“The instructions are simple but chilling: Attack sites with ‘high human intensity’ like skyscrapers, nuclear plants and football stadiums. Pick targets of ‘sentimental value’ like the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower.

“That’s some of the advice contained in an al-Qaida training manual aimed at teaching Osama bin Laden’s followers the best ways to kill thousands of people and spread fear in the United States and Europe,” the AP reports.

The 11-volume ‘Manual of Afghan Jihad’ also suggests attacks on Jewish organizations and large gatherings of Jews to cause as many deaths as possible, as well as the assassination of prominent figures in Arab nations.

[…]In other chapters, the manual offers advice on how to raise funds for covert operations through extortion, blackmail and kidnappings for ransom.

To cover the high cost of maintaining a cell, it advises creating a business to generate a regular income. Members of a cell in a country where an attack is planned shouldn’t exceed seven and mustn’t know each other. Only the leader of the operation should know them, it says.

Is there anyone out there (besides a handful of Saudis, the Common Dreams folks, and Robert Fisk) who still thinks Bin Laden and co. weren’t behind the September 11 terror attacks? Or that we shouldn’t be pre-emptively and ferociously striking any and all Al Qaeda safe zones, wherever they may be. Anyone? Anyone? [tap tap] Hullo…?

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