Terror at the Mall

American Thinker ^ | January 24, 2010 | J. R. Dunn

[CapnJack]

The shopping malls of America will be among the next major terrorist targets.

Malls make such obvious high-value targets that it's difficult to grasp why they haven't been hit up until now. Shopping malls are America's marketplaces, constantly packed with people, with uncontrolled entry, and openly vulnerable to any given form of attack. We need only consider the darkest days of the Iraqi terror campaign of 2006-2007 to grasp how the jihadis view marketplaces. Scarcely a week went by without another Iraqi marketplace bombing, with casualties largely consisting of women and children, mounting from the dozens to the hundreds. We need only add the fact that the mall in many ways symbolizes the United States to people across the world, acting as kind of American Horn of Plenty, to see the inevitability of the threat. Such attacks will come, and they will be ugly.

[benewton]

I agree with your approach to malls: simply don’t go there.
Sometimes, once a year, I have to, though.

My USPc is always carried on such occasions.

Around home in NH I tend to be a bit less strict.

Whilst consulting in Manassas, VA I needed to attend one prior to the “illegal immigration” check that they started a couple of years back...

I was still worried, as I only had eleven rounds (FYI CCW legal in VA)and the “observer” corps was huge.

Been back since, things have gotten better!

But the .40 still goes.

[sionnsar]

Very old idea. I remember some 70s TV program (I think) where a couple of radical “liberationists” were walking through a mall tossing hand grenades into the stores as they passed.

[Mark was here]

Will Mall owners be liable for any lawsuits brought by families of the victims of such an attack? A foreseeable attack and yet they did nothing ... you can hear the lawyers now.

[LostInBayport]

There may have been an attempt only recently. I think there was a guy who was going to shoot up a mall in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Thankfully, the attempt was stopped. Scott Brown mentioned it in his debate with Martha Coakley.

You mean the media didn’t give this a lot of attention? Shocking. Here’s the link, including the name of the Amish suspect.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/sudbury/archive/x1136014995/Sudbury-man-charged-with-planning-terrorist-attacks

[Nuc1]

Our enemies like to make grand statements. Think what one AR 15 did to the DC area some years back.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

You have nothing to fear about the malls... Gecko45 - the ultimate Mall Security Cop is on the job!

[JMS]

Maybe Jihadis like to shop too? But as stated in another post, we had a Bosnian Muslim go on a rampage in a mall. The real answer is letting Americans carry to defend themselves.

[littleharbour]

As much as America’s security apparatus is maligned, they really have been effective at heading off many potential attacks. It is very difficult to get C-4 within the US borders and it’s not something easily smuggled in. The real risk is fertilizer bombs, but the police and industry have been very diligent since the Oklahoma City bombing. If it was that easy to pull off this type of attack, the crazy mo’s would have done it already. Not saying it won’t happen, but I think it’s a lot harder for the enemy that it appears.

[PAR35]

Apparently so.

Feb 2007

Police: Off-Duty Cop Saved Lives In Mall
Salt Lake City Police Say Officer Prevented Gunman Who Fatally Shot 5 From Killing More
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/national/main2466711.shtml

[Lmo56]

Maybe Jihadis like to shop too? But as stated in another post, we had a Bosnian Muslim go on a rampage in a mall. The real answer is letting Americans carry to defend themselves.

Yeah ... BUT, we got a secret weapon ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF1b1pf9DRY&feature=related

She's ... [wait for it] ... CANADIAN !!!

[Lmo56]

Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF1b1pf9DRY&feature=related

[GOPJ]

It must be the jihadi lack of imagination that they are so ridiculously obsessed with airliners. Hell, a suicide bomber would kill just as many airline passengers if he just got in line with passengers waiting to get through security screening.

They're evil AND STUPID. Look at the crappy countries they live in - and some of them sit on top of oceans of oil - and they're still crappy.

Lowlifes. Evil, sadistic, jealous lowlifes.

[grey_whiskers]

Rick Roll'd just met its match.

(Now I have dueling earworms. Thanks a LOT.)

Cheers!

[SMCC1]

I’m surprised (and grateful) they haven’t tried anything at sporting events. Something like a NFL game seems like such an easy target.

[papertyger]

When you do go to these places, do you check out your surroundings, the people, the security aka. entrences?

Are you prepared if something does happen? Are you a CCP holder and carry your firearm with you to these places

You betcha!

I went from a compact .45 with less than 40 rounds to a competition length 9 with more than eighty rounds for just this reason.

I've got the tactical diaper bag. Now I'm looking for a kevlar stroller :)

[LiberConservative]

I’ve always thought that a stadium or arena would be a better target for terrorists than a mall.

[justlurking]

Unfortunately, they don't need to maximize the body count. Half a dozen is enough to make the national news.

Repeat it often enough simultaneously or in a short period of time, and the effect on retail businesses would be devastating.

[The Great RJ]

What more appropriate a target than the massive Mall of America (MOA) in Minneapolis. My son lives in Minneapolis and reports that a new mosque is being opened in Bloomington very near the MOA.

[Cindy]

ON THE INTERNET:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/malls/index

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/mall/index

[Cindy]

Note: Malls, like stadiums (sports arenas, too) are an area of concern, too.

ON THE INTERNET:

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/stadiums/index

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/stadium/index