Assignment 4

IS290-1 News Media

 

Personalization and Point of View:

Subject:  Terrorist Threat Alert by FBI:  Articles 1 & 5 used from Assignment 3

 

Script type 1:

Terrorism alert script:    1.   information/evidence gathered

2.      target/terrorists/action determined

3.      information/ evidence verified

4.      target/terrorists/action named in alert to media

5.      media reports information in alert, possible additional information to inform

 

(terrorism-script $alert

      ‘((ptrans (Actor ?Person) (Object ?evidence) (to ?gather))

        (mtrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (determine (target)

   (terrorists)

   (action))

        (mtrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (verify) (target)

   (terrorists)

   (action))

        ((verify) (Actor) (Object ?target)   (object ?terrorists)   (object ?action))))

        (atrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (alert) (?media)

(to ?evidence)

(to ?warning))

        (ptrans (Actor ?media) (Object ?alert) (to?warn)

(Object ?additional information) (to?inform))))

 

ARTICLE 1

 

Script type 1:

(terrorism-script $alert

      ‘((ptrans (Actor ?FBI) (Object ? information) (to ? emerged))

        (mtrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (determine (target)

   (Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeei; dozen associates of al-Rabeei)

   (action))

        (mtrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (verify) (US Interests)

   (Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeei; dozen associates of al-Rabeei)

   (action))

        ((verify) (Actor) (Object ?target)   (object ?terrorists)   (object ?action))))

        (atrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (alert) (?media)

(to ?intelligence)

(to ?warning))

        (ptrans (Actor ?media) (Object ?alert) (to?warn)

(Object ?additional information) (to? learned) ( from?news media)

North American terrorist activities are chronicled here at emergency.com.

 
(of ?warnings before FBI system))))

 

Script 2:

Date:  February 12, 2002

Location: WASHINGTON

Action: issued … terrorist alert

Terrorist: Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeei; a dozen associates of al-Rabeei

Target:  the United States or against U.S. interests; not specific about possible targets

Evidence: after information emerged; recent information from interviews of detainees in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where several al-Qaida operatives are being held

Other Information or Viewpoints:  local law enforcement officials have complained they learned from news media about the warnings before they saw the alerts over the FBI communications system

Yemen has 18,000,000+ people, comparable to the State of NY.  Yemen is slightly smaller than West Virginia.

 
 


http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/national/11WIRE-FBI.html?pagewanted=print

February 12, 2002

 

F.B.I. Issues New Terror Alert About Yemeni Man

 

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

WASHINGTON -- The FBI issued an extraordinary terrorist alert Monday night, asking law enforcement and the American public to be on the lookout for a Yemeni man and several associates who might be plotting a terrorist attack as early as Tuesday.

 

The FBI scrambled to put the warning out after information emerged that one or more people were involved. Officials said the intelligence, while deemed credible, was not specific about possible targets.

 

The alert identified one possible attacker as Fawaz Yahya al-Rabeei, a Yemeni national born in Saudia Arabia in 1979. It listed about a dozen associates of al-Rabeei.

 

The bureau planned to put photos and information on a Web site to help Americans identify the possible perpetrators.

 

"Recent information indicates a planned attack may occurred in the United States or against U.S. interests on or around Feb. 12, 2002. One or more operatives may be involved in the attack," the alert to 18,000 law enforcement agencies said.

 

The alert asked police "to stop and detain" any of the named individuals in alert and that all "should be considered extremely dangerous."

 

Law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the alert was prompted by recent information from interviews of detainees in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where several al-Qaida operatives are being held.

 

Law enforcement officials said there was no evidence that al-Rabeei had entered the United States. The alert did not say whether the attack was planned or involved Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.

 

Before Monday, FBI and Homeland Security officials had issued three general alerts urging all Americans to be cautious and on the lookout for possible terrorist activities.

 

The last was issued Dec. 3 and was supposed to last through the holidays. It has since been extended through the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and is supposed to expire around March 11.

 

In addition, the FBI has issued numerous narrower alerts to specific industries when uncorroborated information about threats to their facilities emerges. In the last month, such alerts went to nuclear power plant operators and to operators of Internet sites cautioning about possible threats.

 


On some occasions, local law enforcement officials have complained they learned from news media about the warnings before they saw the alerts over the FBI communications system.

 

Monday's warning was carefully organized to ensure that police, news media and the public learned about them at the same time, officials said.

 

Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company

 

Photos of the suspects are located on the FBI site.

 
ARTICLE 5

 

Script type 1:

(terrorism-script $alert

      ‘((ptrans (Actor ?FBI) (Object ?recent information) (to ?obtain))

        (mtrans (Actor ?FBI) (Object (determine (US)

   (Fawaz Wahya al-Rabeei)

   (terrorist attack))

Yeman has 18,000,000 people compared to India’s 1 billion.

Yemen is comparable in population to the state of Imphal, India.

 

Yemen is comparable in size the the state of Mizoram, India.

 
        (mtrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (verify) (US)

   (terrorists)

   (action))

        ((verify) (Actor) (Object ?target)   (object ?terrorists)   (object ?terrorist attack))))

        (atrans (Actor ?Person) (Object (issued) (?media)

(to ?evidence)

(to ?warning))

        (ptrans (Actor ?media) (Object ?warning) (to?issued)

(Object ?additional information) (to?inform) (object ? 23-year old Fawaz Wahya al-Rabeei))))

 

Script 2:

Date:  February 12, 2002

Location: New York; Afghanistan

Action: The FBI has issued a warning to all law-enforcement agencies and the American public; Yemeni man and several of his associates may be plotting a terrorist attack ; FBI identified one possible terrorist as 23-year old Fawaz Wahya al-Rabeei

Target: on US targets

Evidence: Recent information indicates; was based on information obtained in Afghanistan and from detainees at the US Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where several Al-Qaida and Taliban soldiers are being held

Other Information:  

 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020213/main5.htm

Similar to the Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

 
 


FBI issues new terror warning
Dharam Shourie

New York, February 12
The FBI has issued a warning to all law-enforcement agencies and the American public that a Yemeni man and several of his associates may be plotting a terrorist attack on US targets as early as today.

Alerting about the possibility of an attack, the Federal Bureau of Investigation last night said the warning was based on information obtained in Afghanistan and from detainees at the US Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where several Al-Qaida and Taliban soldiers are being held.

“As a result of US military operations in Afghanistan and ongoing interviews of detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, information has been available regarding threats to US interests,” the FBI said.

“Recent information indicates a planned attack may occur in the USA or against US interests in the country of Yemen on or around February 12, 2002. One or more operatives may be involved in the attacksaid the alert.

The FBI identified one possible terrorist as 23-year old Fawaz Wahya al-Rabeei, a Yemeni national who was born in Saudi Arabia and said he might have a dozen associates. PTI

On October 16, 2001 the Indian cabinet approved the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, which will likely be considered by the Indian Parliament during its winter session. The new law enacts a broad definition of terrorism that includes acts of violence or disruption of essential services carried out with "intent to threaten the unity and integrity of India or to strike terror in any part of the people." It also criminalizes the failure to provide authorities with "information relating to any terrorist activity."
[Source: Human Rights Watch]

 

Terrorism is a problem in India as well.  For the latest news, look at the Terrorism Update on India.