Posted on 07/07/2002 4:10:56 AM PDT by TomGuy
Men filming ferry ride raise suspicion
The Associated Press
State ferry officials have told the U.S. Coast Guard and the Washington State Patrol about two groups of men taking extensive videotapes on state ferries in the past 10 days.
Four men who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent were videotaping, taking notes and talking on cellphones during two round trips June 24 on the ferry Spokane between Edmonds and Kingston, said Susan Harris of the Washington State Ferries.
"They seemed to be filming more of the interior of the cabin rather than the normal tourist filming, which is always the exterior," she said.
They became agitated when told to leave the vessel at each terminal as required, she said. The captain went home and decided to report the incident the next day.
On July 3, a different group of men appearing to be of Middle Eastern descent took extensive videotapes on the ferry Tacoma between Bainbridge and Seattle, she said.
"They were filming all over the place" even before boarding the ferry, and some observers said they were just tourists, she said.
She said no terrorist incidents have occurred on the ferries.
"There's no proof that there's anything to be concerned about; it's just that we're on heightened alert," she said.
Chief Warrant Officer Ray Cain with the Coast Guard said the incidents have been reported to the State Patrol, which handles law enforcement on the ferries, because they are considered part of the highway system.
"They were notified and they would investigate, trying to identify any such individuals," Cain said.
State Patrol officials were not available for comment late Friday.
(Published 12:30AM, July 6th, 2002)
Either you have a dimished appreciation of what a fine target a ferry boat is, or you have never ridden a Washington State ferry. Or, perhaps both!
The ferry boats on Puget Sound regularly carry upwards of 2500 passangers and 330 cars, each! Pretty rich target I'd say! You could get almost as many folks as the WTC if all drowned. While all drowning is unlikely, it is still a tempting target!
Eagles UP!
Tell that to the victims of 9-11.
I agree we need to be careful to safe guard our liberties, but ignoring people who want us dead, is stupid.
Sounds to me like you may have a towel on your head - Maybe you should just "Exodus" Out Of Here!!
Remember, if we can think it, they can do it. They do not have to hit a trophy property for their campaign of terror to be successful. They can hit small events, a mall, a sports venue, a bridge, or a ferry. They want to show us that they can do what they want where they want. The intent is to destroy our economy and the economy of the world, while killing many people along the way.
They better bring a lunch.
Considering a threat and coming up with effective ways of countering it are not identical. That the ferry system was unprepared to arrange the immediate identification, apprehension, and questioning of these men, rather than allowing them to escape in their licenseless vehicle speaks to how ineffective preparations are.
Remember, we had years of warning that the Arabs were plotting to hijack airplanes and fly them into the WTC and Pentagon. Yet, the only one of the four planes that was prevented from hitting its target was the one stopped by unarmed civilians. The people who were " responsible for countering such a threat" failed completely. If a ferry is hijacked and used as bomb delivery system, I've no doubt that those people will then consider it for months.
We visited her in April and took the Yakima from Anacortes, and I remarked then to my hubby the frightening possiblity that the WSF could be a potential target for terrorists.
Tidbit from:
The father of the Butterfly Effect is Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist at MIT. One day, while analyzing weather patterns, Lorenz left his computer terminal to get a cup of coffee. When he returned, he saw that his data points had gone haywire. A small change in his calculations had produced a major swing in his forecasts. That got him to thinking. And in a 1972 speech to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he posed a rhetorical question, "Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?"
that is as it was "meant" to be!
Binocular and Digital Camera Bird Chat
One poster says it doesn't work well in woods, only in direct sunlight.
Resolution on Meade is 640X480.
"A similar pair is due out from Pentax soon. The specs are much better than the Meade; 7x37, 1024 x 768 resolution. I haven't heard a price yet."
>You dont think that could have anything to do with the hostility they meet or concerns over their families safety? Nah, it must be because they mean us harm.
The Muslims in their various forms, OBL, Al Quaeda, etc. have sworn to destroy America just as they have sworn to destroy Israel. You have either been asleep or you are using a propaganda technique. See post #25 here.
>What a crock! Are you going to list chapter and verse about some seven headed serpent, blah, blah.
No. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling....or not. It's your choice.
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