Terror as an Economic Weapon: Was UPS Airplane Targeted?

by Kevin D. Freeman on August 14, 2013

Iraqi_insurgents_with_MANPADS

There are some disturbing reports that there may have been an arms deal involved in the Benghazi tragedy.

Benghazi Was About 400 Surface-to-Air-Missiles Stolen by ‘Some Very Ugly People,’ DiGenova Says

August 13, 2013 – 6:44 AM

(CNSNews.com) – Former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova, who now represents one of the Benghazi whistleblowers, told a Washington radio station Monday that the real scandal in Benghazi is the theft of 400 surface-to-air missiles by some “very ugly people.” The Obama administration fears those missiles will be used to shoot down an airplane or blow up one of our embassies, he said.

– See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/benghazi-was-about-400-surface-air-missiles-stolen-some-very-ugly-people-digenova-says

On the surface, it seems to make sense in that we know 1) That the U.S. did provide arms to Libyan rebels to oust Gaddafi and that these arms fell into some Jihadi hands according to the New York Times:

The New York Times

December 5, 2012

U.S.-Approved Arms for Libya Rebels Fell Into Jihadis’ Hands

By  and 

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration secretly gave its blessing to arms shipments to Libyan rebels from Qatar last year, but American officials later grew alarmed as evidence grew that Qatar was turning some of the weapons over to Islamic militants, according to United States officials and foreign diplomats . . . To CONTINUE Reading at NY Times …

2) The Obama administration has been seeking to arm Syrian rebels.

Obama to move forward with plan to arm Syrian rebels

By Brianna Kielar, Jessica Yellin and Tom Cohen, CNN Wed July 24, 2013
Washington (CNN) — Reluctant approval from Congress for providing military support to Syrian rebels allows the Obama administration to move forward with plans first announced almost six weeks ago . . . To CONTINUE Reading at CNN . . .

Doesn’t take a big stretch to imagine that the reason Ambassador Stevens was in one of the most dangerous parts of Libya on the anniversary of 9/11 was to negotiate a weapons “transfer.”  That issue has been raised for months by the Press. And, it certainly isn’t a partisan issue as similar concerns were raised in regard to possible Reagan involvement in the Iran-Contra issue.

It does seem likely that elements in Libya would kill to obtain or keep Surface-to-Air Missiles. There was clear al Qaeda involvement in Libya as well as there is in Syria:

Syrian rebels pledge loyalty to al-Qaeda

BEIRUT — A Syrian rebel group’s April pledge of allegiance to al-Qaeda’s replacement for Osama bin Laden suggests that the terrorist group’s influence is not waning and that it may take a greater role in the Western-backed fight to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad . . . To CONTINUE Reading at USA Today . . .

Now, when you add that al Qaeda claimed credit for downing a UPS flight in the Middle East a couple of years ago, it gets a little scary to imagine what could happen.

Al-Qaeda says downed UPS plane

Associated Press 11.05.10 Israel News

Al-Qaeda in Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for downing of UPS aircraft in Dubai in September; group also says it was behind mail bomb plot thwarted by authorities last week . . .

To CONTINUE Reading at YNet News . . .

We know that the missiles in question would be capable of taking down airplanes with more than 50 attacks on commercial airplanes. And, we know a UPS flight just crashed:

2 dead in UPS plane crash near Alabama airport

John Bacon, USA TODAY 10:56 a.m. EDT August 14, 2013

The pilot and co-pilot of a UPS plane were killed when they crashed while approaching an airport in Birmingham, Ala., early Wednesday, authorities said. The cargo plane, an Airbus A300, was en route from Louisville, Ky., when it crashed in field, FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said . . .

To CONTINUE REading at USA Today . . . 

It will be very important to quickly determine the cause of this crash and rule out terrorism. Of course, there is a whole cottage industry still unearthing information about TWA flight  800 that crashed 16 years ago. All official reports have denied that a missile took down Flight 800 but many private investigators tend to disagree.

Taking down a UPS flight would be a powerful way to terrorize by hindering commerce. It would clearly be an economic attack. And, if the public ever realized that all flights might be vulnerable, there could be a devastating slowdown in the global economy.

Here is the problem. If al Qaeda did get any Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) or more specifically the mobile kind MANPADs, there is a very serious problem. And, it is a threat to our economy. We know that MANPADs can be smuggled for use against civilian aircraft according to former Sec Def and CIA head Panetta:

Iran is smuggling ‘manpad’ anti-aircraft missiles for lone militants, warns US

By , New York 8:27AM GMT 02 Feb 2013

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are exporting anti-aircraft weapons that can be used by a single person to Islamic militants in an intensified campaign to destabilise Middle East, according to Pentagon chief Leon Panetta.

Iran is intensifying a campaign to destabilise the Middle East by smuggling anti-aircraft weapons to militant allies through its international paramilitary force, according Leon Panetta, the outgoing US defence secretary. The Pentagon chief told The Wall Street Journal that Tehran’s export of so-called “manpads” — anti-aircraft missiles that can be carried by a single person – represents a dangerous escalation.

Yemen intercepted a boat carrying the weapons on Jan 23 with unspecified assistance from the US, which had evidence that the missiles were supplied by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They were believed to be en route to Yemeni separatists fighting the US-backed central government.

American intelligence reports had previously indicated an increase in efforts by Iran to smuggle the devices to radical Islamic factions in the region. “There is no question when you start passing manpads around, that becomes a threat–not just to military aircraft but to civilian aircraft,” Mr Panetta told the newspaper in an interview as he prepares to leave his post . . .

To CONTINUE Reading at The Telegraph . . .

Using weapons of conventional warfare against economic targets is economic warfare. Never forget that a strong American economy is essential for a strong American military. And, it is easier to attack our economy than our military. That is why al Qaeda has always targeted our economy.

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