Al Qaeda hit list of individuals posted on web

By: CBS News Investigates
Topics: Terrorism

(Credit: CBS)

Last week the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a new terror bulletin listing potential targets that were mentioned on an al Qaeda website.

The site, Ansar al-Mujahideen, is a forum for terrorists around the world and is one of the Top 10 outlets distributing jihadi propaganda. The list includes Defense Department officials, names of officers of defense contractors, members of Congress and private individuals.

Law enforcement sources tell CBS News' Pat Milton the various postings mostly on extremists overseas websites were the result of a video message posted last week by U.S.-born Adam Gadahn -- al Qaeda's chief spokesman -- in which he called for jihadists to take up arms against Americans and other infidels.

There is no specific threat, but Gadahn tells followers how easy it is to buy a gun in the United States and points to Ft. Hood gunman Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan as a hero.

The list apparently make the military and companies that do business with the military targets, in apparent retaliation for the killing of Osama bin Laden by Navy SEALs.

The postings have been going on all week and people have piled on talking about leaders and companies that should be added to the list.

One source said it shows a continuing evolution of al Qaeda trying to stir local jihadist "lone wolfs" --as it changes tactics from a spectacular event like the September 11 attacks.

Another federal law enforcement source tells CBS News the web postings are aspirational, and there is no specific threat, but when they find information they share it.

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by FinaBiscotti September 29, 2011 3:58 AM EDT: "There is no specific threat, but Gadahn tells followers how easy it is to buy a gun in the United States and points to Ft. Hood gunman Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan as a hero."

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Holder and Obama refusing to prosecute illegal immigration, forcing our US borders to remain open - to accommodate a foreign invasion of ILLEGAL ALIENS - along with their Operation Fast and Furious........; Reply to this comment

by engin816 June 18, 2011 1:27 AM EDT

Bush was not a Muslim. He murdered,over a million people in Iraq and Afghanistan thru over 800 lies. He created over 750,000 widows and 2 million orphans in Iraq alone. His terrorist acrtivities caused over 4000 US armed members to loose their lives in Iraq based on his abuse of White House powers and fabricated lies.

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by TooTuff2DIE September 23, 2011 5:05 PM EDT: Yep all those lies...we swallowed'em whole. Watched our own soldiers die and never complained....we're fat, happy, and don't give a crap about anything but for our own pitiful lives...but all that will soon change. Yep...I hope they get everyone on their list.


by docroc67 June 17, 2011 7:05 PM EDT: Point 1: There would be fewer jihadists if we (the West in general and the USA in particular) would stop invading countries in the middle east. If we were not meddling everywhere, we'd create fewer chances for disenchanted peoples to focus their anger on US.; Reply to this comment


by anilramsingh June 17, 2011 1:14 PM EDT: Its important to know who Adam Gadhan is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jbRgf6wX0A; Reply to this comment


by lucifersshadow June 16, 2011 7:31 PM EDT: How is it that a terrorist organization can host a web site? And our government is to stupid to take it out? Oh, let me guess . . . it is hosted in Pakistan, and we are footing the bill . . .; Reply to this comment

by aintfakin June 16, 2011 2:19 PM EDT

and thankfully this foru8m is exhibit A as a warning to the rest of us for other forms of extremists in this country

like the first 2 posts below

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by TheKnowerseeker June 16, 2011 4:45 PM EDT: When your a** gets blown up by a Muslim, I'll be sure to pi** on your grave.

by leepoe1 June 16, 2011 1:54 PM EDT

This article is Exhibit A for those of us who believe that guns should be a little more difficult to get than to have some terrorist (and the latest ones do not look Muslim) walk into a gun show and buy assault weapons and armor piercing bullets. Why smuggle a weapon in when you can buy one legally without any check on your sanity or criminal record?

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by tiredofeverything June 16, 2011 3:09 PM EDT: by rcht2370
your a moron
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irony


by MisterSquash June 16, 2011 3:53 PM EDT: hahaha good one 'tiredofeverything'..... Hey rcht2370, dew ewe sea what he did there?

by TheKnowerseeker June 16, 2011 1:12 PM EDT

This article is Exhibit A for those of us who believe that American Muslims should be kept in internment -- or even ejected from the country. Every Muslim is a potential ticking time bomb.

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by KPeters_from_UK June 16, 2011 2:14 PM EDT: Muslim terrorists represent less than one percent of all Muslims just as the KKK do not represent all Christians.