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.
How about if George Bush goes on national TV and asks all Americans and visitors from around the world not to videotape or photograph buildings, dams, nuclear facilities and water treatment plants for the next year or so unless it's their profession/livelihood?
He can make the plea in the name of national security.
This way, the terrorists who do so will stand out like a sore thumb.
And they were middle eastern. Yes we know, it is typical pre-attack surveillance system.
Hey all, I'm a newbie here, been lurking for a few months. At the Georgia World Congress Center, the convention center next to CNN HQ, the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association is about to begin. The hotels are filling up now with attendees, and the conference officially begins on Monday. This is a major production, thousands of people. I'm flying down from Massachusetts on Sunday to attend on and represent my company (a health and safety publisher). I've been on edge concerning this ever since Tom Ridge's comments to Congress on Monday about the need to begin thinking of the national public health infrastructure as part of the national defense. There will be a lot of bigwigs from around the country at this conference, including top level CDC officials. Former first lady Rosalyn Carter is giving a speech. I'm sure security will be tight, but its rather unsettling that in the new post-anthrax America this gathering is now a military target. My wife doesn't want me to go, but I figure "fear is the mind killer."
52 posted on 10/18/01 10:06 PM Pacific by Wordsmith
patent
It appears investigators solved an overnight mystery.
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 said the cameras seemed to focus on the Atlanta skyline.
On Friday, investigators released a statement saying five people taken into custody in connection with the cameras did not appear to be involved in any crimminal activity.
FBI News Release:
"Regarding the suspicious cameras found in the downtown area of Atlanta, The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the U.S. Secret Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service and Atlanta Police Department have conducted a thorough preliminary investigation. The individuals involved do not appear to have been involved in any criminal or terroristic activities."
Authorities said Georgia Traffic Incorporated planned to use the cameras in a study of seven interesections. The men taken into custody were doing their job.
"http://wxiatv.com/local/local_top_story.asp?storyid=10404
Whew.....Now we know...the rest of the story.
At least the Atlanta chapter.
If it was terrorists, they would have just rented a room with a view in the days before an attack.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.