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Government warns of terror threat to trains
MSNBC ^ | 3-4-08

Posted on 03/04/2008 7:47:29 PM PST by rdl6989

n a bulletin released Friday to U.S. law enforcement officials, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is warning of “continued strong terrorist interest” in targeting mass transit systems in the U.S. The 10-page threat assessment, labeled “Unclassified/For Official Use Only” and obtained by NBC News, cautions that the “U.S. mass transit and passenger rail systems are vulnerable to terrorist attacks because they are accessible to large numbers of the public and are notoriously difficult to secure.” Previous rail attacks in Madrid, London and Mumbai “could inspire terrorists to conduct similar attacks in the United States,” the report adds.

However, the authors of the intelligence analysis make clear that there are no known, immediate dangers. “At this time, there is no credible intelligence regarding specific plans by any extremist groups or individuals to perpetrate an act of terrorism against the U.S. mass transit system,” they write.

"Mass Transit System Threat Assessment" The report is titled the “Mass Transit System Threat Assessment” and was prepared by TSA’s Office of Intelligence. It comes just weeks after Amtrak announced a series of new security measures. Amtrak does not routinely screen passengers or their baggage with metal detectors or other devices, as all U.S. airlines do. Instead, it announced on Feb. 19 that it would use so-called Mobile Security Teams to randomly check passengers and baggage.

The report identifies Al-Qaida as one of the “most likely actors” in potential attacks. “Al-Qa’ida and affiliated extremists pose the greatest threat to the U.S. mass transit and passenger rail system,” it states. “The threat to heavy and commuter rail in the Homeland is greater than the threat to buses and light rail. Attacks on buses overseas tend to be small-scale and are carried out mainly by smaller separatist groups within their own countries.”

(Excerpt) Read more at deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: gwot; masstransit; rail; targets; train; trains
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To: Walkingfeather
Train derailment this morning near Mecca, Calif.

MECCA - Crews reported significant progress Tuesday in cleaning up a chemical spill after a train derailment Monday night near this farm worker community that triggered a precautionary evacuation of a nine-square-mile rural area.

21 posted on 03/04/2008 9:11:35 PM PST by Reeses (Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
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To: LukeL
I don’t know about you, but I would love to take a train through the Rocky Mountains.

I prefer a reliable 4WD pickup or a good horse or both.

22 posted on 03/04/2008 9:11:41 PM PST by elkfersupper
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To: rdl6989

Hey, lets allow in a few million more foreigners...That’s the ticket!


23 posted on 03/04/2008 9:12:34 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: EagleUSA

Union Pacific freight train derailed near Mecca, California today.

24 posted on 03/04/2008 9:15:36 PM PST by Reeses (Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
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To: El Gato

Ya better be saving your income down there in Texas to support Bush’s millions of illegal aliens.


25 posted on 03/04/2008 9:15:43 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: rdl6989
Come on, House. Get busy and pass the bill that will protect us. Stop doing all the dumb stuff, Nancy, and get down to business!

U. S. House of Representatives

26 posted on 03/04/2008 9:16:39 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: proxy_user

The PANYNJ is pathetic. Take no comfort in their presence, their incompetence can actually kill you.


27 posted on 03/04/2008 9:48:19 PM PST by Imperialist
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To: rdl6989

Oh, fun... I’m taking a train for spring break, and I hope Amtrak doesn’t try to go through my bags cause I don’t know if I can pack them that tightly again - I even have a pillow squished into a pocket of my overhead-carryon-sized bag. I sometimes feel like my luggage is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside...


28 posted on 03/04/2008 10:19:04 PM PST by Hyzenthlay (I aim to misbehave.)
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To: Reeses

Mecca. Great.

disgusting


29 posted on 03/04/2008 10:23:08 PM PST by txhurl
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To: rdl6989

bttt


30 posted on 03/05/2008 12:07:14 AM PST by AnimalLover ( ((Are there special rules and regulations for the big guys?)))
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To: rdl6989

Ho-hum.....another threat


31 posted on 03/05/2008 12:23:09 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Reeses

Nice name!!


32 posted on 03/05/2008 5:35:26 AM PST by Napoleon Solo
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To: Sarajevo

I guess the TSA workers want more power and influence, and the scanning machine manufacturers want more sales.


33 posted on 03/05/2008 7:03:28 AM PST by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: Rb ver. 2.0
Railroad terrorism is a simple as this:

Would you happen to have the exact specs on this item, material list, steel composition and hardness, sizes and such?

Thank you,
Ahmed Muhammad
Dearbornistan, MI

34 posted on 03/05/2008 7:06:18 AM PST by panaxanax (Hey Duncan, your country needs you now more than ever. Please call home!)
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To: elkfersupper
You would be surprised! I ride trains because there hasn’t
been all the hassles you find at airports; also, the food and service is much better.
35 posted on 03/05/2008 8:29:34 AM PST by upcountryhorseman (An old fashioned conservative)
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To: Walkingfeather
Well LA is safe... since we dont use mass transit.

Maybe not for passengers but how do you think you get food and fuel for the cities stores? It's brought in by a cargo train to a railhead in one of several city wide rail yards then trucked to central distribution points where it is further trucked to retailers. Imagine a nuke put onto one of those trains in DENVER or vice versa and sent on it's merry way with timer or a detonater and a suicidal Jihadi for company.

How about one of the cargo cars packed full with propane containers charged to the max with VX Nerve Agent or a similar car packed with industrial sized fire extinguishers and charged with the aforementioned nerve agent? What's the average speed and direction of the breeze on a sunny day in LA? Calculate that and you'll get an effective idea of the downwind drift of the agent and of course as the cloud of gas moves in a linear direction it will also tend to spread in a lateral direction growing ever larger and killing more folks as well as contaminating more surfaces. Rail yards are usually located centrally, too.

You're not safe. There is no such concept that holds any measure of validity. Care to rethink your statement?

36 posted on 03/05/2008 9:52:02 AM PST by ExSoldier (Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.)
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To: Creek Injun

Yep, Live Free or Die.

I prefer I live free and THEY die.


37 posted on 03/05/2008 11:42:18 AM PST by HonestConservative (Obama; Nobody beats the Wiz.)
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To: Rb ver. 2.0
 
 
 
 
 

38 posted on 03/05/2008 12:37:59 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: El Gato; elkfersupper
I haven’t been on a train since I took a novelty ride in grade school circa 1957-1963 and don’t know anybody who has.

UMmmm...

Durango to Silverton!

Agawa Canyon!

Whitewater Railroad

39 posted on 03/05/2008 12:39:42 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: txflake
disgusting

Funky Cold Medina

40 posted on 03/05/2008 12:40:40 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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