Letter threatening FedEx planes probed

washington times ^ | 12/30/03

[knak]

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The FBI is investigating a letter threatening FedEx airplanes in Memphis and Fort Lauderdale, the south Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Tuesday.

The FBI confirmed the investigation but would not comment on the specifics.

The newspaper reported the letter apparently originated in Memphis, where the company is headquartered.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Sounds like a disgruntled ex-employee specifically because FedExis a very large employer in the area.

[knak]

from werg tennessee:

Letter Threatens FedEx Planes

December 30, 2003

Memphis, TN -- FedEx confirms it has received a letter threatening to shoot down the company's planes. The letter was sent to the media in Memphis a few days before Christmas. The FBI was immediately notified.

The letter says, "We are watching the purple and orange planes of the infidel... ready to take out airplanes." But is this a real threat, or a prank? A FedEx spokesperson would only say the company takes security very seriously, and has handed the letter over to the FBI.

Local Emergency Management officials routinely meet with major companies in the Memphis area. Shelby County EMA Director Clint Buchanan says he has not been notified by the FBI about this particular threatening letter, and that leads him to believe the city is not in imminent danger.

Here is a reproduction of the letter:

Fred SMith
CEO - Thief of Baghdad
Federal Express
Memphis, TN

Beware:

We are watching the purple and orange airplanes of the infidel. From Subic Bay, Anchorage, memphis, Ft. Lauderdale to Paris.

Martyrs and soldiers of the cause stand at the ready at the end of the runways and in the vicinity of any location ready to take out airplanes with RPG's and by any other means when the command is given in the next day or so.

You have seen nothing yet.

God be great, in ? Allah

Al Cady

[dep]

The newspaper reported the letter apparently originated in Memphis, where the company is headquartered.

and was delivered in a mysterious brown truck . . .

[diamondjoe]

Wasn't there a story a couple weeks ago about a disgruntled former employee of Fed Ex threatening to crash a plane into their corporate campus in Memphis?

[armymarinemom]

What are they going to do. Stand out in the middle of a Whitehaven subdivision to shoot down planes? I would think that they would find an Airport with more remote surroundings.

[Who dat?]

Wasn't there a story a couple weeks ago about a disgruntled former employee of Fed Ex threatening to crash a plane into their corporate campus in Memphis?

Several years back there was a nut jumpseating that tried precisely that. The pilot/co-pilot managed to bind him up and land the plane but he was going to town with a hammer trying to take it over.

[kimmie7]

Al Cady?????

Writer had to be from Tennessee...... There's nothing legit to this. I hope. If something were to happen, I would tend to think it would be more along the lines of the disgruntled worker.

[Moose4]

Well...for what it's worth, a FedEx MD-10 did crash in Memphis recently, last week or week before last. Apparently the right landing gear failed on landing, the plane skidded off the runway, crashed into the airport perimeter fence, and burned. Seven people onboard, all got out through the cockpit and down escape ropes with only minor injuries.

Probably not a terrorist incident, of course. Still, if I was FedEx and the NTSB, I'd be going over that bird's maintenance records reeeeeeal closely.

(And am I the only one having trouble taking seriously any note with "infidel" and "purple and orange" in the same sentence?)

}:-)4

[Moose4]

It sounds like a hoax to me. I expect some local Memphis kid is going to be in a world of poop when the FBI catches up to him. Still, you can't be too careful nowadays...

}:-)4

[Uncle Miltie]

If Fedex acquired Kinko's, is the resulting company Finko's?

(Sorry, I've been waiting all day to say that...)

[Ben Hecks]

"If Fedex acquired Kinko's, is the resulting company Finko's?"

No, I'm hearing the new name will be Kink-Ex.

[Mark was here]

If Fedex acquired Kinko's, is the resulting company Finko's?

For over a billion in cash! Must hope to have a lot of folks stop by and drop off packages... Gutsy move.

Finkos has a rice ring to it though...

[LurkedLongEnough]

"Al Cady"

Southern pronunciation of "Al-Queda"?

Mom born in Alabama, don't bash me.

[Cindy]

GOOGLE Search Term: "Al Cady"
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Al+Cady%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=0

Wow, Knak...didn't know there were so many "Al Cady"'s around.
Interesting.

[Who dat?]

For over a billion in cash!

For approximately $2.4 billion in cash. Borrowed cash too, as I understand it.

FDX has a considerable debt load, IMO. But they've never asked me for business advice. Nobody else has either. Ha.

[tubavil]

Whoo boy. Is this the wrong time to threaten anything, let alone that!

Throw him in Gitmo!

[Spook86]

Not only is the "Al Cady" a dead giveaway that the letter is a hoax, so is the vow to shoot down FedEx aircraft with RPGs. Hitting a hovering helo with a RPG takes quite a bit of skill. Hitting an MD-11 traveling at more than 130 kts on takeoff or approach would be nearly impossible. That would require a MANPAD SAM, something the writer apparently knows nothing about. My guess is that the FBI is knocking on the doors of some former FedEx employees in the Memphis area, and we'll have a suspect shortly.

[God is good]

Does anyone know if FedEx for security reasons is allowed to issue FBI background checks to its job applicants. They should.