The Latest from National Terror Alert Response Center

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• Al Qaeda’s Training Changes In Response To US
  Strikes
  
  
• Suspect ID Possible In REI Store Hazmat
  Incident
  
  
• Obama Participates in Terror Preparedness
  Test

Al Qaeda’s Training Changes In Response To US Strikes Posted: 31 Jul 2009 10:15 AM PDT The interrogations of two accused Westerners who say they trained and fought with al Qaeda in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region provide an inside view of the terror group’s organizational structures. Arguably, they shed more light on the state of al Qaeda than any material previously released into the public domain. The documents reveal training programs and the protective measures the terrorist organization has taken against increasingly effective U.S. missile strikes. Bryant Vinas a U.S. citizen who says he traveled to Pakistan in September 2007 to fight against Americans in Afghanistan — stated that between March and July 2008 he attended three al Qaeda training courses, which focused on weapons, explosives, and rocket-based or -propelled weaponry. During these classes, attended by 10-20 recruits, Vinas was taught how to handle a large variety of weapons and explosives, some of them of military grade sophistication, according to his account. Read how al Qaeda is now operating Vinas stated he became familiar with seeing, smelling and touching different explosives such as TNT, as well as plastic explosives such as RDX, and Semtex, C3 and C4 — the explosive U.S. authorities have stated was used in al Qaeda’s attack on the USS Cole in 2000. Vinas also learned how to make vests for suicide bombers. Read Full Article This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

Suspect ID Possible In REI Store Hazmat Incident Posted: 31 Jul 2009 10:05 AM PDT Berkeley Calif. – Authorities may have the identity of an individual who left a hazardous material in a local REI store, according to the Berkeley Fire Department. Berkeley Deputy Fire Chief Gil Dong said the person’s identity might be known because that individual made a purchase at the store. Berkeley police could not be reached for comment Thursday. Dong also said the fire department believes the hazardous substance, which sent five people to the hospital complaining of respiratory problems, was some sort of pepper spray. It was released after an employee picked a backpack up off the floor that had a bottle inside. The employee opened the bottle, and several people immediately complained of respiratory problems and were taken to local hospitals. Dong said Berkeley police have the name of the person who the fire department believes left the backpack. Four of the victims were treated at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and released that night, according to spokeswoman Carolyn Kemp, and the fifth went to Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. Read Full Article Original Story This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

Obama Participates in Terror Preparedness Test Posted: 31 Jul 2009 09:32 AM PDT Health care reform was put aside for a time today as President Obama headed to the White House Situation Room to oversee federal efforts to prevent a terror attack on the United States. It was part of an exercise for officials at the highest level of the U.S. government, including members of the National Security and Homeland Security Councils. What made “National Level Exercise 2009″ different from previous training events, is that it focused “exclusively” on preventing a terror attack – as opposed to responding to and recovering from one. A statement from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, says today’s exercise, part of a week-long program, was mandated by Congress to give top officials realistic experience in handling the threat of a catastrophic crisis. Today’s scenario according to FEMA, began with a terrorist event outside the U.S. It then became the responsibility of Mr. Obama and other top American officials to thwart efforts by the terrorists to enter the U.S. and carry out additional attacks. Aside from federal departments and agencies, state and local authorities were taking part in the exercise in addition to officials from Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Read the full article This story comes to us via Homeland Security - National Terror Alert. National Terror Alert is America's trusted source for homeland security news and information. Share this post

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