[Azarona Joel]

Let's see. We have Games 1 & 2 of the World Series Saturday and Sunday! Local Rumor has it that Someone VERY.VERY IPORTANT WILL THROW OUT THE FIRST BALL OF GAME 1! We also have the Duralube 500 Race this weekend! Oh and the Cardinals play on Sunday, ho hum. Said Squaw peak is maybe 5.5 miles from Downtown where the Bank One Ballpark is located. And the notice said very heavy backpacks!!!! Air traffic also comes in for a Western aproach to Sky Harbor from the east very nearly over Squaw Peak. Actually it is between the mountain and my house! And correct me if I am in error, but I beleive a BACKPACK NUKE OF 50 to 75 LBS is anywhere from 1 to 5 KILOTONS Yield! Said article also mentioned that there were several heavy backpacks! Arizona freepers it is time to reconoittere the terrain around this mountain and see if there is something Buried in the washes! We have till Saturday if this is A WORST CASE SCENERIO! My thinking is that an EMP BURST IS THE BEST CASE FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AT GAME TIME SATURDAY! Worst Case is to horrible to contemplate if this is anything to worry about!

[bond7]

Just in case - thank you for posting this. I'm sure it will get noticed by the authorities.

Right now I like to think of this nation as a 300 million person army.

[Phil V.]

Joel, I think you're onto something. Please, head for the hills, find them nukes and report back. Take your tinfoil radiation shield just in case th' bastards go off on you. Best of luck.

[Free the USA]

There has to be better targets than that.

[ChocChipCookie]

Oh brother. I just got through thinking that out here in Arizona we were safe being away from the big business and government centers along the east coast. But you're right. The World Series is a big, big event; a perfect terrorist target.

[RickyJ]

I hate to say this, but I'm sure glad that the Braves didn't make it to the World Series this year.

[hope]

"Arizona freepers it is time to reconoittere the terrain around this mountain and see if there is something Buried in the washes"!

okie dokie, you first!

Is this an A.S.S. post? (Anthrax Stress Syndrome)...

[TheLion]

You need a vacation!

[John H K]

Umm...

What the heck exactly is your source for this again?

[Terriergal]

Keep us posted, see if you can get a source for this.

[cactmh]

Obviously unrelated to 9/11 and even if it were, it is an isolated incident.

[tbird1]

C'mon Joe, CITE YOUR SOURCE of information.

[madfly]

Geeeeze Joel, I just did some quick clicking to get this article. I live in the same area. A little bit south of the flight path. Yikes.

Arizona Republic
Valley and State
Oct. 24, 2001-
Suspicious men seen on Squaw Peak trail

By Judi Villa The Arizona Republic
Oct. 24, 2001

The Squaw Peak Hiking Association is urging members to avoid the mountain's Summit Trail because two groups of Middle Eastern-looking men were seen there with "heavy, identical orange backpacks."

"While the contents of these heavy backpacks are not known, what is worrisome is that they could contain hazardous agents, explosives or firearms, should the owners have bad intentions to those on the mountain," the group said in a news release.

However, FBI spokesman Ed Hall said there is no evidence to suggest that the mountain would be a terrorist target.

"I have no information of anything that would keep somebody from hiking Squaw Peak," Hall said Tuesday.

Muslim community members liken the group's warning to racial profiling and say it's fueled by paranoia, not logic.

"There is no reason for anybody when they see a Middle Easterner here or there to panic," said Ihsan Saadeddin, spokesman for the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix. "There are 8 million Middle Easterners in this country, and they cannot be treated like this."

The hikers group says it has received "six independent reports of suspicious activity"; three were reported to authorities. An e-mail sent to members says two of the men drew suspicion by singing in Arabic at 4 a.m. and raising their fists in the air.

The group is asking for a police presence on the mountain.

"It's good for people to be cautious and to be alert and to report suspicious things," said Marwan Ahmad, publisher of Arizona Muslim Voice, "but if this group of men was Caucasian, doing the same and carrying the same backpacks, would there be a press release?"

,P.Copyright 2000, The Arizona Republic. All rights reserved. ------------

[hellinahandcart]

We have till Saturday if this is A WORST CASE SCENERIO!

So...seems the terrorists and I agree that they can't take a chance on there being a Game 7 (or 6) in Arizona. They will not underestimate the the Yankees!

My thinking is that an EMP BURST IS THE BEST CASE FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AT GAME TIME SATURDAY! Worst Case is to horrible to contemplate if this is anything to worry about!

BEST CASE to you is an EM pulse? Not a total false alarm? Sheesh, get some tranquilizers. It's urgent.

[soundbits]

Geiger counter bump.

[kayak]

bttt

[henbane]

Thanks for the heads-up on the sightings in the mountains. You're obviously very worried about this thing.

Two points before you start any search of the area:

1) Can you give us a weblink or some kind of direct source to "Squaw Peak Hiking Trails org.?"

2) How about calling that organization directly and talking to someone in charge over there--then give us some details on what you found out?

Thanks again, Az. 10-4

[inkling]

The link to the Arizona Republic story is...

http://www.arizonarepublic.com:80/arizona/articles/1024squawpeak24.html

BTW, I lucked out and got tickets to Saturday's game of the World Series. The terrorists are NEVER going to take baseball away from me! See you at the BOB!

[MadEagle]

Those guys are nothing short of brilliant. Note to self: when attempting to go incognito, wear orange camouflage.

[tbird1]

Hey Joel: I checked out the Republic and you are accurate. One added part of the story---The FBI has been notified.

[henbane]

. . .two of the men drew suspicion by singing in Arabic at 4 a.m. and raising their fists in the air.

Marwan Ahmad, publisher of Arizona Muslim Voice,[said] "but if this group of men was Caucasian, doing the same and carrying the same backpacks, would there be a press release?"

These are the kinds of details that move your concern way out of the tinfoil range.

Any group in times like these, whether Caucasian or Arabic, who are " singing in Arabic at 4 a.m. and raising their fists in the air" need to be questioned at GREAT length.