Revolution you can believe in

(Compiler's note: A long read, but if you want to know where the Obama's come from -- a must read. rca)

By Melanie Phillips

In her game-changing convention speech, Sarah Palin took a swipe at Obama for having been nothing more in his life than a ‘community organiser’.

This prompted the Obama campaign to issue a pained defence of community organisation as a way of promoting social change ‘from the bottom up’. The impression is that community organising is a worthy if woolly and ultimately ineffectual grassroots activity. This is to miss something of the greatest importance: that in the world of Barack Obama, community organisers are a key strategy in a different game altogether; and the name of that game is revolutionary Marxism.

The seditious role of the community organiser was developed by an extreme left intellectual called Saul Alinsky. He was a radical Chicago activist who, by the time he died in 1972, had had a profound influence on the highest levels of the Democratic party. Alinsky was a ‘transformational Marxist’ in the mould of Antonio Gramsci, who promoted the strategy of a ‘long march through the institutions’ by capturing the culture and turning it inside out as the most effective means of overturning western society. In similar vein, Alinsky condemned the New Left for alienating the general public by its demonstrations and outlandish appearance. The revolution had to be carried out through stealth and deception. Its proponents had to cultivate an image of centrism and pragmatism. A master of infiltration, Alinsky wooed Chicago mobsters and Wall Street financiers alike. And successive Democratic politicians fell under his spell.

His creed was set out in his book ‘Rules for Radicals’ – a book he dedicated to Lucifer, whom he called the ‘first radical’. ....

Study proves illegals likely to commit crimes

(Compiler's note: Dahhhha)

75% of previously deported aliens will break law within 1 year of returning to U.S.

A new study reveals 75 percent of illegal aliens who have been deported will commit another crime within a year of returning to the U.S.

The nonprofit Rand Corporation study followed inmates released from Los Angeles County jail in 2002, according to a Los Angeles Times report. The report revealed aliens who have been deported are far more likely to commit a crime – with 28 percent likely to be arrested three or more times after their release.

Thirty-two percent of illegal aliens who had never been deported were arrested within a year, and 7 percent were arrested more than three times.

While the information reaches as far back as 2002, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and U.S. Department of Homeland Security have stepped up efforts to prevent illegal aliens from returning and committing more crimes.

"If you are trying to target people who are repeatedly cycled through the criminal justice system, this looks like a good risk marker," author Laura Hickman, a researcher at Portland State University, told the Times. "It doesn't make sense to just sweep up all deportable aliens, but to focus resources on the group who are at the most risk for committing new crimes in the community."

While researchers admitted the findings were limited due to inability to confirm the residency status of every prisoner, they followed 517 male illegal aliens between Aug. 4 and Sept. 2, 2002.

L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca told the Times the government must make more of an effort to keep illegal alien offenders from coming back into the U.S.

"Criminals who are illegal immigrants know no limits and no boundaries," he said. "The harder we make it for them to get across, the better." .... "These are individuals who have shown no respect for our laws and our borders."

Terrorism Expert: Al-Qaida Remains Committed to Spectacular Violence

In an interview with Newsmax TV, Brian Jenkins, a renowned expert on terrorism and transportation security assesses the chances of another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, gives his take on anti-terrorism efforts around the world and lays out the monumental tasks facing the new president .

Click on the title and see the video.

Kim’s Reported Illness Raises Concerns on North Korean Nukes

Reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is suffering significant health problems have raised concerns about the future of diplomatic efforts to eliminate his nation’s nuclear arsenal, the Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Sept. 9).

Kim has not made any public appearances since last month and did not show up this week for the military parade marking his nation’s 60th anniversary.

“There is reason to believe Kim Jong Il has suffered a serious health setback, possibly a stroke,” according to one Western intelligence source (Hess/Lee, Associated Press I/Yahoo!News, Sept. 10).

South Korea’s intelligence service today said that Kim appeared to have recently undergone surgery for some sort of circulatory problem and was on the mend, AP reported. ....

U.S. Increases Reliance on Drones in Bin Laden Hunt

The United States has moved unmanned aerial vehicles to the center of an evolving strategy for hunting down Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders in western Pakistan, the Washington Post reported today (see GSN, Aug. 13). ....

Al Qaeda declares Coptic priest Zakaria Botros "one of the most wanted infidels in the world"

By Jihad Watch

And offers 60 million for his head. More on Islam's Public Enemy #1. "Exclusive: Al Qaeda targets leading Arab evangelist operating in the U.S. for preaching the Gospel to Muslims," by Joel C. Rosenberg for Flashtraffic, September 9 (thanks to Erick):

You have probably never heard of Father Zakaria Botros. But you need to know his story. He is far and away the most-watched and most-effective Arab-American evangelist focused on reaching the Muslim world, and by far the most controversial. The Rush Limbaugh of the Revivalists, he is funny, feisty, brilliant, opinionated, and provocative. But rather than preaching the gospel of conservatism, he is preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And his enemies do not simply want to silence him. They want to assassinate him.

Last week, I had the honor of interviewing Botros by phone from a secure, undisclosed location in the United States, where he now resides. He told me that he had just learned that an al Qaeda website had posted his photograph and named him one of the "most wanted" infidels in the world. The Radicals have even put a bounty on his head. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported the figure was as high as $60 million. Botros does not know for certain. But just to put that in context, the U.S. bounty on Osama bin Laden's head is "only" $25 million.

Why are the Radicals so enraged by an elderly Coptic priest from Egypt who is in his 70s? Because Botros is waging an air war against them, and he is winning.

Using state-of-the art satellite technology to bypass the efforts of Islamic governments to keep the gospel out of their countries, Botros is directly challenging the claims of Muhammad to be a prophet, and the claims of the Qu'ran to be God's word. He systematically deconstructs Muhammad's life, story by story, pointing out character flaws and sinful behavior. He carefully deconstructs the Qu'ran, verse by verse, citing contradictions and inconsistencies. And not only does he explain without apology what he believes is wrong with Islam, he goes on to teach Muslims from the Bible why Jesus loves them and why is so ready to forgive them and adopt them into His family, no matter who they are or what they have done.

If Botros was doing this in a corner, or on some cable access channel where no one saw him or cared, that would be one thing. But his ninety-minute program - a combination of preaching, teaching and answering questions from (often irate) callers all over the world - has become "must see TV" throughout the Muslim world. It is replayed four times a week in Arabic, his native language, on a satellite television network called Al Hayat ("Life TV.") It can be seen in every country in North Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, as well as all throughout North America,Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. And not only can it be seen in so many places, it is seen - by an estimated fifty million Muslims a day.

At the same time, Botros is getting millions of hits on his multiple web sites in multiple languages. There, Muslims can read his sermons and study through an archive of answers to frequently asked questions. They can also enter a live chat room called "Pal Chat" where they are not only permitted but encouraged to ask their toughest questions to trained on-line counselors, many of whom are Muslim converts to Christianity who understand exactly where the questioners are coming from and the struggles they are having.

As a result, Botros - on the air only since 2003 - has practically become a household word in the Muslim world. An Arabic newspaper has named him Islam's "Public Enemy #1." Millions hate him, to be sure, but they are watching. They are listening. They are processing what he is saying and they are talking about him with their friends and family. When Botros challenges Radical clerics to answer his many refutations of Islam and defend the Qu'ran, millions wait to see how the fundamentalists will respond. But they rarely do. They prefer to attack Botros than answer him. Yet, the more the Radicals attack him, the more well-known he becomes. The more well-known he becomes, the more Muslims feel compelled to tune in. And as more Muslims tune in, more are coming to the conclusion that Botros is right and in turn are choosing to become followers of Jesus Christ. Botros estimates at least 1,000 Muslims a month pray to receive Christ with his telephone counselors. Some of them pray to receive Christ live on their air with Botros. And this surely is only the tip of the iceberg, as it represents only those who are able to get through on the jammed phone lines. There simply are not currently enough trained counselors to handle each call.

[...]He does not believe all Muslims are Radicals, but he does believe all Muslims are spiritually lost, and he wants desperately to help them find their way to forgiveness and reconciliation with the God who made them and loves them.

"I believe this is the hand of God," Botros told me. "He is directing me. He shows me what to say. He shows me what to write on…the web sites. He is showing me more and more how to use the technology to reach people with his message of redemption."

Attack code released for SCADA software vulnerability

By Dan Kaplan

Security researcher Kevin Finisterre has created an exploit that takes advantage of a serious vulnerability reported earlier this summer in widely deployed industrial process control software.

The bug in CitectSCADA, which was patched in early June after being discovered by Core Security Technologies, is a traditional stack-based buffer overflow. It could grant an attacker access over supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software that controls industrial processes, including oil and gas pipelines, chemical plants, assembly lines and power grids.

"I honestly feel that the flaw has the potential to be very critical," Finisterre, who works for security firm Netragard, said in an email Monday to SCMagazineUS.com. "That is the main reason for my secondary disclosure. I don't think this bug got the proper exposure the first time around."

He said Citect, whose U.S. headquarters is in Georgia, downplayed the severity of the flaw.

But Kurt Lovell, vice president of Citect Americas, told SCMagazineUS.com on Monday that the company advises its customers to take every security matter seriously.

"With respect to our install base, [Finisterre is] making it significantly easier for someone who wanted to do harm to try to do harm," Lovell said. "That said, we're not particularly concerned because we have already worked aggressively with our install base to make sure they're protected."

At the time of the vulnerability, experts said they expected similar bugs to arise in the near future.

"The recent discovery of a critical SCADA system vulnerability is another classic example of the inherent risks and vulnerabilities that exist within the industrial control system and SCADA environment," said Brian Ahern, president and CEO of Industrial Defender, provider of industrial control system security solutions.

"The reality is that these systems were never designed for cybersecurity in mind and today they are being openly connected to the outside world even though many vendors are advising against this level of connectivity," Ahern added. "As a result of the need for real-time business information, it is becoming increasingly popular for the plant network to connect with enterprise networks and the open internet."

Lovell said Citect's customers are responding to SCADA's evolution by implementing security protocols.

"They aren't blindly ignoring the security risks as interconnectivity welcomed the world," he said.

Finisterre said he leveraged the Metasploit hacker framework to create the exploit.

"I essentially took the general information that was available at the time and gazed into my debugger for many hours trying to understand how things worked," he said

How To: Zap Bombs Before They Blow Up

By Noah Shachtman

A combination of technology and tactics has cut the number of improvised bomb attacks in Iraq by more than 50%. Some of the gear blocks triggering signals, before they can set an explosive off; some protects troops from blasts' impact; some looks for bombs' signature, in the trash and dirt that line Baghdad's roads. But perhaps the least-discussed gadgets are ones that blow up improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, before they're supposed to strike.

IEEE Spectrum, in an exhaustive feature on the tech of Iraq's IED war, looks at exactly this kind of gear:

A type of “predetonator” used in Iraq emits a strong electromagnetic pulse that wrecks the integrated circuits in the cellphone or other appliance that triggers an IED. The pulse comes from a very high voltage capacitor discharging very suddenly. When its ICs are zapped, the trigger might “fail open”—with no explosion—or it might “fail closed,” detonating the IED...

More sophisticated predetonators are said to mimic the signals of the IEDs’ triggering devices in order to set them off...

An article in the 25 March edition of The Scotsman newspaper... said that U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan were using specially equipped Vietnam-era EA-6B Prowler aircraft to clear roads for convoys by transmitting appropriate signals to predetonate IEDs.

But how much impact has this or any equipment had on the bomb fight, really? At the Pentagon, much of the credit has been given to better training -- and better inflitration of the bomb-planting networks. And in Afghanistan (where, presumably, U.S. forces use the same tech), IEDs are way, way up.

Pentagon delays $35B Air Force tanker decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Defense Department will wait until the next administration to award a disputed $35 billion contract to build a new fleet of aerial refueling tankers.

Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., says the Pentagon has canceled the latest round of bidding between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. for the 179 planes, and now plans to hold a new competition next year. ....

Teacher fights to post Declaration of Independence quote

A math teacher sued his school district after the principal told him the words "In God We Trust" and "All Men Are Created Equal, They Are Endowed By Their Creator" must be removed from his homeroom wall because they convey a Judeo-Christian viewpoint. ....

Honor the troops: Beat Murtha!

John "Jack" Murtha has represented Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District for 36 years! How could someone last that long who was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Abscam scandal of the early 1980s, who is the most egregious serial abuser in the House of Representatives of what is known as the "earmark" scandal, and whose false accusations triggered a career-ending witch hunt of eight brave Marines merely for partisan purposes?

The answer is quite simple: John Murtha "gets away with it" by subverting the Democratic process through what is commonly referred to as "the power of the incumbent." It consists of three main components collectively referred to as the "Incumbent Protection Act": 1) the awarding of "safe political districts"; 2) the use of special legislation, "entitlements" and "earmarks," which benefit (bribe) certain constituents who 3) express their "quid pro quo gratitude" with votes and campaign contributions. Those three factors have worked synergisticly to corrupt the entire body politic until we not only have out-of-control government, but much of the country seems to want more of the same.

Incumbents have crossed the line from legitimate partisan politics to now exercising the "power of the incumbent" as an unconstitutional usurpation ("to hold an office without legal right," Dictionary.com) because, since 1990, almost all state legislative and federal congressional districts are computer gerrymandered to guarantee the preservation of "The Incumbent Status Quo" for five election cycles, or 10 years!

Let the meaning of that phrase sink in. When incumbents conspire to guarantee the preservation of "The Incumbent Status Quo" for five election cycles, they are overtly working against the people's right choose their representatives in competitive elections where they have the option to hear and choose a viable challenger every two years. Having a "safe district" means safe from voters hearing and choosing a challenger. The key phrase is "safe from voters." The incumbent's slogan is: "Make every district a safe district" – and they have succeeded. ....

John Murtha is a caricature of all that is wrong in politics today. He deserves the honor of being this movement's first project and namesake "poster child" to focus voter outrage and to direct it, just as a military special forces unit attacks an enemy's critical point to have a decisive effect on its larger army.

The negative "poster child" is John Murtha, his face framed by the shameful shape of his diseased-looking congressional district as seen in the accompanying image and worn on the T-shirts and caps of supporters to promote this reform movement. Those supporters will also contribute to the success of the positive "poster child," Murtha's challenger, William "the dragon slayer" Russell. Lt. Col. Russell is ready, willing and able. However, he needs the support of everyone who would like to solve this national embarrassment, and he needs that help right now.

"Honor the troops, www.BeatMurtha.com."

Click here for additional information -- watch the short video.

Letter to Condoleezza Rice Demanding Answers from State Department Concerning Iran

The Editors

Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), co-chair of the 120-member, bipartisan House Anti-Terrorism/Jihad Caucus and a tireless promoter of educating the public about the dangers that Islamic Jihad poses to America, recently sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the UN personnel from five countries, including Iran, that the State Department has designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism:

Dear Secretary Rice:

On September 16, 2008, the United Nations General Assembly will reconvene in New York City. This gathering will draw diplomats from around the world, including personnel from five countries the State Department has designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism.

I am deeply concerned about the personnel coming from Iran because of Iran’s history of espionage activity. In June 2002, November 2003, and June of 2004, public reports stated that personnel from the Iranian mission to the United Nations were caught videotaping bridges, tunnels, the Statue of Liberty and other buildings and infrastructure.

I encourage you to ensure that your visa analysts conduct thorough investigations into diplomats and other personnel coming from Iran, as well as the personnel coming from other countries designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism.

As I understand it, Section 306 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act (EBSVRA) of 2002 pertains to the issuance of visas to aliens from State Sponsors of Terrorism. Do you apply Section 306 of EBSVRA to diplomats and their staff? Have you sent a memo to your analysts stating this policy in clear terms? If such a memo or policy exists, please send me a copy.

I would like to know the names of the Iranian diplomats, and any staff coming from Iran to work at Iran’s UN mission, who have requested entry. This should be public record. If there are any security concerns, we would also like to know the potential security issues that pertain to these individual.

I also formally request a meeting with the analysts who handle diplomats from Iran.

I would like to personally ask the analysts if there are any members of the Iranian delegation from years past, or from this year, that in their opinion may have raised national security concerns but were given visas because the State Department lacks the legal authority to deny them.

Due to time-sensitive nature of this issue and the importance of protecting the security of the people of New York, and the United States as a whole, I ask that you expedite your responses.

Sincerely,

Sue Myrick
Member of Congress

As Family Security Matters informed you earlier this year, Myrick's impressive "Wake Up America" agenda aims to reverse the trend of public complacency about the dangers of Islamic Jihad due to the fact that we have not been attacked since 9/11. Myrick wants to "explain to people what the roadblocks are" regarding the fight against terrorism here in America.

Terrorism is not a partisan issue, but an issue critical to all Americans, and you can count on Family Security Matters to continue to bring you the latest on Myrick's activities and other information you need regarding these vital concerns.

UK Jury Ruling on Jihadists Ignores Plot to Bomb Transatlantic Jets Headed to America

By Jeffrey Imm

On September 8, 2008, a British jury ruling on the transatlantic airline terror plotters decided that three of eight plotters were guilty of conspiracy of murder.

However, this British jury ruling had nothing to do with their actual plots to bomb transatlantic jets destined for American and Canadian cities. The British jury convicted three of the British Jihadists (Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar, and Tanvir Hussain) – not because of their transatlantic jet plots, but because of their plots to attack British oil refineries and an electricity grid, Internet providers, and airports (including Heathrow Airport).

As reported by the Guardian, the British Jihadists that were convicted for conspiracy to murder were only held accountable for plots to "murder hundreds of Britons." As the London Times reported, the British "jury rejected the main charge made against the men that there was a plot to cause a series of explosions on airliners to rival the 9/11 attacks."

Americans need to understand that two years after British Jihadists plotted to attack transatlantic jets with liquid bombs headed to destinations such as New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco – British jurors have essentially found such British Jihadists "not guilty" of such plots.

On April 7, 2008, the Daily Telegraph reported on the trial that:

"In what would have been the worst terrorist atrocity since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, the eight defendants planned to kill hundreds and possibly thousands of [airline] passengers 'all in the name of Islam,' it is alleged. The plotters were allegedly 'almost ready' to carry out their plans to detonate liquid explosives on board at least seven flights from Heathrow to the US and Canada. Their plans were allegedly so advanced that they had drawn up details of specific flights to be targeted and bought the components needed to make hydrogen peroxide bombs disguised as soft drinks such as Lucozade and Oasis."

But the British jury was only concerned about other plots to attack British facilities in their homeland. This troubling news story that a British jury was unconvinced about this mass-casualty plot to kill thousands in flights headed to America will undoubtedly get little coverage by the mainstream media.

Americans should not be surprised by this British jury verdict. Two years ago, in my August 16, 2006 article "How The Road To Terror Leads Back To London," I pointed to multiple British news reports that quoted Britons and British Muslims that believed that the transatlantic airline plot was "make-believe," "propaganda," a "cover-up because of what's going on in Lebanon," a "lie," and a hoax.

Four British Jihadists involved in the transatlantic jet plot, Umar Islam, Waheed Zaman, Ibrahim Savant, and Arafat Waheed Khan, admitted to merely "conspiring to cause a public nuisance." One individual, Mohammed Gulzar, was found not guilty on all counts.

British Jihadist Umar Islam, whose "martyr video" specifically called for Jihad and "revenge" against the "USA," was not convicted of conspiracy to murder. Umar Islam explained that "[w]e are doing this in order to gain the pleasure of our Lord and Allah loves us to die and kill in his path."

British Jihadist Waheed Zaman, who stated that after such attacks "America... [should] have no cause for complaint..." because America deserved such punishment, was not convicted of conspiracy to murder.

British Jihadist Ibrahim Savant, who vowed that he "participate[s] within this blessed raid for - upon the enemies of blessed Islam," was not convicted of conspiracy to murder.

British Jihadist Arafat Waheed Khan, who promised that "[w]e will rain upon you such a terror and destruction that you will never feel peace and security.. [and that] there will be floods of martyrdom operations and bombs falling through your lands," was not convicted of conspiracy to murder.

In my August 31, 2008 article, I addressed the growing problem of British Islamic supremacism and its impact on American national security and American counterterrorism tactics. This September 8 ruling demonstrates again how serious that the United Kingdom remains as a security threat to the American homeland.

Perhaps this September 8th jury ruling will finally wake up Americans that British priorities are not ours:
-- three major British Jihadist plots / attempts for mass casualty terrorism on or impacting the American homeland (April 2001, December 2001, August 2006)
-- the continuing use of the UK as a base by Islamic supremacists
-- repeated reports of the UK's historical "covenant of security" with Islamic supremacists
-- UK Security Minister West calls for talks with Al-Qaeda and UK Defense Secretary Browne's calls for talks with the Taliban
-- British Jihadists openly praising 9/11 attackers

Now, a British jury ruling clearly communicates to British Jihadists – we won't convict you for planning attacks on jets headed towards the United States, but we will convict you if you plot attacks on the United Kingdom homeland. This will be interpreted as an open offer of a "covenant of security" to Islamic supremacists.

Three days before the 9/11 anniversary, this is an unambiguous signal regarding British attitudes regarding American security.

Perhaps it is past time for Americans to wake up and realize that a nation where Osama bin Laden sought to live is not going to have American national security interests as their priority. In June 2008, the Daily Telegraph reported that a plurality of Britons viewed America as a "force for evil."

The by the British jury on the British Jihadists behind the transatlantic jet plot has sent a very clear and inescapable message to America when it comes to punishing Jihadists that would seek to threaten America: "America, Drop Dead."

Israel’s senior ministers confer urgently on Iran as US masses air-naval might in Middle East waters

DEBKAfile Special Report

Prime minister Ehud Olmert summoned defense minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni for an urgent consultation on Iran Wed. Sept. 10, as the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier headed out to the Mediterranean for missions “in support of maritime security.”

Its arrival will bring the number of US aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to four, compared with two Russian warships.

Monday, Iran launched a three-day naval-air-missile exercise to practice defense tactics for its nuclear sites. ....

In Hunt for Bin Laden, a New Approach

....The number of Hellfire missile attacks by Predators in Pakistan has more than tripled, with 11 strikes reported by Pakistani officials this year, compared with three in 2007. The attacks are part of a renewed effort to cripple al-Qaeda's central command that began early last year and has picked up speed as President Bush's term in office winds down, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials involved in the operations.

There has been no confirmed trace of bin Laden since he narrowly escaped from the CIA and the U.S. military after the battle near Tora Bora, Afghanistan, in December 2001, according to U.S., Pakistani and European officials. They said they are now concentrating on a short list of other al-Qaeda leaders who have been sighted more recently, in hopes that their footprints could lead to bin Laden. ....

Above all, they said, the search has been handicapped by an inability to develop informants in Pakistan's isolated tribal regions, where bin Laden is believed to be hiding. ....

Homeland Security goes on special alert

As the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 attacks nears, Homeland Security agents are on heightened alert for young Turkish Muslims who may be trying to enter the U.S. as part of an al-Qaida terrorist operation, WND has learned from counterterrorism officials and internal agency documents.

Meanwhile, agents are monitoring more than 20,000 suspected homegrown terrorists on the FBI's watchlist to prevent them from boarding commercial aircraft.

All of the individuals are American citizens or permanent legal residents "who have some relationship with terrorist activity," said Leonard Boyle, who heads the FBI's terrorism screening center in McLean, Va.

Homeland Security has programmed a computer system that screens inbound passengers for signs of terrorist activity to flag Turkish and other individuals whose passports show travel to Pakistan.

U.S. intelligence officials say jihadist websites indicate that hundreds of Turks have recently trained in al-Qaida camps in Pakistan, and may have sworn to carry out suicide operations against the West.

One website recently showed a martyrdom video of German-born Turk Saad Abu Furqan, who blew himself up outside a U.S. military base in Afghanistan.

Al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan have been creating cells with the mission of attacking Western targets, including the U.S., officials say. Osama bin Laden's deputy appeared in a video this week with a rifle propped up behind him. Officials are analyzing the tape for possible coded messages.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has warned that al-Qaida is trying to exploit a security loophole created by the Visa Waiver Program to sneak terrorist muscle into the country.

Germans, Brits and other European passport holders are exempt from U.S. visa security checks under the program. Such travelers, who are entered into the system as "WT" or "WB," do not require a visa to enter the U.S.

At the same time, counterterrorism officials in New York are running down leads produced by last month's arrest and interrogation of al-Qaida operative Aafia Siddiqui, an MIT-educated microbiologist who fled to Pakistan after 9/11.

Siddiqui was found with a list of New York targets including the Empire State Building, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty and the subway system. Notes in her possession also included information about a mass attack and referred to construction of dirty bombs.

In addition, a computer flash drive found on Siddiqui referred to "attacks" by certain "cells."

Siddiqui is close to a Saudi-American considered by the FBI to be "the next Mohamed Atta." Adnan al-Shukrijumah, aka "Jafar the Pilot," allegedly conspired with al-Qaida dirty bomber Jose Padilla. Al-Shukrijumah is still at large.

WND has learned that customs and border agents are also taking a closer look at female Muslim travelers, and handicapped Muslim travelers and their aides.

Officials say the internal heightened alert extends through at least October and the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and likely will continue on through Election Day.

The nation's public threat level remains at yellow, or "elevated." Officials say they have no specific credible information of a terrorist attack that would lead them to raise the threat level to orange, or "high," at this time.