(Brock:) No Major al-Qaida Ability Seen in U.S.

[Eugene]

No Major al-Qaida Ability Seen in U.S.

By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer 43 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - U.S. counterterrorism agencies have not detected a
significant al-Qaida operational capability in the United States since
the 2003 arrest of a truck driver who was in the early stages of
plotting to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge.

Nevertheless, al-Qaida's capabilities aren't clear and the group
remains dangerous, the new deputy director of the National
Counterterrorism Center, Kevin Brock, said in an Associated Press
interview.

The uncertainty reflects the tension facing national security officials
even though the country has gone four years without a domestic attack
from al-Qaida.

<snip>

"We have to assume that they remain a very viable and very dangerous
threat," Brock said. "You almost can't define al-Qaida just as an entity
that you can put on an organizational chart. It has now expanded to an
ideology that has gotten quite dangerous."

<snip>

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/al_qaida_in_america

[Warren Stupidity]

1. uh - this needs a translation

"Nothing much has blown up here since 9-11 so we guess that everything is ok".

Got it.

[Clutch Cargo]

2. Two possiblities, I suppose

Either we're doing a real, real good job at preventing terrorism at home, or, there is no terrorism threat to begin with.

[K-W]

3. Its simple, the terror threat never increased after 9/11.

The risk before and after 9/11 was the same. Just because something happens doesnt mean it is more likely to happen again, but that is the assumption most Americans made.