An al-Qaeda recruiting video indicates that the terrorist organization hopes to sneak a biological weapon into the United States through its border with Mexico, the Washington Times reported today (see GSN, Feb. 4).
U.S. officials have verified the authenticity of the video, which was first televised earlier this year and shows Kuwaiti dissident and al-Qaeda recruiter Abdullah al-Nafisi discussing the possibility of carrying out a massive biological attack in the United States.
"Four pounds of anthrax ... carried by a fighter through tunnels from Mexico into the U.S. are guaranteed to kill 330,000 Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there," al-Nafisi says in the video, which was acquired and translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
"What a horrifying idea," he continues, "9/11 will be small change in comparison. Am I right? There is no need for airplanes, conspiracies, timings and so on. One person, with the courage to carry 4 pounds of anthrax, will go to the White House lawn, and will spread this 'confetti' all over them, and then we'll do these cries of joy. It will turn into a real celebration."
Al-Qaeda is widely believed to have sought to develop unconventional weapons capabilities; al-Nafisi says in the video that the organization has chemists and other scientists in its employ.
However, U.S. counterterrorism officials told the Times that there is no plausible proof that the group could actually conduct a large-scale act of terrorism.
Al-Nafisi also suggests in the video that al-Qaeda would be willing to collaborate with homegrown U.S. extremists -- including white supremacist groups -- to carry out a strike.
Homeland Security Department spokesman Sean Smith said the department was committed to preventing terrorists from breaching U.S. borders.
"We can never stop being vigilant while there are individuals who seek to do harm on the American people," he said. "We continue to step up our efforts with additional personnel and better technology along the northern and southern borders and continue to strengthen our sea, land and air points of entry" (Sara Carter, Washington Times, June 3).