"Can I have 10,000 marbles, please?"
Posted on 08/08/2006 10:13:27 AM PDT by Ready2go
FBI Interested in Large Prepaid Cell Phone Purchases Posted 8/3/2006 06:06 PM
Store clerks in Grafton say people have been coming into their stores and buying several phones at a time. Story by Sarah Kapis Email | Bio
Folks at the Dollar General in Grafton say in the past few days, several men have come into the store attempting to buy large numbers of prepaid phones. However, store policy only allows a customer to buy two phones at a time, in fact, they are locked away from the general public.
The clerks say after they were in the Dollar General, the men went to the Grafton Walmart to try to purchase more of the phones.
Grafton police found one man during a traffic stop. They say he had hundreds of prepaid phones in his car.
There is no word on what the men planned to do with the phones or why they bought so many, but the incident was later turned over to the FBI for an investigation.
The owner of Country Roads Communications says the allure of the prepaid phones is the freedom that come with them. However, the FBI is not ready to say that the phones are being used for illegal or criminal purposes.
"Prepaids are hard to track, so they're used alot for illegal operations," said Vince Cafazza.
"We are aware that there are a number of purchases throughout the state. Large purchases of trac phones. We are interested in the purchases because they are unusual," said Dan Caldwell, FBI special agent. "We also understand that a number of the larger stores in the area are aware of the purchases. We are not aware of any criminal activity associated with the purchases at this point."
Caldwell says if you notice someone trying to buy large quantities of these type of phones, you can contact your local police or the FBI.
When I saw "Steubenville" on their masthead, I automatically thought of my wife's birthplace: Grafton, Ohio, near Cleveland.
Small enough that the on-ramp only accessed the freeway in one direction. Could get off going either direction, but on only in one...then you drove miles to turn around; or drove miles on the surface to get to an on-ramp in the other direction. In any case, it was a PIA.
That was a declared war ... where's the DECLARATION OF WAR that actions like this would require?
As far as having 100 phone ... it could quiet easily be business inventory. Driven by a muslim I'll grant your point.
But once you start restrictions like this ... it's a REALLY slippery slope lately.
Would you also propose arresting people with 100 battery powered alarm clocks, 100 watches, 100 clothepins and cigarettes, firecrackers or other such nonsense? There are PLENTY of ways to detonate explosives.
It's a freedom thing. Most tools of freedom can be misused. Why penalize everyone else for the actions of a few criminals?
Cell phones are used to set off explosive devices. Pre-paid cell phones would not leave as much of a trace as a regular one.
One other thing ... probable cause is one thing ... making it automatically a crime worthy of an arrest is quite another.
"Can I have 10,000 marbles, please?"
Mostly, though, I don't think it's necessary to come up with a "good" reason to own something legal. I have a friend who owns over a dozen guns locked up in his safe. Does anyone NEED over a dozen guns? Is there a good reason for someone to own over a dozen guns? It doesn't matter. If he purchased them and is using them legally, he is following the law and shouldn't have to be subject to an interrogation by law officers to defend an action which needs no defense.
Wouldn't a payphone work just as well?
I'm assuming that the FBI can piece together the remaining bits and track it back.
Plus, if you want to set off 100 explosives, it would be kind of difficult to get 100 different pay phone lines!
" Some companies (like the one I work for with less than 140 employees) generally can't get stuff for wholesale."
That seems odd. I buy stuff at wholesale, and I have zero employees.
Chip, chip, chip away at our rights. Where does it end ?
How so?
WSJ: Scholar Warns Iran's Ahmadinejad May Have 'Cataclysmic Events' In Mind For August 22
Tue Aug 08 2006 10:22:35 ET
In a WALL STREET JOURNAL op-ed Tuesday, Princeton's Bernard Lewis writes: "There is a radical difference between the Islamic Republic of Iran and other governments with nuclear weapons. This difference is expressed in what can only be described as the apocalyptic worldview of Iran's present rulers."
"In Islam as in Judaism and Christianity, there are certain beliefs concerning the cosmic struggle at the end of time -- Gog and Magog, anti-Christ, Armageddon, and for Shiite Muslims, the long awaited return of the Hidden Imam, ending in the final victory of the forces of good over evil, however these may be defined."
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "and his followers clearly believe that this time is now, and that the terminal struggle has already begun and is indeed well advanced. It may even have a date, indicated by several references by the Iranian president to giving his final answer to the US about nuclear development by Aug. 22," which this year corresponds "to the 27th day of the month of Rajab of the year 1427. This, by tradition, is the night when many Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to 'the farthest mosque,' usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1).
"This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic ending of Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from certain that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind."
Several ways.
A regular phone (with a contract) requires address information and (usually) a credit check. Not something your average terrorist wants to leave lying around - even in itty-bitty pieces.
Two: as the terrorists know (thanks to the MSM), we are monitoring cell phone calls. If I were a terrorist and needed to use cell phones, I'd have a large stock of them and switch frequently between them. Again, not something you can easily do with regular phones.
Cloning any cellphone is simple, and has been going on since forever.
I guess i just know & understand more than most of you to not see this as much different than them obtaining regular cellphones through other methods, like a bogus 'phone donation to a womens shelster" dropoff point.
I'd bet over 100 cellphones are "lost" or stolen every day. I would much rather use a stolen phone than a bought pre-paid phone for terrorist purposes, we i a terrorista.
We are not aware of any criminal activity associated with the purchases at this point."
That statement infers a FBI mode of action after the act rather than preventive action before. I only hope that they'll change modes in time.
Hundreds of cell phones in the back of a car is suspicious and I'd think suspicious enough to bring the guy in for further questioning regardless of whether a crime has been committed. Common sense screams for further inquiry.
LOL!!!!
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