading through it and noticed that in his statement, he admits that

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many night clubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

The above statement, among admitting the 9/11 attack, the Bali night club bombings, etc. is on page 18 of the above .PDF transcript.

In my interpretation, this would mean that Al-Qaida planned attacks on night clubs most likely in Bangkok, like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

just forget that after some years tortured in Guantanamo Bay you would confess that you killed your own mother even if she is still alive.

With the right methods (DDR (GDR) made a lot research, but is seems also the USA isn't lazy on that) you can make anyone so crazy that he is sure that he did it even it is not true and he has detailed memories of all details.

So such propaganda news are not worth the bits in the wire....

[TAWP]

Someone has been living in a cave.

Bin Laden has.

[Old Man River]

Someone has been living in a cave.

I expected my comments would bring out the anti US brigade. You didn't fail me.

[Couthy]

just forget that after some years tortured in Guantanamo Bay you would confess that you killed your own mother even if she is still alive.

With the right methods (DDR (GDR) made a lot research, but is seems also the USA isn't lazy on that) you can make anyone so crazy that he is sure that he did it even it is not true and he has detailed memories of all details.

So such propaganda news are not worth the bits in the wire....

Absolutely - I remember the various types that I met when in the military. The Military Intelligence guys used to maintain that they could have anyone admitting to anything within 24 hours even if it was a complete fabrication and was behind closed doors.

Coercion, drugs, beatings..............ooohhhh, a whole host of things.

Nasty people indeed.

[ronw]

Absolutely - I remember the various types that I met when in the military. The Military Intelligence guys used to maintain that they could have anyone admitting to anything within 24 hours even if it was a complete fabrication and was behind closed doors.

Coercion, drugs, beatings..............ooohhhh, a whole host of things.

Nasty people indeed.

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE...?? Surely a contradiction in terms!

[Old Man River]

Back to the topic. Given this guy has admitted to every terrorist attack in the past several years, how credible do you think the planned attacks on Thailand were? How about now?

[malcolminthemiddle]

Yes, this is a topic of interest to us all, so please let's keep on topic .

[NovaBlue05]

This guy knows he's in jail for life. If I am him, I would confess to everything short of the JFK assasination in order to possibly take attention away from those on the outside.

Do I think AQ would love to bomb a farang entertainment venue in Thailand? Absolutely. I think he presented an AQ wish list and Im sure there are many more items on it that he is unaware of. None of those items is surprising.

[LaoPo]

From BBC news:

" 13. A planned attack on "many" nightclubs in Thailand targeting US and British citizens. "

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's [ 'confessed' , LP] '31 plots'

The alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, has admitted his role in them, and 30 other terror plots around the world, in a hearing at Guantanamo Bay, the Pentagon has said. According to partial transcript of the closed-door hearing, released by the US defence department, the suspect confessed to the following attacks or plots.

All 31 'confessed' targets on the list here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6452789.stm

Unclassified transcript of the Tribunal Hearing [26 pages] here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs..._transcript.pdf

It's interesting that all 8 names of the US Tribunal members (Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Army) are 'Redacted' and that there are no defence lawyers mentioned.

LaoPo

Edited March 15, 2007 by LaoPo

[think_too_mut]

This guy knows he's in jail for life. If I am him, I would confess to everything short of the JFK assasination in order to possibly take attention away from those on the outside.

Do I think AQ would love to bomb a farang entertainment venue in Thailand? Absolutely. I think he presented an AQ wish list and Im sure there are many more items on it that he is unaware of. None of those items is surprising.

Some people watch TV too mutt.

[lazeeboy]

This guy knows he's in jail for life. If I am him, I would confess to everything short of the JFK assasination in order to possibly take attention away from those on the outside.

Do I think AQ would love to bomb a farang entertainment venue in Thailand? Absolutely. I think he presented an AQ wish list and Im sure there are many more items on it that he is unaware of. None of those items is surprising.

Some people watch TV too mutt.

scare mungering is all this is bomb a club in thailand stop people going out enjoying them selves weather they bomb or not they are winning you cant stop these people dont give them air time or newspaper press and they cant scare people and it really wont be so bad if we dont know everything that is going on the price of a pint agallon of gas the price of eggs now thats worth worrying about

[ZhangYimou]

"just forget that after some years tortured in Guantanamo Bay you would confess that you killed your own mother even if she is still alive.

With the right methods (DDR (GDR) made a lot research, but is seems also the USA isn't lazy on that) you can make anyone so crazy that he is sure that he did it even it is not true and he has detailed memories of all details. So such propaganda news are not worth the bits in the wire...."

Do you have any facts to prove that he was tortured? Isnt stating your opinion as a fact a form of propaganda in its own?

The moment you mention the words "The United States" it seems to create a wave of knee jerk responses by guys intent that absolutely everything involving the US government is conspiracy ladden.

[h90]

"just forget that after some years tortured in Guantanamo Bay you would confess that you killed your own mother even if she is still alive.

With the right methods (DDR (GDR) made a lot research, but is seems also the USA isn't lazy on that) you can make anyone so crazy that he is sure that he did it even it is not true and he has detailed memories of all details. So such propaganda news are not worth the bits in the wire...."

Do you have any facts to prove that he was tortured? Isnt stating your opinion as a fact a form of propaganda in its own?

The moment you mention the words "The United States" it seems to create a wave of knee jerk responses by guys intent that absolutely everything involving the US government is conspiracy ladden.

Maybe you should read sometimes newspapers. Some ways of torture was official allowed in USA. There are tons of cases known, he is there against any laws ever made, the complete Guantanamo thing is as illegal as german KZs. Red Cross is not allowed to check it (why?).

But if you ask that way: No I have no proof that he was tortured, do you have any that he wasn't?

But thats not much Thailand related.

[Ulysses G.]

No, this isn't official news, but rather something I just read. You probably all noticed the news on CNN today about Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks confessing at a US military hearing in Guantanamo Bay.

Well, CNN has an unclassified transcript of the hearing right now at:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/03/14/t...pt_ISN10024.pdf

I was reading through it and noticed that in his statement, he admits that

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many night clubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

The above statement, among admitting the 9/11 attack, the Bali night club bombings, etc. is on page 18 of the above .PDF transcript.

In my interpretation, this would mean that Al-Qaida planned attacks on night clubs most likely in Bangkok, like Nana or Soi Cowboy.

just forget that after some years tortured in Guantanamo Bay you would confess that you killed your own mother even if she is still alive.

With the right methods (DDR (GDR) made a lot research, but is seems also the USA isn't lazy on that) you can make anyone so crazy that he is sure that he did it even it is not true and he has detailed memories of all details.

So such propaganda news are not worth the bits in the wire....

Yeah, but he still did it!

[ZhangYimou]

Less than fifty words before you compared the USA to Nazi Germany. Congrats sir.

[farangsay]

Yeah, but he still did it!

So why don't you tell 'em UG.

These trial things waste a lot of money , time and effort.

At least he was picked up in 2003 so by 2007 it's probably

safe to suck in one's beer gut and swagger in to Nana Plaza.

[JimsKnight]

Beatings of prisoners are not usually conducive to good info, but intimidating that they will be used and the like can work wonders.

I worked in an office not far from the CAC (conduct after capture) personnel. The CAC guys trained pilots, diplomats and SF guys in what to expect from the enemy if captured.

The first two would get the lower level 'training' to resist interrogation. But the SF guys would get 'level 3' (the highest) training. When we went inside the CAC lair on a familiarisation visit they told us they were forbidden in talking about the 'level 3' training for the SAS etc. But talked and demonstrated at length the level 1 and 2 course overviews. What I saw with my own eyes was a variety of interrogation techniques. Harsh, cynical, mocking, good and bad, columbo etc. These instructors were very good and outside the complex in the normal barracks area they were very normal, friendly, chatty types who always had time for a banter and a laugh.

But my friend who worked as a navy clerk who worked for them and he admitted very quietly (after we'd been badgering him for ages!) that 'level 3' does have beatings as a part of it for the SF guys (if they get caught by the enemy) in a training environment to show what would happen if they were caught.

It must be said though that the instructors teach there interrogators that beating a prisoner up should be be done to intimidate and 'condition' the man to the side of the interogator, rather than to terrify and for enjoyment. Excessive beatings will just have the man saying anything. Conditioning the prisoner to be cooperative and telling what he really knows is the key. Thats the Brit way as I see it, the American way may vary or may be the same...

During the Vietnam War one of the NVA interrogators explained that controlling the mind is the secret, controlling the body (by mindless attacks) is no good.

The GB folk will unlikely be getting mindlessly beaten up as the info will likely be rubbish and gibberish.

I reckon Al Quida will have there eye on Thailand for some time yet...

[jezchesters]

He is understood to have gone through torture, including "waterboarding" when the suspect being interrogated is strapped to a board and placed underwater. According to the New York Times, the use of harsh techniques was approved in his case by the justice department and the CIA.

From today's Guardian

[meom]

I reckon Al Quida will have there eye on Thailand for some time yet...

These people need R&R as well and Bangkok seemed to be very popular over the years so why should they shit on their own doorstep?

[jbowman1993]

This was reported this morning on CNN. In August 2003, Hambali was arrested in Ayudhya and in Oct. 2003 Thailand was made a Major Non-Nato Ally of the US. Thaksin remained close with US intelligence and it can only be hoped that the CNS has continued this relationship.

Why would Thailand want to remain close to something that doesn't exist?

[pampal]

Guantanamo is inhumane, but what do you expect from a gov't that routinely manufactures intelligence and disregards it's own laws as pertaining to habeas corpus, torture and due process among other transgressions.

Reason for edit: typo

Edited March 15, 2007 by pampal

[rainman]

Back to the topic, please

What I also find a bit strange about the transcript released, is that the US military "redacted" one of the acts that he was confessing. Actually number 3 on that list.

1. I was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center Operation.

2. I was responsible for the 9/11 Operation, from A to Z.

3. [REDACTED]

4. I was responsible for the Shoe Bomber Operation to down two America airplanes

etc. etc.

Why would they remove the 3rd act he confessed from the list? And assuming its number 3 on the list, its quite important, too ...

[chownah]

I sure hope that #3 wasn't a plan to bomb all the rice paddies in Thailand...if so I'm in trouble!!!

Chownah

[jezchesters]

Back to the topic, please

What I also find a bit strange about the transcript released, is that the US military "redacted" one of the acts that he was confessing. Actually number 3 on that list.

1. I was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center Operation.

2. I was responsible for the 9/11 Operation, from A to Z.

3. [REDACTED]

4. I was responsible for the Shoe Bomber Operation to down two America airplanes

etc. etc.

Why would they remove the 3rd act he confessed from the list? And assuming its number 3 on the list, its quite important, too ...

I think that number 3 was confessing to personally carrying out the beheading of the Wall St Journal journalist - not 100% sure though...

[rainman]

I sure hope that #3 wasn't a plan to bomb all the rice paddies in Thailand...if so I'm in trouble!!!

Chownah

There's probably a 50% chance that it was not the rice paddies

Seriously, what concerns me is the removal of this "item number 3" from the list of confessions. Obviously to nail this guy, they would want as much evidence against him as possible. So why censor this to the public? Because its an act that has happened but the world shouldn't know Al-Qaeda did it? Or because it hasn't happened yet and the world shouldn't know? Concerning in whatever way you look at it ...

[rainman]

I think that number 3 was confessing to personally carrying out the beheading of the Wall St Journal journalist - not 100% sure though...

You could be right ..but why would they remove it.

[h90]

I sure hope that #3 wasn't a plan to bomb all the rice paddies in Thailand...if so I'm in trouble!!!

Chownah

Maybe you can get an insurance against it, than you make holidays in iceland (too cold for terrorists) and when you come back you are a rich man.