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| AlQueda attention on Washington State Ferries |
| 2004-10-11 |
| Why feds believe terrorists are probing ferry system LOOKING FOR SOME GOOD LOCATIONS FOR SOME "BIN LADEN DAY CARE CENTERS" MAYBE? AFTER ALL, THIS IS THE HOME STATE FOR PATTY MURRAY. Groups of men, including one tied to a federal terrorism investigation, have videotaped Washington ferry operations, prompting federal authorities to conclude the system has been under surveillance as a possible target for an attack. U.S. Attorney John McKay, officials in the U.S. Coast Guard and other members of Seattle's Joint Terrorism Task Force all share in that conclusion. "We may well be the target of preoperational terrorist planning," McKay said. A confidential FBI assessment of the threat to the state ferries is partly behind an increase in security for large-capacity ferries nationwide, McKay and others say. The state ferry system is the nation's largest, carrying 26 million passengers last year. It began implementing new security requirements — including tripling the number of cars screened for explosives — this weekend. For its assessment, the FBI gathered 157 incidents on or near ferries that law-enforcement officers, ferry workers and passengers have reported as suspicious since Sept. 11, 2001. The Seattle Times obtained a document detailing those incidents. The agency ranked the incidents according to the perceived threat, with most deemed a low or moderate risk. Many involved reports of passengers who appeared to be Middle Eastern and were simply using a camera or cellphone. Other reports gave such little detail that they were difficult to investigate. But the FBI determined 19 incidents were highly likely or extremely likely to involve terrorist surveillance of the ferries, with individuals asking probing questions about ferry operations or taking photos of stairwells, car decks and workers going about their jobs. Three incidents involve one man who is a known subject in an FBI terrorism investigation. CONT. AT LINK |
| Posted by:Brett_the_Quarkian |
| #11 They would not even have to board the Ferry - a large explosive-laden speedboat would be able to get quite close to a running (unarmed) Ferry. The ferry may not necessarily be the target. This is where the Bremerton Ferry Terminal is located |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-10-11 11:17:17 PM |
| #10 Mrs TW has got it. Reference "Understanding Terror Networks" by Sageman. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-10-11 10:22:12 PM |
| #9 Of course the jihadis aren't going to get jobs. They are the princes of Islam -- like the Saudis, lifting wallets and cameras is all that can be expected of those who plan to sacrifice themselves to get into Paradise on the cheap. (Although I've started to wonder how their separated bits will be able to enjoy the houris when they get up there.) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2004-10-11 9:54:22 PM |
| #8 And then JFKerry can handle the attack like a law enforcement matter and arrest the suicide jihadi's body parts. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-10-11 4:39:00 PM |
| #7 Of course, according to Kerry, having a few thousand people die from an attack on the ferry system would be such a nuisence. He might have to interrupt his manucure in order to blame it on George Bush. They would not even have to board the Ferry - a large explosive-laden speedboat would be able to get quite close to a running (unarmed) Ferry. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-10-11 4:11:10 PM |
| #6 RJ - I've often wondered about that myself. It doesn't really seem that they are as calculating as we are supposed to believe. Considering the problems they had in 1999 getting the explosives across the border, I can't help wondering if, rather than wanting to blow up the ferries (yawn) they are looking for an easier way to get the explosives into the US. They could boat them in from Canada, and hope that the ferries don't check for explosives. I don't know. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-11 3:51:21 PM |
| #5 Perhaps Patsy should contact Gloria for tips on how to handle foundering ferries. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-10-11 3:31:12 PM |
| #4 Dirty bombs. Container ships. Proxies. God help us all if by some miracle the peacenik/nuclear freeze candidate wins on Nov 2. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-10-11 3:28:21 PM |
| #3 "with individuals asking probing questions about ferry operations or taking photos of stairwells, car decks and workers going about their jobs." What I don't get is people say Al Queda meticulously plans things for years ahead of time. So why can't they get a follower with a clean record to get a job with the ferry company. He wouldn't have to ask questions, just show up for work and learn. He's also be able to find weaknesses and perhaps plant bombs himself. Getting idiots to ask questions seems more like a smokescreen, an attempt at indirection. Then again Atta threatened to suggested he could cut a beurocrats throat if she didn't give him a loan, that was after he asked about photos of the main landmarks in DC. These guys are not all that subtle sometimes. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2004-10-11 3:24:16 PM |
| #2 I wonder how many of these 'observers' were memebers of those 'peaceful islamic groups' Jim Mc Dermitt (D: Al-Qaeda) cherishes so much.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-10-11 3:16:54 PM |
| #1 What a nuisance. |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-10-11 3:05:58 PM |