Nice Knowing You Melbourne!

[unfrufru]

bwahaha you're all going to be bomberated.

i'm sure the rest of the country felt the same as me, first going bwahahaha sucked in, then going, hey sydney is so better for blowing stuff up than melbourne. *sniff* all those latte's that will never have a chance to be drunk in a snooty fashion.

Police to check Melbourne terror threat tape
September 12, 2005 - 8:18AM





A masked US-born member of al-Qaeda -- believed to be Californian man Adam Gadahn -- as shown on the tape aired by ABC News in the US.



Australian authorities will examine a new videotape purportedly from an al-Qaeda operative that warns Melbourne will be the target of a terrorist attack.



A spokeswoman for federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the matter was being taken seriously but it was too early to speculate on the tape's authenticity.

"It would be premature for the attorney to speculate about the tape because we're awaiting advice from our competent authorities," she said.


The tape, first aired by ABC News in the United States, was obtained in Pakistan by the media organisation and also warns of a strike on Los Angeles.

The footage shows a masked US-born member of al-Qaeda -- believed to be Californian man Adam Gadahn -- threatening attacks on the two cities, "Allah willing".

"Yesterday, London and Madrid. Tomorrow, Los Angeles and Melbourne," the speaker says, warning attackers will show no compassion.

"We love peace, but peace on our terms."
Gadahn is believed to have been the young American who appeared in another threatening tape about year ago.

Victoria Police spokesman Inspector Craig Walsh said Australian authorities would analyse the video.
"We are working in conjunction with our federal and international counterparts to obtain a copy of the tape," Insp Walsh said.

"Once obtained, the tape will need to be authenticated and its contents analysed and considered prior to making any further statements."

Victorian Opposition leader Robert Doyle today urged Melbourne residents not to be afraid, saying fear was a key weapon in al-Qaeda's arsenal.

Describing the tape as "a pretty standard type of propaganda," Mr Doyle said he had full confidence in Victoria's ability to assess and cope with the threat.

"The most potent weapon terrorists have is fear," Mr Doyle said.

"We should continue going about our lives."

Mr Doyle said he did not believe the threat was linked to the Commonwealth Games, to be hosted by Melbourne next year.

"All of the attacks we have seen have happened on every day lives, people catching public transport to work, not on major events. Major events tend to have heightened security," he said.

Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the US Department of Homeland Security, said American authorities were trying to verify the tape.

He said there was "no specific intelligence to verify or substantiate" the threats made on the tape.

"We are certainly aware that al-Qaeda seeks to strike the United States and our interests abroad," he said.

"We maintain a strong and vigilant security posture."

ABC News in the US reported that Gadahn had apparently converted to Islam at a California mosque as a teenager.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton told ABC News his city has strong security measures in place and would not escalate those as a result of the tape.

"We have a very robust counter-terrorism operation here in LA, similar to New York and Washington, because we are always a prime target," he said.

AAP

[Gutter Monkey]

And my head went this way, and my legs went that way ...

Eh, care factor zero. Whatcha gonna do?

When I get to Heaven and baby Jesus finishes sticking me back together I'm going to tell him that you all suck. So there.

[Playm8]

Hehe. My first thought was that even terrorists don’t want to go to Canberra.

[Mythor]

He might mean Melbourne, Florida?

I'd've thought Sydney would be a more attractive target, too. More people know the name and where it is because of the Olympics in 2000.

[Leishpod]

agreed on the sydney thing - but hey - melb has the commonwealth games this year so it could be a target I guess..

poor melbourne leave us alone ya big bullies!

[unfrufru]

yeah, we're far superior to melbourne, why not blow us up? see with us they could bomb a particular station and kill thousands of people and cripple the city, whatcha goin do in melbourne, blow up a tram? there'd be another in 5 minutes.

blow up federation square, for the sake of good taste. that's one of the few targets i could think of, that, the mcg and captain cooks cottage.

(so almost said captain cooks cabin cause it rhymes with moorabbin hehe late show warped my mind).

[Liquid]

Maybe this is Johnny Howard trying to take the focus off the new laws he's trying to pass, he want's to scare australians so that the laws get through.

Actually he's probably more worried about taking the focus of Telstra than any boring basic civil liberties changes.

[Spawn of Satan]

There's no point bombing melbourne, Have you seen it from the sky, someones already bombed the joint.

[circus_kid]

Seriously, as if its taken this to know that! Everywhere with people is a 'terror target'. Glad to see Sydneysiders getting a chuckle out of it though.

[Gutter Monkey]

I was just talking to my mother on the phone and when I mentioned that Al-Qaeda wanted to blow up Melbourne she said "Well, you stay out of their way if they do."

[hails]

Originally Posted by Spawn of Satan

There's no point bombing melbourne, Have you seen it from the sky, someones already bombed the joint.

*cack* aww, i love you miss satan

meh, terror or no terror, i'd still live there. i'd say the evil people are just keeping their options open...maybe thinking that all of australia's security will flock to melbourne, and take that opportunity to bomb the shit out of sydney instead. or maybe they'll get lost on the way over and hit new zealand.

sbs news was showing the possible terror targets in melbourne and one of them was federation square. i agree with fru, that place can have it. if they put up a splatter wall between fed square and the beauty of flinders station, i'll do it myself.

[Liquid]

I told you he would say it, bring on the gestapo

http://www.theage.com.au/news/war-on...377256832.html

[Renee_Turner]

Aw, don't blow up Fed. Square, the weird Danish video-thing will be gone, and we won't be able to pull faces at people.

[lily]

Originally Posted by Gutter Monkey

I was just talking to my mother on the phone and when I mentioned that Al-Qaeda wanted to blow up Melbourne she said "Well, you stay out of their way if they do."

Oh man, coupled with that email from your dad in the inbox thread, I just love your parents! They sound hilarious!

[Spawn of Satan]

Actually fed square is starting to grow on me. I'd morn its passing... I wouldn't go out of my way to prevent it, but still it would be a sad loss for me.