Posted on 08/12/2006 11:31:20 AM PDT by Westlander
The FBI, Homeland Security and police are investigating a suspicious purchase of cell phones at a Wal-Mart in Caro, Mich.
Three men were arrested Friday on suspicion of buying more than 1,000 cell pones, Local 4 reported.
The Nokia Tracfones cost about $20, and customers receive a phone plus 40 minutes of airtime. Also, the phones do not have to be registered to a name, the station reported. These are the same type of phones connected to terror charges against two Dearborn men arrested in Ohio, according to the station's report.
(Excerpt) Read more at clickondetroit.com ...
"How are about we require background checks on everyone purchasing cell phones now? (Sarcasm)
Sounds like another fishing expedition by the Feds to me."
Maybe, but FNC is reporting two busts, Ohio and Michigan, one with 1k phones, the other with 100-300, the 1k phone guy also had airport security information (possibly [my speculation] the type you get by going to the web, query the airline, and print out).
The use of these phones as detonators is possible. That they represent a difficult to trace mode of communication is more worrysome. Prepaid disposable phones used in conjunction with international calling cards...
kudos to the Ohio WalMart clerk who twigged to the hinky 80 phone purchase!!!
Good on ya!
Stay alert
Michelle Malkin is keeping a good eye on all the stories.
Am I missing something or was that supposed to be amusing somehow?
The only other legitimate reason I could see is if they're just paranoid because they're muslim and worry about people listening to their calls so they use these phones, but in that case they'd only need a couple at a time not a thousand, and I don't see how you would need that many for bomb-making either would you really spend the time constructing a thousand little bombs instead of a few big ones, definately weird and spooky.
posted on 08/10/2006 3:03:21 PM EDT by BJClinton
BJ do you have any knowledge if it is possible for the batteries of these cell phones could be used to make a bomb?
Fact checker hosed me (me hosed me)
Caro, Michigan clerk.
sheepishly
I wouldn't say ban them, since I know quite a few law abiding US citizens who buy them for their families. Possibly they could be registered at the point of sale with a credit card? Me, I pay a fortune + taxes for 4 Verizon cell phone plans....UGH!
I thought that was the case in the first instance, and this latest one seals the deal on my opinion. These people are up to no good, and extremely dangerous. The same folks who write off these kinds of suspicious findings are probably the type who crybaby about being inconvenienced by tighter airline security. Wake up, America!
The mother of one of the guys works at DetroitMetro Airport.
Normally a Li-Ion battery would only explode if it was short-circuited or overheated, and wouldn't create a huge explosion (although it would certainly get one's attention). A large amount of it put together would create a large, very intense fire. It appears to be particularly unstable when exposed to moisture, and makes one wonder if there would be a connection between this and the banning of liquids and gels from aircraft....if the lithium was in a compartment of a water bottle for instance, and was allowed to combine, what would be the effect? Maybe someone with a better knowledge of chemistry could opine. The more likely use would be to disassemble the battery and remove the lithium, which is used as a reducing agent in making illegal drugs. As a sidelight, lithium is also a mood stabilizer found in prescription drugs such as Eskalith. Of course, the antenna and receiver in the phone would be used as part of the detonator of an explosive device...
As another sideline, modern cellphones contain what may be called a "smartchip" which actually contains all the information for a phone. If these guys were removing the chips, they could keep switching the chips in one phone and it would appear they were making calls from different phones with different numbers.
It's been years since I "Aced" college chemistry (after struggling through high school chem, but seems to me with all the houses blowing up because of the meth production around here there may be a connection. See post 45.
And the target is????????
Am I supposed to know what this means?
Great idea. Work accidents. I wonder if the CIA has thought about this? Fat chance.
Foxnews just reported three more arrests similar to this one. The "FISH" are biting!
LLS
Thanks for you input.....
In other words they could be using the parts of the phones for mutiple uses. Explosions, drugs, secret phone calls.
Cetainly getting their money's worth.
That certainly isn't comforting.
At least require a photo ID. These phones have been linked to both crime and terror. Many states are considering laws to combat this problem. In the post 9/11 world, I would think a cell phone that can set off IED's and other explosives, plus be almost impossible to trace would be a high priority.
Nope that wouldn't work...TOO easy to circumvent.....Fauxtography is too easy.
> Possibly they could be registered at the point
> of sale with a credit card?
The kind of people who really need these often don't have
credit cards.
Up until OKC, nobody cared who bought how much
fertilizer, either.
It will be interesting to see what is revealed about the
intended uses of these devices. Meanwhile, as with air
travel, honest citizens can expect increase annoyance.
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