Posted on 12/30/2001 10:18:15 AM PST by The_Media_never_lie
They're actually real pretty at night when they're all lit up. :)
My point is that I would probably take pictures of an oil refinery, too, if it looked graphic or the light was interesting. I might not be able to explain to the police my fascination with what I saw and why I wanted to photograph it, but I'm not out to harm anyone or plan an attack. Some innocent people stop their cars and take pictures when travelling.
My 11 yr old saw a cross marking the site of a fatality by the side of a road a few months ago and remarked, "Looks like someone didn't get far enough out of the road when she stopped to take pictures."
Right you are. They've also showed keen interest in resevoirs.
That makes sense...after all, Osama's mentor Saddam had a fascination with blowing up oil WELLS, so Osama knows he can make a big boom.
No, it's not illegal to photograph a refinery. It's not illegal for four Saudi Nationals to "camp" in Texas, wearing nothing but the suits they came in, and with no camping gear whatsoever, while photographing, and asking the locals many questions about, water sources and resevoir locations.
It IS suspicious, however. If they learn nothing from questiong him, he'll be released. Hopefully, we won't regret it of he IS released.
Someone PLEASE tell me this man was joking when he said that.
Hubby, a former ambulance driver in Houston, is of the opinion that all Houston drivers are insane....but I get your drift. It was a huge truck accident that caused him to give up in being an ambulance driver and spend a few years in Alaska.
If that remark was meant as criticism of racial profiling, forget it.
Racial profiling is a necessary means of defense in this war against a covert enemy who wears no uniform. It may not be fool proof, but it's all we have.
And until the non-violent Muslims openly denounce the war against the US and Israel, their loyalty will continue to be suspect.
You make an excellent point. But the very act of photographing a refinery is still not illegal. As I said, there's more to this than they are telling us. For now, I trust Ashcroft.
It is not illegal for a citizen or a person legally inside this country to photograph a petrochemical installation. However, if we are at war and agents of the entity we are at war with are photographing sensitive installations, is that not illegal?
I am not saying this man was an enemy agent, but what if?
Snapping pictures is fairly common, authorities say; patrols increased since man spotted doing so Nov. 22
By J.R. Gonzales
The FBI is investigating an incident of a person photographing the Ultramar Diamond Shamrock refinery in Three Rivers. Live Oak County Sheriff Larry Busby said a refinery employee spotted a man photographing the refinery on the afternoon of Nov. 22 off U.S. Highway 281. The investigation was turned over to the federal authorities shortly after.
"The individual looked Middle Eastern," Busby said.
He said the man sped away when approached by refinery employees.
Authorities traced the license plate of the driver's vehicle to a car rental agency in McAllen. Busby said the 2001 Dodge van was rented the same day the man was seen taking pictures of the refinery. The vehicle was returned the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
According to the sheriff, the man used a New York driver's license to rent the vehicle.
Calls to FBI offices in Corpus Christi and Houston were not returned. Representatives from Ultramar Diamond Shamrock did not return a call for comment.
As of Thursday morning, Busby said the FBI had not contacted his office to provide any follow-up information.
Busby said it is not uncommon for people to take pictures of the refinery at different times of the day.
He said a lot of people pull over to take photographs at night, just to get a snapshot of the lights.
Stepped-up
Nonetheless, both Busby and Three Rivers police chief Ace Robbins said patrols have been stepped up near the refinery.
"We're sticking as close by as we can," said Robbins.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, residents there spotted a suspicious airplane circling the refinery. Busby said the plane could have been training or Confederate Air Force aircraft.
Contact J.R. Gonzales at 886-3779 or gonzalesj@caller.com
December 14, 2001
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