John L. Betcher
The 19th Element
For Lynn, Anne and Kate
PREFACE
The following is verbatim text of an item from the Presidential Daily Brief presented to President George W. Bush on August 6, 2001. Redacted material is indicated by brackets.
Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US
Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate Bin Ladin since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Ladin implied in US television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."
After US missile strikes on his base in Afghanistan in 1998, Bin Ladin told followers he wanted to retaliate in Washington, according to a [-] service. An Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) operative told an [-] service at the same time that Bin Ladin was planning to exploit the operative's access to the US to mount a terrorist strike.
…
Al Qaeda members — including some who are US citizens — have resided in or traveled to the US for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks. Two Al Qaeda members found guilty in the conspiracy to bomb our embassies in East Africa were US citizens, and a senior EIJ member lived in California in the mid-1990s.
A clandestine source said in 1998 that a Bin Ladin cell in New York was recruiting Muslim-American youth for attacks.
We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a [-] service in 1998 saying that Bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Shaykh" 'Umar 'Abd al-Rahman and other US-held extremists.
Nevertheless, FBI information since that time indicates patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hi-jackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York.
Despite this warning from U.S. intelligence sources, the government failed to act.
Less than one month later, on September 11, 2001, Bin Ladin made good on his threat. He brought the fight to America — and thousands died in its first battle.
Even today, the war continues. Are we prepared?
PROLOGUE
Western perceptions notwithstanding, the Afghan War did not put Al Qaeda out of business. And despite American bragging to the contrary, Al Qaeda has even conducted successful operations inside the U.S. after 9/11.
It is true that western forces have succeeded in thwarting a number of attempted attacks. But from Al Qaeda’s perspective, even worse than failed operations are the West’s unbelievably effective cover-ups. Westerners blame nearly all of Al Qaeda’s successful offensives on internal malcontents. Gang wars. Freedom Fighters. Drug cartels. Anarchists. Radical extremists. These are the "criminals" who receive the credit for attacks that, in reality, are Al Qaeda’s victories.
Although the premier international terrorist organization is very much alive, the name of Al Qaeda no longer strikes fear into the hearts of the western world. Of what efficacy is a terrorist group lacking the ability to terrorize? Al Qaeda faces a serious public relations problem. World fear of Al Qaeda is at an all time low.
There is only one solution. To regain global prominence, Al Qaeda needs an operation so high profile, and so public, that the world cannot be duped by cover-ups.
It needs something nuclear.
CHAPTER 1
Tuesday’s discovery of a dead body washed up on the Mississippi River shore just north of Red Wing had turned the small town into a press Mecca. Television and print media crews from the Twin Cities and Rochester converged on the murder scene, each vying for the most gruesome, and attention-grabbing, visuals possible.
News helicopters swooped up and down the river valley, past the grassy riverbank where the swollen spring currents at the confluence of the Prairie River with its larger counterpart had deposited the corpse.
The body was that of an older man — in his sixties, the Ottawa County Medical Examiner had estimated. Police hadn’t released the probable identity of the victim. And despite photographers’ best efforts, the only crime photos that made the nightly news programs were of boaters in small craft, gawking in the river channel, and of four Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputies hoisting a vinyl body bag from the weedy beach into their covered flatboat.
The remaining news footage showcased well-dressed reporters, looking serious, and speaking with concerned voices about the tragic discovery near the small Minnesota town.
But all that was yesterday.
Today was Wednesday and I was at my office. Becker Law Office. James L. Becker, Attorney-at-Law. Nearly everyone who knows me calls me ‘Beck.’
I arrived at this lawyering gig via an unusual route. Following my retirement from more than twenty years of sub rosa military intelligence operations, my wife, Elizabeth, and I decided to move our family to my childhood home of Red Wing. Beth and I had agreed at the time that the relatively crime-free life in rural Minnesota would be best for our girls. Having me working near home more of the time would reduce my family’s justified worries for my safety. And I could blend in seamlessly in my old home town.
Lawyering would be a fairly easy professional transition for me. I already held a largely unused law degree from my pre-Agency days. The segue into small town private practice would not be difficult.
So five years ago, Beth and I, and our two children, Sara and Elise, had picked up our lives and come here to live in Red Wing, a Mississippi River town of about twenty thousand. In this setting, we were able to use our real names. And we hoped to regain for our family a sense of normalcy.
Although being an attorney is not difficult, it can be less than exciting. For the sake of appearances, I maintain the cover — but we really don’t need the money.
Our family financial situation is a bit more favorable than most, owing entirely to an invention I had patented during my tenure on ‘the Team’ — a radically new aerodynamic design for sniper bullets.
A change in the shape of a bullet might not seem like much. But after extensive testing, a government defense contractor had happily purchased my patent for quite a lot of money.
Later, I was pleased to learn that incorporation of my bullet design into new sniper rifles allowed a reliable kill shot at up to a mile and a half — a significant improvement over the traditional .50 caliber long range projectiles. A win-win for both me and the military.
Of course, the defense contractor got the glory. But that wasn’t important. Glory is fleeting and fickle. Neither to be sought nor trusted.
Given our financial independence, my new job is really just my cover. My true vocation really has no proper name. I guess you could say I am professionally wayward. At least, I like that description. It implies a Huck Finn sort of freedom, combined with a military-inspired drive for excellence.
My professionally wayward approach allows me complete freedom to select causes and goals; but once chosen, it also requires me to pursue all such matters with utter commitment and maximum preparedness. This combination of dedication and preparation has, thus far, assured my success in numerous challenging undertakings.