Posted on 02/13/2003 4:37:27 PM PST by mikegi
Feb. 13 — A key piece of the information leading to recent terror alerts was fabricated, according to two senior law enforcement officials in Washington and New York.
The officials said that a claim made by a captured al Qaeda member that Washington, New York or Florida would be hit by a "dirty bomb" sometime this week had proven to be a product of his imagination.
The informant described a detailed plan that an al Qaeda cell operating in either Virginia or Detroit had developed a way to slip past airport scanners with dirty bombs encased in shoes, suitcases, or laptops, sources told ABCNEWS. The informant reportedly cited specific targets of government buildings and Christian or clerical centers.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Hold on just a minute.
My BS meter just pegged, and my monitors did not.
There is no way someone is going to lug around cesium 137, Co60, Sr90, etc. in a shoe or briefcase for more than an hour or two. No way.
Period.
There is adequate industrial experience so that the NRC and security agencies know all about what would happen, even assuming there were no radiation monitors around.
Just who is doing the BS'ing, and for what reasons, I will leave for others to speculate.
...It's not the first time a captured al Qaeda operative has made up a huge story and scared a lot of people.
The FBI concluded the information that led to a nationwide hunt for five men suspected of infiltrating the United States on Christmas Eve was fabricated by an informant, and the agency called off the alert sparked by the information...
TUCSON CITIZEN.com: "BORDER AGENT TAKE TO UMC AFTER ATTACK IN DESERT" by Luke Turf (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Herskovits said the agent was tracking a group of illegal immigrants, when he came upon a second group and a "scuffle" ensued. "While he was struggling with one person, another person jumped him from behind and hit him on the head, back and neck with a large rock," Herskovits said.") (February 13, 2003)
AZCENTRAL.com - THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC (AP): "CUSTOMS OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTS MOTORIST AT BORDER" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The driver of the sports utility vehicle was crossing from Mexico into Arizona when he aroused suspicions that he might be smuggling something, said Customs spokesman Roger Maier. The Customs inspector tried to inspect the vehicle but the driver interfered. The driver then threatened the inspector, prompting the officer to fire a single shot, striking the man, Maier said. The man pulled away from the border crossing but drove off the road within 100 yards and died, Maier said.") (February 13, 2003)
SIGN ON SAN DIEGO.com (AP): "MEXICAN IMMIGRATION AGENTS DETAIN SIX IRAQI CITIZENS" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "TIJUANA, Mexico -- Mexican immigration police announced Wednesday they had detained six Iraqi citizens who arrived in Tijuana in an apparent attempt to cross into the United States. The Iraqis, five men and one woman, claimed they were German citizens when they arrived at the Tijuana airport on a flight from Mexico City Tuesday night. The Iraqis were detained and returned to Mexico City for investigation by Mexico's National Immigration Institute.") (February 12, 2003)
***ECNNEWS.com - THE SALEM NEWS Online Edition: Beverly, MA. -- "FBI INVESTIGATES ATTEMPT TO BUY CROP DUSTER AT BEVERLY AIRPORT" by Marc Fortier and Jill Harmacinski (ARTICLE SNIPPET:"Two men tried to buy a crop-dusting airplane at Beverly Airport Tuesday night and when questioned, jumped into a pickup truck and left the area, prompting a tight-lipped anti-terrorism investigation by state police and the FBI. State police confirmed they are investigating an incident that occurred at the airport at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, but wouldn't provide further details. Airport sources said the men, who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, went to Aviators of New England, a flight school at the airport on LP Henderson Road, and asked the owner if they could buy a crop-duster. "They had thick accents," said Victor Capozzi, owner of General Aviation Services, another airport business.") (February 13, 2003)
WorldNetDaily.com: "MIDEAST MEN WITH 'RAZORS' YANKED OFF AMERICAN JET" by Paul Sperry (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The two passengers had Virginia IDs, but were not U.S. citizens. A source familiar with the incident told WorldNetDaily that the men claimed to be Iranian nationals, but were not carrying passports. The source also said both men were searched at the gate, the other at the insistence of the airline, and "10 straight razors." as well as a "utility knife or box cutter," were found along with the wad of cash in one of their bags.") (February 13, 2003)
***PILOTONLINE.com - THE VIRGINIAN PILOT: "FBI AGENT RECOUNTS EASTERN SHORE RAID" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "That's when Roberto Perez, an acquaintance, reported to the Accomack County Sheriff's Department that Campos had told him he was an "Arabian'" sent here to poison Virginia's waters, according to testimony Friday. "If he did not poison the water someone would kill him," federal court records say. The case was turned over to the FBI, which led to Tuesday night's raid. Campos, a migrant worker from Mexico who speaks no English, was charged with using phony immigration documents and a false Social Security number. He has been unemployed since being fired in December from an Eastern Shore seafood company after testing positive for drugs, court records say. The FBI said no evidence exists that Campos ever intended to poison water.") (February 8, 2003)
BBC NEWS: "MAN HELD IN GATWICK GRENADE ALERT" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Police have arrested a man carrying a live hand grenade at Gatwick Airport and evacuated one terminal. All flights out of the north terminal were suspended after the man - thought to be a 37-year-old Venezuelan - was detained under anti-terrorism laws. Hundreds of passengers are inside planes stranded on the runway. However the south terminal is still open and flights are able to land. The man's baggage was searched after his arrival on a British Airways flight from Colombia, Sussex Police said.") (February 13, 2003)
FOX NEWS.com (AP): "PLANE CARRYING FOUR AMERICANS CRASHES IN COLUMBIA" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Cessna was flying from Bogota to the Florencia area, 235 miles to the south, when radio contact was lost eight minutes before landing, Colombia's Civil Aviation agency said. There were four Americans and one Colombian aboard the plane, according to the agency. A Colombian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press there were reports Colombian army troops found no one on board the wreckage, and that it was feared they had been taken by rebels. Other officials suggested those aboard the Cessna may be hiding, if they survived the crash, to avoid capture by the rebels.") (February 13, 2003)
***"ISLAM ONLINE.net - Arts and Entertainment: "RAPPER, PARIS, UNLEASHES A 'SONIC JIHAD" by Ali Asadullah (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In 1992 Paris caused quite a stir with his song "Bush Killa", a graphic, self-described "revenge fantasy" in which then president George Bush, Sr. is assassinated. The government was none too pleased and mainstream media criticism was harsh and unrelenting. So Paris is no stranger to controversy. Controversy, however, is something with which Paris willingly flirts; and he can expect more of it when his new album, Sonic Jihad, is released early this year. As if the title was not demonstrative enough in its message, the cover art, which features a jet airliner superimposed to look as if it is headed for a collision with the White House, puts to rest any illusions that this album is filled with trivialities.") (January 8, 2003)
Despite the fabricated report, there are no plans to change the threat level. Officials said other intelligence has been validated and that the high level of precautions is fully warranted.
Oh boy.
You are so right Snooter, I am in bad shape. Trouble is, I got so many guns, from .22 to .50 that I can't keep up.
By the way, howdy to you in N.C. My ancesters settled on the Forks of the Yadkin, near the Boone's in 1750.
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