'100 terror attacks foiled since 9/11'

NEARLY 100 terrorist attacks, some intended to take place on US soil, have been thwarted since September 11, 2001, according to FBI Director Robert Mueller. But he warned that many potential terrorists remain at large in the United States.

We will be at war until we make certain that every member of al-Qaida is incapacitated in his or her ability to harm the United States," Mr Mueller said.

He also rejected proposals to shift counterintelligence duties from the FBI to a new agency. He said punishment is not the answer for mistakes by individual FBI agents before the September 11 attacks.

On terrorism, Mr Mueller said "tens of attacks, probably close to a hundred around the world" have been stopped in the past 15 months. He credited better intelligence gathering and co-ordination, and information from al-Qaida detainees in custody, including those he described as architects of would-be attacks.

"There have been any number of attacks on ships that have been thwarted," Mr Mueller said. "Without getting into details, we have thwarted a number of attacks, both large and small."

Asked if some of those attacks were aimed at US targets, Mr Mueller said: "Yes".

He specifically mentioned Jose Padilla, a US citizen being held as an enemy combatant who authorities say was plotting to detonate a "dirty" radioactive bomb in the US. Also cited were the arrests of members of an alleged al-Qaida cell in Lackawanna, New York, and individuals in Portland, Oregon, Seattle and elsewhere.

Mr Mueller said it may take years to destroy al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, but he said the US and its allies have the upper hand.

"I think we're well on our way to winning the war, but the fact of the matter is, it is a war. Al-Qaida still has the capability of striking us," he said.

The FBI, he said, is on the lookout for unconventional attacks, noting the 19 September 11 hijackers used only box-cutters as weapons.

"No explosives, no guns. Terrorists can operate in a number of ways. We need to continue to be alert, be vigilant," he said.

Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday(OK) that the CIA is authorised to kill individuals described as "terrorist leaders" on a list approved by the White House.

Killing is authorised "if capture is impractical and civilian casualties can be minimised," senior military and intelligence officials told the New York Times.

US President George W Bush has not waived the executive order banning assassinations, officials said. The presidential authority to kill terrorists defines operatives of al-Qaida as enemy combatants and thus legitimate targets for lethal force.

"The previously undisclosed CIA list includes key al-Qaida leaders like Osama bin Laden and his chief deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri, as well as other principal figures from al-Qaida and affiliated terrorist groups," the New York Times reported. It quoted one official as describing about 25 people listed as "the worst of the worst".

"President Bush has provided written legal authority to the CIA to hunt down and kill the terrorists without seeking further approval each time the agency is about to stage an operation. Some officials said the terrorist list was known as the 'high-value' target list," the newspaper said.

Spokesmen for the White House and the CIA refused the newspaper's request for comments.

In November, the CIA killed an al-Qaida leader in a remote region of Yemen. A pilotless Predator aircraft operated by the agency fired a missile at a car in which Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, also known as Abu Ali, was riding. Harethi and five other people, including a suspected al-Qaida operative with US citizenship, were killed.