TIME Exclusive: Cropduster Manual Discovered in Suspected Terrorist Hideout

Time.com ^ | September.22,2001 | MASSIMO CALABRESI AND SALLY DONNELLY

[Reagan Man]

Sources tell TIME that U.S. officials suspect that bin Laden conspirators may have been planning to disperse biological or chemical agents from cropdusting planes

Saturday, Sep. 22, 2001

New York -- U.S. law enforcement officials have found a manual on the operation of cropdusting equipment while searching suspected terrorist hideouts, government sources tell TIME magazine in an issue out on Monday, Sept. 24th.

The discovery has added to concerns among government counterterrorism experts that the bin Laden conspirators may have been planning — or may still be planning —to disperse biological or chemical agents from a cropdusting plane normally used for agricultural purposes.

Among the belongings of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, sources tell TIME, were manuals showing how to operate cropdusting equipment that could be used to spray fast-killing toxins into the air.

The discovery resulted in the grounding of all cropdusters nationwide on Sunday Sept. 16th. The dusters have been allowed back up, but are not allowed to take off or land from what traffic controllers refer to as Class B airspace, or the skies around major cities.

One senior official cautions that because corroborative evidence is lacking the FBI does not place "high credibility" in the notion that the hijackers were in fact exploring the idea of stealing or renting cropdusters. However, the FBI is advising members of a crop-dusters' group to report any suspicious buys of dangerous chemicals in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks.

Last week, the National Agricultural Aviation Association, a crop dusters trade group, posted a message from the FBI to its membership: "Members should be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behavior by employees or customers, and unusual contacts with the public. Members should report any suspicious circumstances or information to local FBI offices."

[Godebert]

Replys? ***replies** Hmmm...now I'm confused.

[nsmart]

Remember the guy who told about an Arab woman who was just shaking the morning after Clinton sent in the missiles? The Guy was in an advanced Chem program with this woman and she confided in him that some Arab women had been told to smuggle vials of Anthrax into the country in their vaginas. They were dispersed around the country and when things got really hot for bin Laden, a man would come to retrieve it. It was scary at the time, but even scarier now. This guy was picked up by the FBI for having Anthrax.. but what he was doing was making vaccine from dead Anthrax. It was one of those BIG CABLE THINGS WHEN THEY CAUGHT HIM.. but then when he was cleared.. NOTHING IN THE NEWS. I heard his story on an alternative station sometime after that.

[elfman2]

"Of course if someone had told you on Sept 10 a scenario that actually happened on Sept 11, you'd have written it off also. "

More or less true. And I agree that with about the same effort that went into the hijacking, about as many people could be killed by some kind of bio warfare. What I'm suggesting is that it's not going to be effective unless it's well financed and planned and executed just like the hijackings.

There was a guy arguing with me here the night of the attacks that they were likely done by domestic McVeigh types. He seemed sure that the hijackings were not that difficult and that the operation was not that sophisticated. It all looked like of 3-4-man operation to him.

[HiTech RedNeck]

BUMP

[Godebert]

A wet towel doesn't inspire too much confidence. It's times like these that I wish I lived in the country.

[Travis McGee]

It's exactly what Hitler tried to do with Jews - wage a propaganda campaign laced with lies, fueled by resentment and he almost got away with it.

So now I am Hitler waging a propaganda campaign laced with lies.

Next, tell us that the CIA or the Zionists actually flew the jets into the WTC.

Get a grip on reality, we are AT WAR, and the ones who did it, OUR ENEMY, are a faction of insane death cultists operating freely by posing as plain old moderate arab moslems. That is reality, deal with it.

[Linda]

Just had a horrible thought! Ebola virus. if you have not read "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston, you should. It will certainly make you think and wonder but mostly give you the scare of your life! After reading this thread I may have to visit my Dr. Monday for a Prozac prescription. I am kidding, of course.

[HiTech RedNeck]

just a moment... i will post a continuation thread...

[Travis McGee]

Nita, if you do not work for the CIA or FBI or NSA, you should!

Great sleuthing! Does the FBI have all of that?

[blam]

"Hope they don't keep them grounded too long.... skeeters will be getting worse...."

I'll assure you that the mosquito spraying truck that went down my road yesterday got my attention.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Thread 2

[Walkin Man]

Damn right! If muslim terrorist scum ever succeed in releasing a bio or chemical attack in the US, we should respond ASAP with nukes against the sponsoring country. Then march into the arab oil fields and cut off the only revenue source the muslim terrorists have. Let the scum eat sand!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Drat, the sidebar admin nuked the thread. I'll try again, different category

[HiTech RedNeck]

THREAD 2 SECOND TRY

[Kevin Curry]

I'll assure you that the mosquito spraying truck that went down my road yesterday got my attention.

Did you look to see if the driver had Middle-Eastern physical and facial features?

(If you did, don't tell one_particular_harbor or texlok unless you want to get a tongue-lashing)

[spokeshave]

They used pistols, shotguns to good effect in WWI before the 303 Lewis gun became standard...

[HiTech RedNeck]

THREAD 2

[aristeides]

Something else I just remembered about North by Northwest. They had to reshoot some of the cropduster footage the next day, because Cary Grant's suit wasn't dusty enough.

[THUNDER ROAD]

can't say anyone is guilty until after they kill thousands of Americans Well, who says you can even say someone is guilty _after_ they kill thousands of Americans? After all, it will always be politically correct to trot out the opposing theory that "the Jews did it".

I think You meant Politically IN correct !
These Folks have Spent the last Fifty Years
makin Sure that any Criticism of the Jews
will be Labeled as the Worst Crime that
anyone can Commit ...ANTI SEMITISM !
....Which Does Not mean , what most Folks
think it means .
THUNDER ROAD

[3catsanadog]

That was probably a CYA statement for Dubya.