Local psychologist believes sniper kills done by terrorists

Knoxnews.com ^ | Oct. 15, 2002 | J.J. Stambaugh

[Destructor]

I've been saying that ever since the shootings first started. The timing of the sniper attacks coincides with America's preparation for the second Gulf War.

[angkor]

It's truly amazing that virtually every talking head and profiler on the news agrees that "this doesn't fit the typical profile."

That's because its obviously a terrorist.

There is at least one kind of terrorist known to have practiced these tactics, according to the al Qaeda documents and videos found in Afghanistan (if not elsewhere). Those are Muslim terrorists.

Last night's shooting is a leisurely 10 to 15 minutes drive from Northern VA's largest Muslim neighborhood (actually closer to 10 than to 15 minutes).

Last night's shooting was so far inside the Beltway, and so far from any obvious high-speed egress route, that it seems the shooters knew they could make it home and be off the streets before a large police response of the type seen last Friday. They have so far proven calculating and observant enough to know how the police might respond, and what is a viable escape route.

I'm now pretty convinced that they're from the Muslim community near Bailey's Crossroads.

[Maceman]

It kind of makes me think there may be several teams at work here.

Me too.

[grannie9]

I agree with you... Bingo!

[Aquinasfan]

Have you seen this line from the Yahoo story concerning the guy they are questioning in Baltimore?

Nope. Got link?

[Trust but Verify]

All but 3 of the shootings occured at gas stations

Incorrect. There have been two at Michael's craft stores, a kid at school, the woman at HD last night and a man mowing his lawn. There may be more that wweren't at gas stations, but these are the ones I recall.

[madrastex]

If this is indeed a terrorist cell, then they are very well prepared and well entrenched. They have a familiarity with escape routes, and safe harbours that would argue years of research, and a resourcefulness to adapt to changing circumstances such as the dropping of dragnets, that frankly are unimaginable for an operative who has been dropped into an area. I therefore believe that this is even more deadly: natives who have been co-opted for the "strusggle"...idealogical zealots, with solid, gut level survival instincts, and a familiarity with local terrain to duck and weave as necessary.

[Lobbyist]

In January 1993 Mir Aimal Kansi (a Pakistani) was responsible for the deaths of two CIA employees outside CIA headquarters. Kansi was trained in Iraq and traveled to the US seeking political asylum. I searched the Washington Times archives for the story the day after the shootings happened and the local stories are not archived. Go figure. The later stories done by the Times regarding this shooting are similar to recent shootings. If a foreign national was responsible for the shootings at the CIA in 1993, it stands to reason that in the midst of the war on terror, the person/persons are middle-eastern terrorists.

[SternTrek]

If this had taken place during WWII, I don't think anyone would think twice about it being connected to Nazi sympathizers.

[twntaipan]

Agreed. There is at least a likelihood that there is information to support the terrorist thesis--look at the amount of coordination and how quickly LEOs descended on the scene last night.

Liberals inside the beltway will have to give up their lattes if this is terrorism--they might have to, "horror" actually see those they have defended marched to prison (meaning the Muslims).

[Kerberos]

Nope. Got link?

Woman dead in Virginia shooting; authorities trying to determine if shooting linked to sniper spree

[lentulusgracchus]

My personal belief is that this is the latest form of terrorism, but we just don't want to admit it.

Hmmm. The Washington-area commentators referred to above may all be "on board" with "the story".

It'd be just like LE, trying to PR a situation like this.

Chief Moose looks at times like he is under a tremendous strain. If he knew it was terrorists and the feds were leaning on him to keep it under his hat while the terrorists slaughtered his people one at a time, it might tend to ruin his week.

If it's true, how to respond? People have a right to defend themselves.

And if I were Bush, I'd just start turning the Arab-American community upside down until I got to the guys with recent powder burns.

Second thought: the first attack on WTC was obviously intended as a severe provocation. As in, let's have a big War Against Islam -- just like Bin Laden and Zawahiri have been running their mouths about.

This looks like it's an engraved invitation to beat up on every Arab on the East Coast.

When the Marxist-Leninist students at Harvard pulled their sit-in and goaded the police to riot in 1969, commentator Roger Rosenblatt was there and reminisced years later that when the police action began, he happened to be at the back of the occupied building when the Communist students bailed out the back way. He stopped one of them and asked him why they were leaving, while their followers and fellow-travelers were inside, taking a beating from the police. The Leftist snot coolly replied, "The leadership always has to preserve itself." They were leaving their followers to absorb a drubbing, provide a spectacle for the news, and get seriously "radicalized" by the experience.

The shooter(s), if it is indeed a terrorist cell, could be acting on Al-Q'aeda's instructions, instructions intended to produce something very like a radicalizing experience for Arabs in America and elsewhere, by severely provoking the U.S. citizenry to come down hard on Arab immigrants.

Oh, and over on the other thread, Saudi immigration authorities announced a tit-for-tat policy on foreigners traveling there.

[aristeides]

By my count, four of the shootings have been at gas stations.

[Lobbyist]

So true! Could you imagine the mayor of Jerusalem telling people after snipers took down 10 people that we cannot rush to judgement? No way!

[Axeslinger]

I wish to disagree somewhat on the reason for why gas stations are chosen. While what you say may well be true, I believe there is a more direct reason for gas stations being chosen as the target environment.

As we go about our lives, travelling from one place to another, where is one of the only places where we are outdoors (exposed) and stationary? For this nutjob, gas stations are one of few places where he will have multiple targets, all largely exposed for a length of time and all relatively stationary. I think it is as simple as that.

[Intimidator]

Yes unfortunatly, even after 9/11, we seem to have this mindset that wars happen over there. They would never dare to attack us on our on soil.

This may be true but don't give up on the American people. We are a very resilient people just naive sometimes.

[toddst]

Not at all. Terrorists are VERY concerned with press coverage--it amplifies an otherwise isolated event.

Since shortly after the initial shootings the terrorists have known - can depend on - heavy press coverage. This series of shooting has been planned for months with a clear understanding of impact on the general public.

[jacquej]

The reason that no-one in LE or the media want to seriously consider that this is terrorism is because there isn't much that can be done about it without dealing with some pretty heavy issues.

Interning and/or deporting all those here on visas? Not likely. Controlling our borders? Not enough manpower.

Facing the possibility that the "Muslim Faith" isn't really a religion of peace? How un-pc!

It is just too hard to face the reality staring us in the face, which is that our way of life is at very high risk, in fact at "red alert" status. The consquences are just too horrible to contemplate, and no-one wants to do it, including George Bush.

[GOPJ]

Christmas is a worry, even Thanksgiving, any major holiday if this is a terrorist.

Someone, on another thread, thought that these shootings might be a test run for the Christmas shopping season. If the economy isn't tanking already, that would do the job.

[twntaipan]

You hit the nail squarely on the head--actually you hit all the nails squarely on their heads.

So the questions boils down to: Do we as a nation have what it takes (and are we willing to do what it will take) to deal with enemies in our midst? Enemies whose goal is a Muslim American? Or do we simply give up now and raise the Muslim flag?

Liberals would have us do the later.