Man Sought for Photographing Texas City Refineries

my way news ^ | Jul 19, 2:57 PM (ET) | HOUSTON (Reuters)

[metalcor]

You wouldn't need pictures to set the whole thing off. Just know which roads to go down and fling a Molotov cocktail over the 8 ft fences surrounding one or more of many refineries in that area. Wouldn't take a whole lot of planning. I just happened to be in that area this weekend (toured the Battleship Texas--way cool) and the thought occured to me just how easy it would be.

[mitchbert]

No one is going to be arrested for taking photographs of a non-security installation. The authorities prudently want to interview the person and ascertain what his interests are in these refineries.

Agreed...and a sort of funny story...

I was in Paris for a few days in 1996. I had a night in a small hotel not 100 yards from the Arc de Triumph. The place had no balconies, but I could climb out my window onto the structural shelf that made up the awning over the entrance. I climbed out to take pics of the Arc and the surrounding neighborhood...it was a great view. I had a pretty extensive camera kit with me. Not 5 miutes after I went out I saw a hubbub involving several cops running towards the hotel...and my phone rang. I was called downstairs and met by 4 very unimpressed looking Paris cops. They were very professional but it was probably a good thing that I thought to bring my passport and all travel docs downstairs with me. I figured out pretty quick that they were making sure I wasn't some guy casing out possible attack targets; after all, they did have a problem with bombings some years earlier. I don't blame the authorities that feel it necessary to investigate otherwise innocent activities carried out by someone with a personal interest. I blame the terrorists for making this a perceived necessity.

[BagCamAddict]

Yep, I remember.

And then there was the vanload of swarthy guys near the nuclear power plant recently who said they were going fishing, but they had no fishing gear in their van.

[CyberAnt]

Why don't these places have web cams set up so they can get a better look at these people who are taking pictures.

[George W. Bush]

You wouldn't need pictures to set the whole thing off. Just know which roads to go down and fling a Molotov cocktail over the 8 ft fences surrounding one or more of many refineries in that area. Wouldn't take a whole lot of planning.

Might take a little more planning than that. But not much more at many refineries and chemical plants.

Also railyards where large numbers of hazardous chemical tank cars are routinely stored in a row. Very nasty if any fire develops.

This kind of stuff is all over in any industrialized country.

Then there is the California brush and the national forests...

[samadams2000]

RAE Systems...Symbol RAE....look into it.

[Dog Gone]

Yes, I remember. That took place a little further west on the Texas coastline near Freeport. Nevertheless, people need to understand that the southeastern gulf coast of Texas is a massive petrochemical complex. Their entire stadard of living depends on the region continuing to operate.

It's vulnerable. I know that the refineries have beefed up security, but I seriously doubt whether they could protect against an intelligent assault. The area to defend is just too large.

[deport]

Thanks DG..... It was a chemical complex rather than a refinery.... Here's the link to the original posting back in May...

BASF guard shot Freeport, Texas Chemical Plant Complex

[Don Joe]

You sure it wasn't William Mortensen, Ansel Adams' nemesis?

[Indie]

A gun sale at Academy? Cool! I'll check it out! Always ready to add to my collection :))))

[wolficatZ]

I remember being able to see the ruins of a wrecked refinery that could be seen from the highway to Galveston, I presume left over from the 47 explosion. I wonder if it is still there.

[basil]

No--the refineries were rebuilt fairly soon after the disaster.

Fifteen years later, when I entered UTMedical Branch School of Nursing,(Galveston) we still had many patients undergoing tedious plastic surgery for injuries they suffered during the explosions, though.

[Bobby777]

When I was in the Air Force, I stupidly took pictures of the SAC Airborne Command Post when it took off after maintenance at Boeing Wichita. That's a quick way to lose a camera!!!!

somehow they came up with apparent airborne footage (ostensibly) of the old Looking Glass plane in 1983's "The Day After" ... interestingly enough, I read that SAC would not let the director of "Fail Safe" take any photographs of a B-58 Hustler (one of the most beautiful planes ever built) during the time the film was made (early 1960's) because the B-58 was a nuclear delivery platform ... so the film crew snuck out to a base and shot (what appears to be) dusk or dawn liftoff by a B-58. Since they only got one plane, they cropped the footage to make it look like it was the 6 planes of "Group 6" taking off, when in reality, it's the same B-58 shown 6 times ... of course a pic of a B-58 is required ...



and now back to our regular thread ...

[Chad Fairbanks]

Ok, that's it. We need a moratorium on the sale of White Vans...

[Colorado Doug]

. I just happened to be in that area this weekend

You don't happen to drive a white van do you? I could really use the reward money.

[treeclimber]

The man, described as white with dark hair...

I think I know that guy!!


LOLOL...I think I saw him, too!!!!!

[TXBSAFH]

In my younger days I worked as a pipefitter, boiler maker, and later operator in the plants along the Houston ship channel. I have worked in BPAmocos Texas City plant. It would only take a small bomb in the right spot to simulate a tactical nuke. And on top of that the security mostly is unarmed rent-a-cops.

[philman_36]

"That's not to say we don't have enough home-grown idiots already who might want to do something."
This guy is the IDIOT!
If there were "home-grown idiots" who wanted to "do something" they would've done something a long time ago.
More "blame it on conservative, right-wing Americans", just like at OKC!

[philman_36]

I've done time at the Amoco plant, as well as a couple of others, myself.
It's a boilermaker thing, they wouldn't understand. {;^)

[TXBSAFH]

Doing time is right, it is like a jail, no a gulag. When I was in there, there were parts of the plant where the dirt burned.