Terrorism Intel

Page created December 01, 2004

ED NOTE:  Read the article by Ted Gunderson below.  Ted just might be right about this.

Feds search for Middle Eastern man who tried to buy same explosive McVeigh used
By John Solomon, Associated Press, 1/5/2005 13:39

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/005/wash/Feds_search_for_Middle_Eastern:.shtml

WASHINGTON (AP) Federal authorities searched Wednesday for a man using a Middle Eastern name and possible bogus construction credentials to try to purchase large quantities of the same explosive used by Timothy McVeigh to blow up the Oklahoma City federal building.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said there is no indication yet that terrorism is involved, but the agency is still checking information that came from a company in Canada that reported the attempted purchase as suspicious.

ATF is asking the fertilizer and explosives industries to help locate the man and to report any suspicious inquiries for the fertilizer chemical ammonium nitrate, which is used to make so-called fertilizer bombs.

''We're still running down leads. But we thought it would be prudent putting out an advisory to the fertilizer industry,'' said Tom Mangin, an ATF agent in Phoenix, where the investigation is centered.

The suspect also made several Internet email inquiries to vendors seeking to buy between 500 to 1,000 metric tons of the explosive a quantity larger than McVeigh used to bomb the Oklahoma City federal building in April 1995 but smaller than amounts companies typically might buy in bulk for construction, explosives or farm work.

The International Society of Explosives Engineers, based in Cleveland, sent an e-mail Wednesday alerting its members and asking them to call ATF in Phoenix to report any suspicious activity.

''ATF has recently been made aware of a suspicious attempt by an individual to purchase mass quantities of ammonium nitrate, specifically between 500 to 1,000 metric tons,'' the alert said. ''This individual, who uses a Middle Eastern name, purports to be a representative of a construction corporation. However, indications are that this is most likely false.

''The individual has previously made contact with other industry members via e-mail seeking the large amounts of 'fertilizer grade' ammonium nitrate,'' the alert said.

Ammonium nitrate has been linked to several recent terror plots.

Less than a year ago, Homeland Security officials put out a warning about unsubstantiated intelligence suggesting that al-Qaida or like terrorists might try to smuggle ammonium nitrate bombs aboard public transportation venues such as trains, subways or buses.

Jordanian authorities alleged in an indictment last summer that Iraqi insurgency leader Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, backed by al-Qaida, financed a plot for suicide bombers armed with chemicals for an ammonium nitrate bomb to try to attack the country's intelligence agency building.

And in Chicago, a disgruntled ex-con was charged with plotting to blow up the federal courthouse in downtown after he was arrested during a sting with a pickup truck containing 1,500 pounds of fertilizer he thought was ammonium nitrate. Prosecutors allege he planned to sell the chemical to terrorists.

 Ted L. Gunderson and Associates

FBI Senior Special Agent In Charge (Ret.)

1155 E. Twain Avenue, Suite 108-259

Las Vegas, Nevada 89109

Telephone: 702/791-5195  FAX: 702/696-1004

Private Investigator, California License #I2878

November 14, 2004

To Whom It May Concern:

I am forwarding my memo, dated 11/14/04, captioned "Could This Be The Terrorists' Next Weapon?" that contains the reported formula for the "cloud bomb" (undated captioned "Potential Use of Crop Dusters as Terrorist Delivery Systems for Fuel-Air Type Bombs"; the news article on the stolen crop-dusting plane, dated 11/8/04, captioned "TSA Raises Alert Over Stolen Crop-Duster" and Las Vegas Review Journal, 9/15/04, concerning possible date of next terrorist attack. The plane mentioned in the above article, "TSA Raises Alert Over Stolen Crop-Duster," was stolen by three persons who appeared to be Mexicans by overpowering a night watchman [maybe Arabs – see my 11/14/04 memo]).  The memo containing the formula was written by a crop-dusting pilot from South Dakota.  He was curious about the situation because a suspect was noted at his business site where a crop-dusting plane is located on 9/13/04.  The suspect was taking pictures, so the source called the sheriff when confronted, the suspect. (sic) The suspect was driving a rental car from Minneapolis but said he was from San Diego, California.  He used the name Sam Sun, a Korean name. (I have been told by reliable sources that some Arab terrorist activity has been planned in a neighborhood known as Sam Sun Dong, Seoul, South Korea.)  After the suspect was released by the sheriff, he returned to San Diego, contacted Sheriff Doug DeBoer of Hand County, South Dakota, and told the sheriff he had arrived back in San Diego safely.  He did this by e-mail.  My confidential source says the suspect was definitely an Arab.  Source has worked in the Middle East and claims he knows an Arab when he sees one.

On 11/15/04, Sheriff DeBoer advised me that when he confronted this individual who he thought was an Oriental, the suspect told him he was from San Diego, had rented a car in Minneapolis and was in South Dakota collecting "butterflies." Suspect said he was "meandering around" in North and South Dakota.  He had a GPS on the dashboard of the rented car. The sheriff said he had taken a picture of a crop-dusting airplane, admitted he had been to Brookings, South Dakota, and to North Dakota.  The sheriff took his picture and fingerprinted him.  The sheriff alerted the FBI about the situation; the FBI listened to the information.  This incident occurred on 9/13/04, but there has been no follow-up with the sheriff by the FBI.  The FBI has not asked for Sun's photo or fingerprints.

The confidential source advised that in addition to alerting the sheriff of the incident on 9/13/04, he contacted the FBI in Rapid City, South Dakota.  Even though this occurred two months ago, there has been no follow-up with the source by the FBI.  In fact, the FBI refused to return source's phone calls.  Since there was no follow-up with the source by the FBI, the source's brother called the FBI in Rapid City, South Dakota, and was told by FBI Agent William Grody that an FBI representative contacted the confidential source, obtained details concerning the "cloud bomb" theory and submitted it to Washington, DC. Source denies that this happened, and again, claims there was no follow-up by the FBI.

On 11/15/04, I contacted Homeland Security, Las Vegas, Nevada, and was referred to Homeland Security, Washington, DC, 202-282-8000.  John Flack, at this number, recommended I provide this information to the FBI.  Even though the FBI has already been contacted by the source and furnished the details set forth above, I will also send the contents of this package to the FBI via certified mail.

The attached Las Vegas Review Journal, 9/15/04, states the most likely time for the next terrorist attack according to the 9/11 Presidential Commission is as soon as the President takes office - the reason, no one will be leading our security forces.  They state, "We must recognize that the time of transition is a time of great vulnerability for our country."

Sincerely,

Ted L. Gunderson

COULD THIS BE THE TERRORISTS' NEXT WEAPON ?

On September 8, 2004, reliable sources available to Ted L. Gunderson, FBI Senior Special Agent in Charge (ret.) of the FBI Los Angeles Division, advised they have developed information concerning the weapon that will probably be used by Arab terrorists against the United States in the next attack.  The FBI subsequently became aware of this and told Gunderson's sources they should not make the information available to the public.  These sources furnished this information to Gunderson concerning this weapon prior to the large explosion that occurred in North Korea on September 9, 2004, the 56th anniversary of the founding of North Korea.

The YONHAP South Korea news agency citing a source in Beijing said the explosion occurred in Yanggang province near the Chinese/North Korean border at 11:00 am  on September 9, 2004, and the mushroom-shaped cloud was 3.5 to 4 kilometers (2.1 to 2.5 miles) in diameter.  It left a crater big enough to be seen by satellite.  According to news sources the large cloud appeared over North Korea and was followed by a mammoth explosion that leveled the top of a mountain.

On September 12, 2004, a US government spokesperson stated on CNN television news that the explosion "was no big deal."  Gunderson's sources believe the North Korean explosion was a dress rehearsal for a future attack on the United States. Al Qaida sources have stated that the next terrorist attack on America will be more devastating than the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks.

Gunderson's confidential sources state there has been an unusual interest by Arab groups in crop dusting and crop-dusting airplanes in the United States during the last several years, with greater emphasis in recent months.  There have recently been a number of sightings of Arabs at various crop-dusting locations in the United States, particularly in the Mid West.  Some have been confronted by local law enforcement.

Former US Customs Senior Agent John Carman, San Diego, California, informed Gunderson on September 15, 2004, that thousands of Arabs have come across the US-Mexico Border in recent months posing as Mexicans.  Some allegedly are crop-dusting pilots with previous military service in Iraq and Iran.  Carman has knowledge of one Arab who, among others, entered the US with a special visa provide by the US Department of Agriculture.  This program by the US Department of Agriculture was established to allow foreign crop-dusting pilots to enter the US because of a shortage of crop-dusting pilots in the US.  Carman has no knowledge as to possible screening of the foreign pilots by the US government. The Arab, known to Carman who entered the US through this program, married an American, moved to New Jersey, and is presently learning to fly airplanes.

Gunderson's confidential sources say they believe the bomb in North Korea was a fuel-air explosion created by an airplane that spreads a cloud with a liquid product, followed by a chemical that ignites the cloud.  Although the technology is known and was developed by Gunderson's sources (sic), they refused to furnish the information to Gunderson upon instructions from the FBI, and according to the FBI, in the interest of national security. Gunderson's sources describe this bomb as a "poor man's bomb" because it can be concocted from "household" products. Gunderson later learned from another source that the technique involves an airplane forming a cloud by spraying diesel fuel and then igniting it with an explosive chemical delivered by parachute or flare gun.  The cloud is formed (sprayed) at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

New Jersey appears to be an area of concentration by the Arab terrorists, particularly Patterson, New Jersey.   Gunderson has been told there is a large concentration of Arabs in Patterson.  When 9/11 occurred, Arabs reportedly were celebrating in the streets of Patterson because of the success of the World Trade Center attacks.

On April 26, 2004, NBC News, Channel 4, New York City, announced the theft of a toxic chemical, rheocrete CNI, from a New Jersey facility on that date.  A missing tanker truck was stolen earlier in New Jersey with major ingredients for a dirty bomb, specifically ammonium nitrate.  Police say the two incidents could be connected.  By using these chemicals, terrorists could end up with a bomb that features a "sticky cloud" which effectively carries radioactive particles.  The missing New Jersey nine thousand (9,000) gallon tanker truck was reported stolen on April 8, 2004, from a yard in Pennsauken, New Jersey. On April 27, 2004, ABC News, Channel 6, Philadelphia, reported that thirty-three hundred (3,300) gallons of rheocrete CNI were taken from the New Jersey facility.  Also of interest, two propane tanker trucks were stolen from a gas company in San Antonio, Texas, over the Memorial Holiday, May 2004, each carrying thousands of gallons of propane. The New Jersey and Texas trucks are still missing.

A timeline up to the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attacks, places key terrorists in San Diego, California, and in Patterson, New Jersey.  According to a Washington Post article, dated June 17, 2004, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a veteran anti-American terrorist, initially approached Osama bin Laden in 1996 with the proposal to blend two obsessions, the destruction of the World Trade Center and exploding airplanes.  In early 1996, bin Laden summoned Mohammed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, to discuss using aircraft as weapons.  They developed a list of targets, which included the White House, Pentagon, Capitol and World Trade Center.  Bin Laden then provided Mohammed with four suicide operatives, including Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi.

Sometime during 2000

Terrorist Hani Hanjour arrives at the al Qaida camp in Afghanistan and is identified as a pilot and sent to Mohammed to be included in the plot.

January 15, 2000

Al Mihdhar and al-Hazmi enter the United States.

February 5, 2000

Al-Hazmi and Mihdhar move to San Diego, California, to learn English and enroll in flight training schools.

September 25, 2000

Hanjour obtains a US student visa then travels to United Arab Emirates to receive funds.

July 4, 2001

Al-Mihdhar reenters the US and joins Hanjour and al-Hazmi in Patterson, New Jersey.

September 11, 2001

Hanjour is reported to be the pilot of flight 77 that reportedly crashed into the Pentagon.

On January 3, 2003, Gunderson interviewed former US intelligence agent Michael Riconosciuto who has developed confidential sources in the al Qaida terrorist organization (also known as The Base). Riconosciuto told Gunderson that on March 20, 2001, he informed FBI Special Agent Keith Cutri, Williamsport, PA, that the leader of the al Qaida organization in the United states who was helping to plan terrorist attacks in the US was Yahia Farag, a Patterson, New Jersey, electrical contractor who he later learned fled to Egypt.

Riconosciuto told Special Agent Cutri about an al Qaida false-identification ring operating out of Montreal, Canada, and Patterson, New Jersey.  Riconosciuto also furnished Special Agent Cutri other details about al Qaida organizations, including information about false-identification used by the terrorists, and that, if properly investigated, may have prevented the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks.

According to Riconosciuto, Special Agent Cutri returned and re-interviewed Riconosciuto two days after 9/11, on September 13, 2001.  At that time, Cutri reportedly stated to Riconosciuto that the FBI took no action on the information Riconosciuto furnished him on March 20, 2001, and Special Agent Cutri accused Riconosciuto of being a hoax.  Later, in a series of letters, spanning a period of more than one and one-half years, that went between Gunderson, United States Senator George Allen (R- Virginia) and the FBI, the FBI confirmed their interview of Riconosciuto on March 20, 2001, claimed they did initiate an investigation based on the information furnished by Riconosciuto to Special Agent Cutri on that date, that Riconosciuto has no credibility, and the information Riconosciuto furnished was investigated with negative results.  Gunderson has a copy of a certified date-stamped letter by Riconosciuto to his attorney date February 5, 2001, wherein he advises the attorney of the forthcoming attacks.  This letter documents that Riconosciuto had this information prior to September 11, 2001.

In January 2003, Gunderson furnished the information received from Riconosciuto in report form to various key members of the Executive Branch of the government, including the White House, and to more than 150 members of the U S Congress and to Mr. Lee Hamilton, Co-Chairman of the President's Commission to Investigate the 9/11 World Trade Center bombings.  Gunderson also furnished his report to the Associated Press, Washington Post, and the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, all of whom refused to print the story even though the report is documented with certified and dated postal stamps of Riconosciuto's letters to his attorney on February 5, 2001, wherein Riconosciuto announced the forthcoming terrorist attacks.  The Associated Press representative Mr. Patrick Howe, Minneapolis, Minnesota, told Gunderson he could not print the story because it is "too big."

Instead of an expected and responsible interview of Gunderson and Riconosciuto, Gunderson has been the subject of constant harassment. For more than a year, Gunderson has been under surveillance on the street and in his home by a hidden technical device in his cable television set (this is documented through one of Gunderson's CIA sources - and this technique is used to spy on hundreds of thousands of Americans by the government); his car and home have repeatedly been broken into. In Los Angeles, his apartment windows were shot out on October 15, 2003; an apparent attempt was made on his life on October 24, 2003. He has received dozens of threatening phone calls. He has been the target of an FBI disinformation program on the Internet which is spearheaded by FBI informant Stewart Webb of Independence, MO (Gunderson has documentation clearly showing that Webb is an informant). His car was stolen on October 13, 2004, and he has received threatening letters, one mailed from New Hampshire.  Regarding the threatening phone calls, Gunderson furnished the recordings of the calls to Detective Pat Barron, LAPD, who placed a telephone "trap" on Gunderson's line (a police "trap" identifies the phone number of the person making the call). Gunderson subsequently called Detective Barron who claimed he did not recall meeting Gunderson and stated a "trap" was never placed on Gunderson's telephone line.  Gunderson filed a complaint with Internal Affairs, LAPD.  Internal Affairs confirmed receipt of the complaint and furnished Gunderson with the LAPD file number for the Internal Affairs investigation (CF-04-0958). By letter, dated May 5, 2004, Captain Michael P. Downing, LAPD, stated a telephone "trap" was never placed on Gunderson's telephone line and the Internal Affairs division of the LAPD found no misconduct on the part of Detective Barron or others.

Gunderson, in connection with a lawsuit involving one of Gunderson's other cases, subpoenaed the LAPD Internal Affairs investigation on August 27, 2004.  Gunderson also subpoenaed the FBI, who was furnished the results of the telephone "trap" by the LAPD.  Gunderson highlighted the LAPD Internal Affairs file number on the subpoena to the LAPD.  The LAPD responded to Gunderson by claiming there was no record of Gunderson in the LAPD files.  The FBI refused to furnish the information from their files to Gunderson.

Gunderson's confidential sources state that dozens of simultaneous 'raids' on American cities by crop-dusting, or other, planes using the "cloud bomb" technique, would destroy the United States overnight and martial law would, most likely, be declared immediately.

Even though Gunderson was warned not to go public with information concerning possible "cloud bombs," Gunderson is ignoring this demand in hopes of preventing a "coverup" by government officials.  Gunderson cites the fact that the FBI apparently ignored the information furnished to them by Riconosciuto, and also ignored a law suit that was recently filed by US Senator Bob Dole's former security advisor, Stanley Hilton, claiming that the President, himself, gave the orders to proceed with the 9/11 World Trade Center attack.  Also, according to Riconosciuto, the FBI interviewed one of Riconosciuto's al Qaida sources furnished to them by Riconosciuto, who was willing to cooperate with the US government.  The FBI interviewed him after 9/11, threatened him with prosecution and deported him.  According to Riconosciuto, this source and his family have disappeared, and were probably executed.

An additional concern to Gunderson is the fact that on October 28, 1993, the New York Times reported the FBI not only knew in advance about the February 26, 1993, car bombing of the World Trade Center, the FBI furnished the ingredients for the bomb.  This was revealed during the trial of the terrorists.  (Based on this information, Gunderson does not understand why the US Congressional Committee did not investigate the 1993 bombing.)

On October 23, 2004, Gunderson's confidential source who first told the FBI about the "cloud bomb" advised that initially the FBI field agents were receptive to investigating this matter but they are now ignoring him and refuse to return phone calls.

Gunderson advises that because hundreds of thousands of American lives are at stake, the above information must be made available to the public and particularly persons involved with crop dusting so that they can protect their airplanes and facilities. Gunderson believes that if information about the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks had been made public prior to the attacks, it may have prevented the attacks from occurring.