> 10/26/2007: Commentary: al Qaeda Connection to Current Southern
> California Fires:
>
> Official: Arson Behind Santiago Fire:
>
> CA Fires Exclusive--Federal Intelligence Source: "Look to al Qaeda and
> the Islamic enemy in the U.S." How about that! This is something I
> have written about for years and yet the public has not been informed
> of the connection, that is till now........at the end of this article
> you will see why I have no doubt who and what is behind these fires.
>
> Law enforcement officials will agree that arson is the most difficult
> of crimes to "prove," especially in terms of identifying the
> perpetrator(s). The fires this week in Southern California have cost
> more than $1 billion in lost property and displaced more than a
> million people, the greatest evacuation California has ever seen. The
> origin of the massive Santiago Canyon Fire alone has caused an
> estimated $10 million in damage, burning about 20,000 acres so far and
> damaging or destroying about 30 structures. That cause of that fire
> has been officially declared arson, according to Federal Intelligence
> officials, who identified two separate "points of origin." Currently,
> the FBI is involved in the primary investigation of the fires,
> including forensic collection and analysis and scene management.
>
> An early morning Intelligence Brief from Federal Law Enforcement and
> Intelligence sources in California revealed information about the
> fires that state these are different than previous fires. Stated this
> source: "This is California and fires happen. But the manner in which
> these fires 'happened' indicate some level of pre-planning." When
> questioned about the specific indications of pre-planning, this source
> declined to elaborate, adding only that... "the specific locations of
> origin combined by perfect weather and wind conditions are being
> investigated. Suspects arrested are being questioned."
>
> "The terrorists with whom we are at war and want to exact revenge on
> the U.S. are using simpler tactics with greater results. We have
> interviewed 10, perhaps 12 admitted members or al Qaeda or 'al Qaeda
> sympathizers' who have admitted using fires to destroy areas of the
> country, from Utah to Colorado and California. They have studied
> previous fire disasters, and have spoken and written about the
> physical damage, the psychological damage, and the strain on our
> resources," stated this source.
>
> "Everybody is looking for the 'big one' - the refined attack, and too
> few are looking for the more simpler but far more consequential
> attacks that could be explained in a more traditional manner without
> having to frighten people with the word terrorism, and certainly
> without having to utter the phrase 'Islamic terrorism.' Few are
> thinking outside of the the box, the Western mindset" added this
> federal official. Can it be proven? Well, the concept is far from new.
>
> In 2003, the California wildfires that engulfed over one-half million
> acres that year 'could' have been preplanned acts of terrorism "by al
> Qaeda members in the U.S. or associates who understand al Qaeda's
> modus operandi." Today, a law enforcement source says that this is not
> only possible, but "very likely" in 2003 as well as with the current
> state of the fires.
>
> In 2003, verified intelligence indicates that Islamic terrorists had a
> hand in some of the existing fires in southern California that
> engulfed over 1/2 million acres. "Over the past few years, they have
> perfected their methods to the extent that we have this conflagration
> today. No one wants to admit it, but we believe the initial and other
> fires were intentionally set after waiting for the proper time. The
> environmental factors were 'just right' for this large of an event,"
> stated a "hands on" Intelligence Federal source.
>
> These fires started just several days after I received a Federal
> Intelligence bulletin warning of such a possibility being initiated as
> a terrorist act.
>
> A FBI bulletin dated June 25, 2003 that was sent to United States law
> enforcement agencies and Intelligence Agents revealed a senior al-
> Qaeda detainee claimed to have developed a plan to start forest fires
> in the U.S. Their ultimate target was noted to be California, using
> the drought and weather patterns to act as a catalyst to make the fire
> more damaging, a condition that exists during Ramadan. Days before
> this conflagration, I read a very similar bulletin just sent recently.
>
> Putting this all together we have the proof from Arabic language,
> Muslim terrorist message boards in 2003. Here is the "prayer":
>
> "Allah's soldiers will devastate America by its burning...this is
> nothing but the start of the punishment assisted by Cherisher and
> Sustainer of the worlds....These are the new fires different from the
> normal as Ramadan starts." (Muslims worldwide are celebrating
> Ramadan).
>
> Other truncated messages from September 2003:
>
> Oh Allah support the fighters everywhere, and hasten your support of
> them Oh Allah...
>
> Oh Allah... ignite the land a fire from below the feet of the Crusaders
> and cunning Zionists...
>
> Need anyone say more!