[InterceptPoint]

Can't we keep this stuff secret so we can actually catch the terrorists?????????

Would you proceed with your plan to hijack Flight 317 if you believed that the FBI would be waiting for you. Methinks not. I think discouraging the al Queda by letting them know that they have been intercepted/infiltrated is the goal. The leak was on purpose.

[Azzurri]

I agree, although I doubt they have info on actual flight numbers. More likely, they want the terrorists to think we know the flight numbers and thus bail out of their plans.

[nhoward14]

The only way I see that being worthwhile is if we already know the identities of the AQ terrorists that would be involved so we could track them if they abort.

[TruthConquers]

Some have been speculating that Al Queda is just testing us to see what we do. Maybe we are head-faking right back.

[Alberta's Child]

Would you proceed with your plan to hijack Flight 317 if you believed that the FBI would be waiting for you. Methinks not. I think discouraging the al Queda by letting them know that they have been intercepted/infiltrated is the goal. The leak was on purpose.

Better yet -- notice that no particular flight numbers have been mentioned. So some Islamic knucklehead who intended to hijack Flight 317 will refrain from doing so even if the Feds really think the target is Flight 123.

[randog]

Would you proceed with your plan to hijack Flight 317 if you believed that the FBI would be waiting for you. Methinks not. I think discouraging the al Queda by letting them know that they have been intercepted/infiltrated is the goal. The leak was on purpose.

Thanks for pointing that out.

[Poohbah]

Would you proceed with your plan to hijack Flight 317 if you believed that the FBI would be waiting for you. Methinks not. I think discouraging the al Queda by letting them know that they have been intercepted/infiltrated is the goal. The leak was on purpose.

Strategery:

1. Detain an al-Qaeda operative.

2. When intelligence arrives from another source, drop him off in front of an al-Qaeda safehouse, warmly shake his hand, and stuff a big roll of money into his shirt pocket.

3. al-Qaeda takes care of the rest.

[smith288]

If we actually knew the flight numbers wouldnt a task force be enacted to catch any terrorist boarding that flight? Handcuff them and take them away.

I take this as poker. They will need to decide whether to call and bluff or go on with their plan or to cancel and try their luck another day.