[John H K]

Remember when the poor guy opening a card with confetti in it on an airplane in it magically mutated into someone pouring powder into an air vent on the plane, in all the initial press reports (and I believe spawning a thread much like this)?

Basic facts have a way of turning out to be wrong in breaking stories. I wouldn't absolutely count on any of these people being Middle Eastern, even; Richard Reid turned out not to be though initial reports said he was (though he did turn out to be a terrorist, of course.)

[Frank_Discussion]

"But in Washington, federal officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said the incident was not believed to be a terrorist incident."

They are making the assumption that it is not, from the get-go. The feds do not know, but people ON THE SCENE say that they appear to be of Middle Eastern Descent and have seemingly ritually shaved themselves. I'll admit that those things may be hearsay masquerading as "facts". However, the info is coming from the local witnesses, not Washington.

The Feds assuming carte blanche that nothing is terrorism, well, it's just wrong. I am of the view that we need to be on our guard. Not paranoid, but certainly mindful of the possibility.

There is a problem with "Nothing to see here, move along" ex officio, y'know what I mean?