Islamist Web sites discuss attacks on U.S. warships

NORFOLK

A group that monitors Islamist Web sites has noted a disturbing trend - Internet posts from prominent contributors discussing attacks on U.S. warships.

Online threats against U.S. interests are not uncommon, and Internet propaganda is nothing new, said Steven Stalinsky, executive director of the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute, which translated the posts. But he said the recent posts are more significant because they come in response to an official communique from al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the terror group linked to the attempted bombing of a commercial American jetliner on Christmas. It urged followers to kill "Crusaders" on land, in the air and at sea.

One Dec. 30 posting on the forum Al-Falluja directed readers to gather intelligence on U.S. Navy targets.

"My Muslim brothers, do not underestimate the importance of any piece of information, as simple as it may seem; the mujahideen, the lions of monotheism, may be able to use it in ways that have not occurred to you."

The information that should be quietly gathered, the posting continues, includes "(the vessel's) name, the missions it is assigned; its current location, including notation of the spot in accordance with international maritime standards; the advantages of this naval unit; the number of U.S. troops on board, including if possible their ranks, and what state they are from, their family situation, and where their family members (wife and children) live; what kind of weapons they carry; the (vessel's) destination... the missions it has carried out; the (recommended) way to monitor it around the clock."

Stalinsky said the responses to that message fill 50 pages and include postings with pictures of U.S. warships.

Some are clearly no longer in service; other images include diagrams of aircraft carriers that are easily available on the Internet and photos posted on defense industry Web sites.

"It's important to know al-Qaida and offshoots are Internet-savvy," Stalinsky said. "They do an incredible job with their propaganda. You never know what is propaganda and what is real."

The Dec. 30 posting refers to the 2000 attack on the Norfolk-based destroyer Cole in Yemen, which killed 17 sailors.

Retired Vice Adm. John Morgan said families with loved ones aboard ships deployed to the Middle East shouldn't worry too much.

"Constant vigilance is the order of the day," said Morgan, who commanded the Enterprise Battle Group in 2001 and is now on the board of directors of the U.S. Naval Institute.

"They're well-equipped, they're well-trained, they rehearse anti-terrorism drills daily. I don't think there's any need for any greater alarm."

Lt. Nathan Christensen, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said the Naval Criminal Investigative Service regularly warns commanders about potential threats to ships, and did so on Dec. 31 after seeing the latest Web comments.

The Navy also is reminding sailors of the importance of keeping secrets.

"Anyone who thinks our enemies don't monitor what our sailors, families and commands are doing via the Internet and social media had better open their eyes," Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West said in an article posted Wednesday on the Navy's Web site.

"But we're not talking about 'loose lips sinking ships' anymore; it's more than that. Our enemies are advanced and as technologically savvy as they've ever been. They're looking for personal information about our sailors, our families and our day-to-day activities as well as ways to turn that information into maritime threats."

Kate Wiltrout, (757) 446-2629, kate.wiltrout@pilotonline.com