Posted on 10/08/2004 10:50:48 AM PDT by FlyLow
In the midst of the networks leading this week with how Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction and how that undermines the Bush administration's case for the war, Thursday's World News Tonight on ABC gave time to Brian Ross to report how "law enforcement officials tell ABC News that someone described as a captured Iraqi insurgent had downloaded school floor plans...from elementary schools and high schools" in six U.S. states. Ross explained that "the discovery of the school layouts was made in July by the military but did not take on real urgency until after the September attack on the school children in Beslan." CBS's Dan Rather picked up the same story about a warning issued to schools, but held it to a brief item in which he managed to not mention how floor plans were found with the enemy in Iraq.
Rather read this short item on the October 7 CBS Evening News: "The U.S. Education Department is now advising schools across the nation to be aware of anyone who might be casing their buildings. The Department says this heads-up is based on lessons learned from the Russian school massacre. There is no specific terror threat against any U.S. school."
Thursday's NBC Nightly News didn't mention it at all.
Peter Jennings set up the World News Tonight piece, as taken down by MRC analyst Brad Wilmouth: "Other news today, the Department of Education has sent a letter to educators across the country which may cause some concern about how they keep their children safe. The letter encourages the educators to learn from the tragedy at a school in Russia a few weeks ago by increasing security and being on the lookout for people who might be conducting surveillance. ABC's Brian Ross is with us tonight and has learned that in some cases they have learned that surveillance was done from someone in Baghdad."
Ross explained: "That's right, Peter. Six schools, schools in six states, in particular, are now being closely watched based on information uncovered by the U.S. military in Baghdad this summer. Law enforcement officials tell ABC News that someone described as a captured Iraqi insurgent had downloaded school floor plans, like these [video of floor plans on paper], from elementary schools and high schools in the six states. [National map] School officials in Fort Meyers, Florida, Salem, Oregon, Jones County, Georgia, two towns in New Jersey, one in Michigan, and two in California have been told to increase security in light of the discovery. And the superintendent of schools in Jones County, Georgia, sent this letter [shot of letter] to parents last week notifying them security was being increased during the election season. The superintendent said the information was not considered a threat. "Law enforcement officials said they had no easy explanation why an insurgent in Baghdad would be gathering such specific information about American schools, some of them in very small towns. The discovery of the school layouts was made in July by the military but did not take on real urgency until after the September attack on the school children in Beslan. Now, officials are hoping to increase awareness at schools without sending parents across the country, Peter, into a panic."
For the posted version of the Ross story: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/US/schools_threat_041007-1.html
For an extensive AP article on the topic, "CD in Iraq Said to Have U.S. Schools Info," go to: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/2004 1008/ap_on_re_us/schools_warnings
Would these be Weapons of Class Destruction?
Lots of locals available to recruit into such an effort in New Jersey...
Many, if not most, here illegally.
But, hey, according to Asa Hutchinson, there's no way to sweep out the illegals.
I wonder where Asa's kids go to school?
If ANYONE connected with the Bush campaign reads this and GWB doesn't use this tonight, then he's toast. He needs to POUND Kerry tonight.
Last I checked, Dubya gave Asa his job.
Maybe he ought to fire the corrupt treasonous jackass BEFORE the debate.
That should be EIGHT schools in six states:
**School officials in Fort Meyers, Florida, Salem, Oregon, Jones County, Georgia, two towns in New Jersey, one in Michigan, and two in California **
It has long been the contention of myself and quite a few others here on FR that the most effective form of terrorism would be any terrorism directed at any random small town or group of small towns in America. People assume that they are safer from terrorism if they don't venture to places such as New York City or Washington D.C. What better way to scare the bejeezers out of them by making them realize that it could happen to anyone no matter where they are?
On WINS news they said that there was no floor diagram of Rumson, NJ's school, only a policy regarding vandalizing the school.
No, I don't think Georgia is a battleground state.
Gray, Ga was one of the spots. It is a tiny dot in the road, north east of Macon, Ga. We know people from that area, and they are dumbfounded.
Imagine what this thug and his school floor plans could have done if GWB had not gone to Iraq.
Now why would an "iraqi insurgent who only wants to help his country" have plans for a school in a country he will never see? Gee...connect the dots and you have AQ.
The evening news points the blame to Bush now for cutting funding to schools (security) and this again becomes his fault. Those voters leaning towards Kerry again feel they must vote for him becasue Bush is causing our children to be harmed. The spin is unbelievable and works with the undecided vote (based on the comments I hear). What if he had never gone into Iraq? This plan would not have been uncovered!
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