off topic, but interesting...ON THE NET:
http://www.albawaba.com/news/index.php3?sid=285867&lang=e&dir=news
"Saudi-Born female eyes U.S. political office"
"Ferial Masry. Name rings a bell?"
28-09-2004
GRAFFITI BOMBS
October 6, 2004 -- A sinister-looking symbol spray-painted around a Brooklyn neighborhood has terrified many residents — who are convinced it's a secret signal that a new terror strike is imminent.
An unrepentant graffiti crew said yesterday the signs were theirs, not al Qaeda's. But some people who live in Kensington, a neighborhood with a large Muslim and Jewish population, are unconvinced — and angry the group would scare them for no reason.
The symbol, created with spray-paint and a stencil, has been popping up on the base of lampposts around the neighborhood for several months. It includes the number 1134 and an image of a missile with "NYC" on the side.
Sam, a local resident who asked that his last name not be published, said many of his neighbors share his interpretation.
"The number is the day after Election Day [11/3/04]. Somebody knows something. That is causing a lot of concern in the area. I called the FBI, but I don't feel they are taking it seriously," he said.
Sam theorizes the symbol is a communiqué among the area's many mosques about some nefarious plot. He said he and about eight of his neighbors are planning on leaving town on Election Day.
But it turns out "1134 NYC" is a graffiti group from Staten Island that has branched out to promotions, art shows and even products. Members even have an online store of stickers and posters.
The bomb represents slang for graffiti writing — also called "bombing" — and 1134 is an old beeper code between friends, said one of the founding members who goes by the name "Mint."
"I don't really meet people too often that have those sorts of problems," Mint said of Sam's fears. "But if I do, I'll tell them that they're a little too uptight."
Mint said the group gave out stencils to affiliated "taggers" months ago and he's not sure who may have spray-painted the symbols in Kensington.
"Who did what and where, I don't know," he said.
Others in the neighborhood were unamused by what they considered a very bad joke.
"I think it's sick for somebody to do something like that, to put New York City on the side of a missile," said Midwood resident Joe Battista.
"You just don't know. There are a lot of sick people in the world."
And some still think the symbol is part of some terror conspiracy — not just vandalism.
"I don't believe that that's the intention behind this," said Sam. "March 11 '04 was the Madrid bombings and . . . 11/3 is the European way of writing [the date]."
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/29766.htm
off topic, but interesting...ON THE NET:
http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200410\POL20041006c.html
"Arab American PAC Endorsing Kerry This Time"
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
October 06, 2004