Posted on 10/11/2001 1:49:43 PM PDT by be-baw
I work in a power plant in Michigan. Last Friday afternoon, three young middle eastern-looking men showed up in the plant carrying cameras. They asked for a tour so they can take pictures for a photo-journalism college class they were taking. My boss, the plant director, talked with them, got the name of their professor and turned them away. Having noticed the discussion I talked with my boss afterwards. I asked them if he thought that was peculiar. He said yes. I asked him if he was going to call the police. He didn’t answer. He just turned around and walked away.
This afternoon I noticed on Free Republic a post about three Pakistani men who were discovered inside of a water treatment in Hudson, New York. The similarity of that incident to the one in my plant seemed like it was far beyond coincidental. I called my boss (I’m off today), and told him about it. He told me he had contacted the professor of the three students. The professor told him he thought he knew who those three students were, but that they had had no specific assignment to try to get pictures of our plant. My boss told me he would follow up, without being specific how he planned to it.
Well, I decided I wanted to know for sure that the proper people were being notified, so after contemplating for a couple of hours, I decided to call the FBI. The office listed in my phone directory is in Detroit. I called and was connected to the command center. The gentleman I spoke with would not give me his name. I started out by telling him that I work in a power plant and three students showed up wanting to take pictures. “Oh yeah,” he said,”we’re getting a lot of that.” “What do you make of it,” I asked. “We don’t know what to make of it,” he said.
This guy did not seem interested in hearing about it. I say this because he did not ask me any questions, as I expected he would. Finally, I asked him, “Well, don’t you want to know more about it?” “Sure,” he said, “go ahead.” So I explained the rest to him. I asked what he thinks we should do. He said if it happens again, ask them for picture identification.
I find this rather disturbing. It sounds as if this is happening all over the country, yet those who have a responsibility to investigate don’t seem to want to pursue it. One would think, at the very least, warnings out to be going out to utilities to beware of swarthy men carrying cameras…
"the distinction between citizen and soldier "
but meant the distinction between civilian and soldier!
I shall now do 50 pushups as punishment for implying that soldiers are not citizens! And if that's not enough, I'll do 50 more!
I hope the Costco manager had the presence of mind to save the security tapes, and to call the FBI himself.
IMHO calling the FBI might not be as good as calling the local police ON THE SPOT - have the police come and shake 'em down, get their ID, ask them what they are up to, ask what they were filming, etc.
Hard to get over that "oh, I'm just overreacting" feeling, but if I observe anything like that, I'm calling the cops. Period.
I hope the Costco manager had the presence of mind to save the security tapes, and to call the FBI himself.
IMHO calling the FBI might not be as good as calling the local police ON THE SPOT - have the police come and shake 'em down, get their ID, ask them what they are up to, ask what they were filming, etc.
Hard to get over that "oh, I'm just overreacting" feeling, but if I observe anything like that, I'm calling the cops. Period.
I guess ...
The VietNam war was managed as a body-count war (whether true or false).
This anti-terror war is an FBI-tip count war.
Am always very pleasant and show ID to the folks and one person said they were going to call the State Police. I said fine and I will be here taking some pics of the trains when they arrive... ;)
I hope the Costco manager had the presence of mind to save the security tapes, and to call the FBI himself.
IMHO calling the FBI might not be as good as calling the local police ON THE SPOT - have the police come and shake 'em down, get their ID, ask them what they are up to, ask what they were filming, etc.
Hard to get over that "oh, I'm just overreacting" feeling, but if I observe anything like that, I'm calling the cops. Period.
Furthermore, I will make sure that the gentleman who is in charge of emergency response for our local police is notified. I've already met with him and one of his detectives regarding security at our water treatment plant. I suspect my boss won't like it, but too bad.
Furthermore, I will make sure that the gentleman who is in charge of emergency response for our local police is notified. I've already met with him and one of his detectives regarding security at our water treatment plant. I suspect my boss won't like it, but too bad.
My uncle was one of the contractors on that plant. Hope they dont go after it, my parents live about 35 miles down wind.
The public at large definitely tends to take things more at face value, hence the title sheeple. If a Freeper sees a middle east looking type taking pictures of a chemical plant, we don't just "move along now" and assume that Achmed is just a foreign student taking tourist pictures. I know that I would be making a citizen's arrest on his ass, and he better have more than a boxcutter.
Freepers make up a vast, diverse network. Thousands of eyes and ears. We all come with different occupations, talents, and abilities, but together we all make up one hell of a team.
Yes, I know the feds will have some intel that we won't, but while they are squeezing informants and analyzing data, locals will SEE things directly as they happen. Our whole nation is now under attack, and we are all "soldiers" in this effort.
Be alert, and stay safe, everyone.
Agreed. It's also my guess that these people go back to their apartments and belly laugh at our naivete and stupidity as they plot to kill us.
There's even a fairly deep rift in the approach to this situation right here on FR. (Note the sarcastic "SKY IS FALLING" thread and hundreds if not thousands of similar comments that currently populate the boards.) And this is between people that are normally of a reasonably similar mindset on many issues. Not this one.
I for one take it very seriously. Life here did forever change on 9/11 when those towers came toppling down, and rest assured that those people aren't close to being finished with their attempts.
MM
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