Huachuca City detains 2 Middle Eastern men with 1000 cell phones; Feds release them (AARRGG!!)

KVOA Tucson Channel 4 News ^ | Lupita Murillo

[wtc911]

In France they could be held without charges for three years.

[old gringo]

i got one because it is cheap 20 bucks for the phone 20 bucks every other month for air time.of course i don't use it very much.but it's agood deal.

[andy58-in-nh]

So while purchasing 1000 phones may not be illegal, Huachuca City police say, "It's just enough to make you think it's not right."

Great. Thanks for the tip, Barney Fife.

[Republicus2001]

OK, so we know they like to set off IED's with cell phones. What would be mass simultaneous targets that would require thousands? High schools? how about gas stations?

[Republicus2001]

and of course they probably let them go ...can't have profiling doncha know...

[andy58-in-nh]

Something is brewing in the minds of islamic fascists.

It's quite likely in more than their minds - it might even be a well-advanced plan. My personal theory is that cell phones are to be used as detonators for tens of thousands of bombs spread all over the country, and over a period of days, weeks - even months. We're thinking local WMD, they're thinking widespread conventional weapons. More terror in more places with much less risk of successful detection. Scared yet? You ought to be.

If one of you can convince me I'm wrong, I would really appreciate it.

[Republicus2001]

I am truly trying to understand how anybody can buy that story

HMS will frantically come up with a new cover story later today...like oh, they're buying them by the thousands because they are very popular as neck jewelry among the youth in Asia. It's the latest thing. The take the batteries out because it would make the necklace too heavy...

[ArmstedFragg]

Somebody explain this to me.

Taking your question in a different direction: Cell phones do not communicate directly from one to another, their communications have to be relayed from repeater sites. In order to use those sites, the phone has to be activated. In order to activate the phone, it has to be charged. If the intent was to use the phones as trigger devices, how would you get them charged and activated without the chargers and/or batteries.

[LonePalm]

Self Ping for later.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Centurion2000]

One report said they were putting the body of the phone in one box, the battery in another.

That would prevent someone from accidentally dialing into it until it was ready to be a detonator. That would also allow for a few 'mistakes' to be made from people calling old recycled phone numbers.

[Doctor Stochastic]

The cell phones are sold at a loss so that the phone companies can make money selling minutes to the buyer. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Similar to selling printers cheaply in order to sell ink and toner refills. (Not that there's anyting wrong with that.)

The guys from Dallas (well known in the area) buy lots of phones (around $30) from WalMart and resell them overseas; they may fetch $100 in Hong Kong (USD or HKD?).

It's all about supply and demand.

[ArmstedFragg]

That would prevent someone from accidentally dialing into it until it was ready to be a detonator

You can't dial into it anyway if it's not activated, or on. I get this picture of some terrorist attempting to trigger an IED and a voice on the phone is saying, "press one to activate this phone, press two, to add air-time....."

[Doctor Stochastic]

So while purchasing 1000 phones may not be illegal, Huachuca City police say, "It's just enough to make you think it's not right."

Or buying too much Benedryl, too many cigarrettes, to many .45 rounds, too much lawn fertilizer, too many pink plastic flamingos, etc.

[AD from SpringBay]

They should inject them with a personal tracking device, the kind people now use for their pets, and then release them.

[SandRat]

Shopping Malls, Youth Hangouts, Sports events, Dr's Offices, Libraries, etc

[Toespi]

That's it, I am buying stock in Tracphones.

[Toespi]

Here's an idea which may or may not be already out there. What if the terrorist know there is going to be an attack on, let's say the 22nd, and they are stocking up.