Feds Warn Of Terror Plot Against NYC Subways

[Nostalgia]

Homeland Security: Expect Larger Police Presence In NYC And In Major Cities Across U.S. During Holidays

NYPD Commissioner Kelly: We Are Preparing For Anything

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) ― Federal authorities are warning police of a possible terror plot against the New York City subway and train systems during the holiday season, prompting local officials to beef up security at stations.

An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press says the FBI has received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al-Qaida terrorists in late September may have discussed attacking the subway system.

A person briefed on the matter, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the intelligence-gathering work, said the threat may also be directed at the passenger rail lines running through New York, such as Amtrak and the Long Island Rail Road, which are particularly busy with Thanksgiving holiday travelers.

A U.S. counterterror official, also speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to do so publicly, said senior government officials have been briefed because the FBI very recently received credible information about possible attacks over the holiday season, and authorities are particularly concerned about this long holiday weekend.

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko confirmed only that his agency and the Homeland Security Department issued a bulletin Tuesday night to state and local authorities, and the information is being reviewed.

Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said the warning was issued as a routine matter, but added that there may be an increased police presence in New York and other large cities.

The internal bulletin says al-Qaida terrorists "in late September may have discussed targeting transit systems in and around New York City. These discussions reportedly involved the use of suicide bombers or explosives placed on subway/passenger rail systems," according to the document.

"We have no specific details to confirm that this plot has developed beyond aspirational planning, but we are issuing this warning out of concern that such an attack could possibly be conducted during the forthcoming holiday season," according to the warning dated Tuesday.

The Big Apple's tightly packed passenger trains and subway cars have long been a source of concern for cops -- and a tempting target for would-be terrorists -- but there is often disagreement as to how seriously authorities should take specific intelligence reports.

A Pakistani immigrant was arrested and convicted for a scheme to blow up the subway station at Herald Square in 2004. There was also a planned cyanide attack on the subways by al-Qaida operatives that authorities say was called off in 2002; another aborted al-Qaida plot to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge in 2003; and a plot to bomb underwater train tunnels to flood lower Manhattan, which was broken up in 2006 by several arrests overseas.

Three years ago, authorities weighed reports that bombers might try to use baby strollers to bring explosives into city trains. Many security officials later concluded that was a false alarm.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said they have received an unsubstantiated report and as a result have "deployed additional resources in the mass transit system."

While federal agencies regularly issue all sorts of advisory warnings, the language of this one is particularly blunt.

Intelligence and homeland security officials are working with local authorities to try to corroborate the information "and will continue to investigate every possible lead," the memo says.

Rep. Peter King, the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, said authorities "have very real specifics as to who it is and where the conversation took place and who conducted it."

"It certainly involves suicide bombing attacks on the mass transit system in and around New York and it's plausible, but there's no evidence yet that it's in the process of being carried out," King said.

Knocke, the DHS spokesman, said the warning was issued "out of an abundance of caution going into this holiday season."

No changes are being made to the nation's threat level, or for transit systems at this time, he said.

"However, transit passengers in larger metropolitan areas like New York may see an increased security presence in the coming days," Knocke said.

The increased personnel could include uniformed and plainclothes "behavior detection" officers, federal air marshals, canine teams, and security inspectors, Knocke said.

http://wcbstv.com/breakingnewsalerts....2.874410.html

[Thinking Man's Idiot]

It's just a thought, but this speculation that is fed to us daily is the greatest form of mind control there is. It can never be proved; just like the bloke painting all the lamp-posts green to keep the lions away....it works brilliantly. This is to fill our minds with their war instead of.... what? Instead of turning our attentions to ourselves and what we really can do something about... good old class warfare and economics. It's classic Orwell.

No War but the Class War...!

[Nostalgia]

Originally Posted by Thinking Man's Idiot

It's just a thought, but this speculation that is fed to us daily is the greatest form of mind control there is. It can never be proved; just like the bloke painting all the lamp-posts green to keep the lions away....it works brilliantly. This is to fill our minds with their war instead of.... what? Instead of turning our attentions to ourselves and what we really can do something about... good old class warfare and economics. It's classic Orwell.

No War but the Class War...!

Psychological operations (psych-ops or psy-ops) refer to the planned use of psychological knowledge to influence the behavior of groups, organizations or populations. Although associated with guerilla warfare, rebellion and subversion; many marketing and political strategies include psych-ops techniques ... including office politics and social engineering.

An organization can protect itself from psych-ops manipulation by recognizing the warning signs, defusing the tactics and convincing members to commit to a common mission.

The methodologies developed to prevent psych-ops provides a knowledge base for:

* leaders who wish to protect the interests of an organization
* executives considering major organizational change
* managers who wish to comprehend political realities
* people who wish to recognize organizational strategies

"Persuasive efforts are labeled propaganda when someone judges that the action which is the goal of the persuasive effort will be advantageous to the persuader but not in the best interests of the persuadee (...) We can study propaganda as we can study good and evil. We don't make the judgments but we can study the phenomena so judged."
-- Roger Brown, Words and Things (1958)
Psychological Warfare
1. military warfare by propaganda: tactics that use propaganda to try to demoralize an enemy in war, usually including civilian populations
2. nonmilitary psychological undermining: the use of psychological tactics to disconcert and disadvantage an opponent in an everyday or a business context, for example, causing fear or anxiety
(Microsoft Encarta 2003.)

History of Psych-Ops
Psychological operations go back to at least the ancient Greek wars and the fall of Troy (the Trojan Horse operation continues to affect computer operations). More recently, the American Office of War Information disseminated propaganda in the USA and abroad, and the American Office of Strategic Service (OSS) provided psychological operations against perceived or potential enemies. Other countries followed their lead.

Peacetime applications of psych-ops are perhaps most evident in political election campaigns. Common techniques used to influence public attitude and opinion are:

* using radio and television to distort events
* manufacturing "news" in staged events
* recruiting and using opinion leaders and media figures
* adjusting appeals to group interests (e.g. trade unions)

Large commercial interests, such as steel, oil, logging and railroad companies initiate extensive psych-ops to develop public support for legislation favorable to their interests. Similarly, civil rights and other movements may use low-budget psychological operations - for example protest marches, assemblies, picketing and sit-ins - often with much less expertise.

Psychological operations have maximum effect with people who:

* have little education
* accept information uncritically
* benefit from the proposed change
* want to believe the propaganda
* do not wish to understand their own motivations

Psychological operations are also used by anti-nuclear groups, women’s rights activists, pro-abortion and anti-abortion groups, gun-control lobbies, supporters of capital punishment, senior citizen groups, and small political organizations. Recent advances of electronic media (e.g. internet and cell phones) greatly expand the influence of psych-ops efforts.

Psych-Ops Missions
Psychological operations are designed to change the attitudes, and activities of an organization. A common psych-ops goal is to use propaganda to provide multiple opportunities for members of an organization to identify with new or changed missions. Such organizational missions may include takeovers, mergers, changes of ownership etc

The identification with a mission can be divided into systemic steps applying the hierarchy of logical types described by Dr Gregory Bateson in "Logical Categories of Learning and Communicating" (Steps to an Ecology of Mind, 1972). Further applications are inherent in the research of Dr Clare Graves, in his studies of the evolution of organizational behavior.

Leadership
Recruit influential people into a hierarchy with offers of power, security and material rewards. (Such recruits may test and attempt to exploit the existing leadership hierarchy.)

Infiltration
Find people who provide information that can be used during a Psych-Ops campaign. Informants can be found or planted in critical groups, or where resistance may be anticipated. (Such "spies" and "moles" are heroes of many novels and movies.)

Propaganda
Create effective propaganda that changes attitudes This is achieved if people identify with a new or changed mission. Propaganda is used to extend this identification to increase popular support for a mission and provide points of convergence for transformative action.
The Institute for Propaganda Analysis (IPA) was created in 1937 to alert the public to political propaganda. The IPA identified seven basic propaganda tricks: Name-Calling, Glittering Generalities, Transfers, Testimonials, Plain Folks, Card Stacking, and Band Wagon. According to Combs and Nimmo (1993), "these seven devices have been repeated so frequently in lectures, articles and textbooks ever since that they have become ... synonymous with the practice and analysis of propaganda."

Propaganda Teams
Form Propaganda Teams by selecting and training persuasive, motivated people, who move within an organization and encourage people to support the organizational mission. Trained Propaganda Teams can provide a multi-stage persuasion program that integrates strategic planning with organizational attitudes. Propaganda Teams can also provide feedback about rumors and attitude changes. This role is fulfilled by secret police in authoritarian societies.

Covert Members
Recruit established professionals - doctors, lawyers, managers, etc, to participate covertly. Their authority influences members of an organization towards a changed mission.

Bribery
In some cultures, bribing officials is a normal, accepted way to get things done. In the West, many people are bribed - although the risks are high and exposure can be damaging. Western governments and major corporations often offer bribes publicly. Publicized bribery is commonplace and difficult to attack.

Mass Meetings
Mass meetings may be controlled through operatives placed or recruited in organizations such as trade unions, groups or professional associations. Operatives can prepare a mental attitude to be transformed into votes. A small focused group can provide an impression of a wide popular backing and motivate behavior change in thousands of people.

Convergence
If infiltration, propaganda, covert influence and controlled meetings are developed parallel to strategic operations (e.g. press releases, lawsuits and stock market moves), an order for fusion (coordinated completion of planned actions) completes a psych-ops mission.

[ Prevent Coercive Persuasion . Exit Coaching ]

Defense against Psych-Ops

Protect your organization from psych-ops manipulation, influence and control.

* meaningful adult education
* recognize and dissolve persuasion
* change organizational missions
* support new or changed missions
* develop trust between stakeholders
* socio-political leadership


Convince for Commitment

Influence people with suggestion, fear or marketing provides short term agreement. Convince people with integrity provides long-term commitment towards common goals.

This workshop provides a methodology for convincing people - in ordinary conversation - to a cooperative effort or mission, while defusing attacks, delays and persuasion.

http://www.systemiccoaching.com/psych-ops.htm

[Thinking Man's Idiot]

Yeah! That's what I meant!

[Nostalgia]

Originally Posted by Thinking Man's Idiot

Yeah! That's what I meant!

I thought so.
BTW, that story was released around 10am US/Eastern time, almost 3 hours before the attacks in Mumbai, which happened around about 11pm Mumbai time.
Those poor New Yorkers must have been shitting themselves.

Bush administration False Terror Alerts (part one)

Video

Bush administration False Terror Alerts (part two)

Video

[Thinking Man's Idiot]

...but it doesn't have to terror alerts. Tomorrows news script for the R4 'Today' prog was written yesterday! Emily Maitlass, Peter Mandelson and George Osborne OK'd it