Monday November 14, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

In the end the evidence proves that there really was a husband-wife terror team.

First intelligence was that two terrorists hit the Radisson SAS Hotel in Amman, a man and woman, a couple. But forensics could find no evidence of a female bomber.
Turns out that Sajida Mubarak Atrous al Rishawi, 35, accompanied her husband on the mission with every intention of turning herself into a suicide bomber - but her explosives did not detonate.
They walked into the wedding hall together, he went to one side, she went to the other and when her device did not explode, she escaped in the chaos.

The intelligence was correct. There was a woman and Jordanian authorities went looking for her. Sajida and her explosive belts were found in a safe house in Amman.
She confessed. She described how her husband had instructed her and given her the second vest filled with ball bearings to increase the damage.

Good intel is irreplaceable.
Jordanian security received the information on a tip. Their source was insistent and the authorities paid heed. And now they have a live suicide bomber in custody. That kind of "asset" is irreplaceable, it will lead to information about this operation and who knows how many more.

Good work.