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SWAT Team Takes High Tech Cameras
WXIA TV Atlanta ^ | 10/18/01

Posted on 10/18/2001 8:54:19 PM PDT by TheLurkerX

SWAT Team Takes High Tech Cameras

Residents in one downtown Atlanta community called police after they noticed at least two cameras mounted on street lamps near businesses close to West Peachtree and Baltimore Place.

The residents say the cameras seemed to have the Atlanta skyline as their focus.

Security guard Bernadine Johnson told 11Alive News that a resident pointed the cameras out to her earlier in the day.

"And she said, 'Right up here on these two poles.' And I walked up there with her and said OK and called 911," Johnson said.

The Atlanta police sent a SWAT team to the area to search for explosives before removing the cameras.

However, officers continued to survey the area.

Witnesses say shortly after the police took the cameras down a car with five men in it showed up. Residents say they appeared to be looking for the cameras.

Police took the men into custody for questioning.

No one knows exactly what the purpose of the cameras were. Johnson says the cameras were pointed in varying directions yet all trained on the downtown area.

"They were pointed in that direction south," she said. "I don't know exactly what building but they were pointed in that direction toward downtown."

Residents say that from their perspective the cameras would be able to see an IRS building, the hotel district and the Georgia Dome.

The Dome is just a few minutes away from the school First Lady Laura Bush visited earlier on Thursday.

Atlanta police say no one has been charged with any wrongdoing at this time, but they will continue their investigation.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cameraincidents
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To: SuziQ
That's what I wondered. The people that noticed it were security guards in a kiosk across the street. Who doesn't notice a middle eastern guy climbing a light pole?
21 posted on 10/18/2001 9:28:21 PM PDT by TheLurkerX
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To: SuziQ
Granted those guys may have been looking for the cameras, but if so, how did they get the cameras up there in the first place without anyone noticing? Actually they could have put the cameras up anytime during the night. Even the police know better than to roam around downtown Atlanta after dark.
22 posted on 10/18/2001 9:29:32 PM PDT by techdawg2k
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To: techdawg2k
Actually, Turner Field is less then two miles from the area and almost directly South down the Connector (I-75/I-85)which runs through downtown. This area is approx. .4 miles from the North edge of downtown.

I just saw a story on the local Fox affliate and they made sure to point out that the men were in police custody at City Hall East-not taken to the local FBI field office. For whatever that's worth.

It is very peculiar though-wouldn't you agree?

23 posted on 10/18/2001 9:31:33 PM PDT by Mpatl
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To: TheLurkerX
thanks so much for posting this! I was FR deprived for awhile, but after I saw this story on the local news, I called the Atlanta FBI to tell them how similiar this sounds to a Philadelphia article now up on Drudge:

"2 found with video of Sears Tower

MICHELLE MOWAD, Special to The Mercury October 17, 2001

PLYMOUTH -- Two men whom police described as Middle Eastern were detained in the township by federal immigration authorities after being found with detailed video footage of the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Plymouth Police encountered the men after an officer responded to Pizzeria Uno on the 1000 block of West Ridge Pike at 2:40 p.m. Thursday for a report of illegal dumping, according to reports.

A manager there advised the police officer that a tractor-trailer was observed backed up to the Dumpster at the rear of the restaurant. The manager noticed a freshly dumped pile of furniture adjacent to the Dumpster, according to police.

The manager confronted the vehicle's operator, a Middle Eastern man, police said.

The man, who later identified himself as Moshe Elmakias, 30, denied that he did anything and fled the scene, heading west on West Ridge Pike, according to police.

The manager was able to provide township police with the Florida registration number of the tractor-trailer and said that a sign posted on the side of the vehicle read "Moving Systems Incorporated" and included a phone number, police said.

The area was searched by township police, and the vehicle was spotted parked on the curb in front of John Kennedy Ford on Ridge Pike, just west of Industrial Way.

An officer proceeded to make contact with the occupants of the truck by knocking on the cab, according to reports.

A Middle Eastern man, later identified as Ron Katar, 23, exited the sleeper area of the cab and said that the operator was across the street as he pointed toward the Don Rosen Porsche dealer, reports said.

Elmakias and a white female, Ayelet Reisler, 23, were approaching the vehicle from the dealership, but the female then began walking in a different direction, acting as if she were not with Elmakias, according to reports.

Reisler was detained and checked for identification. She had a German passport in her name and medication in a different name, police said.

Plymouth Police Sgt. Thomas Longo was notified and responded to the incident.

Elmakias allegedly admitted to being behind Pizzeria Uno, although he said that he did not dump furniture, he was only turning around.

Elmakias said that his destination was New York and that he was also coming from New York. He said he was in Plymouth because he was supposed to make a pickup from a male in the morning and pointed toward the Storage USA facility on Belvoir Road and West Ridge Pike, police said.

Elmakias could not, however, provide a name or telephone number of the customer.

Township police dispatched a request for a Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Inspector. Officer Gerald Schwartz of the Whitpain Police Department responded.

Schwartz discovered through his investigation that the operator's log had been falsified and put the truck out of service due to violations, police said. In addition, the vehicle reportedly had numerous equipment violations that rendered the truck unsafe.

Inspection of the tractor-trailer's contents revealed a load three-quarters full containing household items, including furniture and boxes.

Among the items in the truck was a Sony video camera.

Plymouth Police Officer David McCann reviewed the tape found inside the camera. The tape had video footage of Chicago with zoomed-in shots of the Sears Tower, according to police.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified of the incident and all three subjects were transported to the Plymouth Police station.

The subjects were then processed through the National Crime Information Center and placed into detention, according to the report.

FBI Agents James Sweeney and Richard Tofani arrived at the station and proceeded to investigate both the subjects and their belongings with the assistance of Immigration and Naturalization Services.

Elmakias and Katar were eventually detained by INS and transported to a federal facility, said police. Reisler was released.

All evidence collected by Plymouth and Whitpain officers was transferred to federal facilities with the exception of a VCR.

Special Agent Linda Vizi, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia FBI, could not be contacted for comment on further investigations."

The FBI female who answered the phone said, and in a very condescending, uninterested tone, that I could call the tipline if I wanted to. But then she said she was sure this was known by authorities, in general, made me feel like an idiot for noticing there might be a similarity here.

24 posted on 10/18/2001 9:34:05 PM PDT by YaYa123
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To: Mpatl
Thanks for clarifying. I feel better now knowing that Chief Beverly and Mayor Campbell (aka crook) are holding this group. Maybe there's some jurisdiction issues or perhaps the city can hold them longer? Guess we'll know more in the days to come. Then again, maybe City Hall East is close to where the cameras were pointed and they want to make this group sweat it out!
25 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:06 PM PDT by techdawg2k
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To: Gasshog
What you say?
26 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:12 PM PDT by fone
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To: barker
It's a good thing when your enemies misunderestimate you - they are going to have their ignorance alleviated in a profound and (for us) satisfying way!
27 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:20 PM PDT by 185JHP
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To: YaYa123
"The FBI female who answered the phone said, and in a very condescending, uninterested tone, that I could call the tipline if I wanted to."

Good work. Don't be discouraged.

28 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:27 PM PDT by blam
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To: barker
Did you read the article? The police were there waiting on the arabs! They are in jail now.
29 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:29 PM PDT by Lizzy W
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To: YaYa123
http://www.FreeRepublic.com/focus/fr/551470/posts

I just posted that article in BREAKING NEWS, but for some reason, unknown to me, it was removed.
30 posted on 10/18/2001 9:36:36 PM PDT by summer
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To: TheLurkerX
Note that it had been brought to the security guards azttention by a pedestrian. The security guard was a rent a cop that probably screens luggage at Hartsfield after hours.
31 posted on 10/18/2001 9:38:20 PM PDT by techdawg2k
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To: TheLurkerX
I'm still trying to work up my courage to call the FBI tip line, and risk sounding like a kook...again. Am I stupid to see a serious similarity in these two articles. It's late..maybe I'm just hyper-ventilating over nothing.
32 posted on 10/18/2001 9:38:22 PM PDT by YaYa123
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To: pnz1
How close is this to Turner Field?

Not to worry - They wouldn't attack anything named for Ted - He's on their side.

33 posted on 10/18/2001 9:40:15 PM PDT by LouD
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To: techdawg2k
Bill (soon to be indicted) Campbell and Beverly (I want to get paid overtime) Harvard are pathetic jokes. City Hall East is located on Ponce de Leon Ave in a former Sears building and is about 2.5 miles to the NE of where the "alleged" (CNN-speak) cameraman were taken into custody.

I feel fortunate that I moved from the city limits this past Dec. and now live safely in the 'burbs. Less crime and less taxes and a city which isn't full of cronies which is about to go bankrupt!

34 posted on 10/18/2001 9:42:41 PM PDT by Mpatl
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To: summer
Your thread is up, and on it, sabertooth remembered, there have been other reports of middle eastern men around important landmarks with cameras, in the last few weeks. I remember some at a reservoir, in upstate New York I think.
35 posted on 10/18/2001 9:44:53 PM PDT by YaYa123
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To: YaYa123
But then she said she was sure this was known by authorities, in general, made me feel like an idiot for noticing there might be a similarity here.

I wouldn't count on them coming to this conclusion quickly on their own. Great bit of analysis. Interesting similarities between the two deals. Any big games in the Georgia Dome this weekend? College or Pro? Assuming the cameras are for filming the terrorist act, they wouldn't be needed until the very end. One wouldn't put them up on a lightpole or in their car until the time was nearing. I get a sense of dread that we are close to another horrific and dramatic act.

36 posted on 10/18/2001 9:45:49 PM PDT by stilts
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To: TheLurkerX
that anthrax letter to kenya came from Atlanta
37 posted on 10/18/2001 9:46:40 PM PDT by arielb
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To: Mpatl
I remember the old Sears building off E Ponce De Leon (close to the warehouse district?). It's now city hall? Wow! Show's how much time I spend in that neck of the woods.
38 posted on 10/18/2001 9:47:06 PM PDT by techdawg2k
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To: YaYa123
Yes, it's up but out of BREAKING for whatever reason -- and, glad yo mentioned the water supplies. Here in the quiet town where I live now, they had a big story about the local government's recent decision to assign armed guards to the water tower areas, something they had never done before, but are doing now.
39 posted on 10/18/2001 9:48:10 PM PDT by summer
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To: summer
glad yo = glad you
40 posted on 10/18/2001 9:48:32 PM PDT by summer
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