So I wake up this morning, late, my head full of cold (cough, cough, sneeze) and turn on the TV. The very first story I hear is that 7 NFL stadiums are being threatened this Sunday with the detonation of dirty bombs. Yikes! Homeland Security is downplaying the threat and saying it can't be confirmed. Still troubling because apparently it is all over Islamo-fascist terrorist sites and I don't think we should ever shine off their threats.
Website Warns Of Attacks At NFL Games This Weekend
Government Skeptical Of Threat Against NFL Stadiums
Poll: Has this threat affected your weekend gameplan?
Slideshow: NFL Stadiums Threatened
(CBS 13 / AP) WASHINGTON A website is claiming that seven NFL football stadiums will be hit with radiological dirty bombs this weekend, but the government on Wednesday expressed doubts about the threat.
The warningt, posted Oct. 12, was part of an ongoing Internet conversation titled "New Attack on America Be Afraid." It mentioned NFL stadiums in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, where games are scheduled to be held this weekend.
The Homeland Security Department alerted authorities and stadium owners in those cities, as well as the NFL, of the Web message but said the threat was being viewed "with strong skepticism." Officials at the NCAA, which oversees college athletics, said they too had been notified.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said there was no intelligence that indicated such an attack was imminent, and he said the alert was "out of an abundance of caution."
"The department strongly encourages the public to continue to go about their plans, including attending events that involve large public gatherings such as football games," Knocke said.
The FBI also expressed doubt about the threat.
"While the credibility of the threat is questionable, we have passed the information on because it has been carried in some open source reporting," said FBI spokesman Richard Kolko. He said the FBI was discussing the threat with the NFL as "part of our routine discussions this week."
The nation's alert level remains at yellow, signaling an elevated risk of an attack. The threat level for airline flights is at orange, a higher level, where it has been since a foiled plot to bomb U.S.-bound commercial jets was revealed on Aug. 10.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said stadiums around the country "are very well protected through the comprehensive security procedures we have in place, including secure facility perimeters, pat-downs and bag searches."
Officials were made aware of the Web posting on Oct. 16. The threat was timed to be carried out on Sunday, Oct. 22, marking the final day in Mecca of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month.
"The death toll will approach 100,000 from the initial blasts and countless other fatalities will later occur as result from radioactive fallout," according to a copy of the posting that was obtained by The Associated Press.
UPDATE at 10/18/06 2:09:11 pm:
And remember, Al Qaeda terrorist Adnan Al-Shukrijuma is still at large.
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