Two Israelis Arrested in east Tennessee Transporting Suspicious Materials

Various local news broadcasts ^ | May 9, 2004 | who knows what evil?

[who knows what evil?]

My apologies in advance on this story; I just happened to catch this on several different newscasts a few minutes ago, and I am going by memory as best I can. Unicoi County (Tennessee) sheriffs arrested two Israeli men after a high-speed chase down mountain roads in this east Tennessee locale. While the sheriff was in pursuit, local witnesses noticed that materials were being thrown from the truck as it sped by, well over the posted speed limits. These witnesses were able to locate some of these items; one of which included a jug whose contents became "unusually hot" after the ingredients inside were shaken together. (Goes into the "Hey, y'all...watch this" category, WKWE.) Upon arrest, the police noted that the cab of the truck contained a "Learn How to Fly" brochure, along with passports and Florida licenses that "just didn't seem to add up". The Israelis claimed they were "just in the process of moving some furniture up to Boston". The police also stated that these two Israelis are "not being cooperative in any way." The FBI is investigating the nature of the substance in the jug that was recovered, which has been classified as an "inflammable fuel."

My questions:

1. What ELSE was in this (big yellow) 25-foot Ryder truck?
2. If they were travelling from Florida to Boston, what were they doing on a two-lane back road in the mountains of east Tennessee, several hundred miles WEST of Interstate 95; the most direct route from Florida to Boston?
3. What is the volatile substance in the jug, and why did they wish to avoid getting caught with it? (Why else would they pitch it?)
4. Why are they interested in "Learning How to Fly?"
5. Were they REALLY going to Boston, or were they MORE interested in the nearby Nuclear Fuel Services plant, or, G-d forbid, the huge Eastman Chemical Plant, about thirty miles further up the road?

It will be interesting to see if the national media picks up on this.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Jimmy Earl ain't here - he's done gone out to the truck to go down to piggly wiggly to get some frozen dinners. He shore does like them frozen dinners - I keep trying to tell him that they're better when you heat 'em up, but you can't tell Jimmy Earl nothing. It's like the time I brought the yard tractor up for him to use - he called me back after three days and said that it weren't doing him no good no how to use it - didn't go worth squat. So I went up to the place and had him start it up - was running just fine you know (nothing runs like a Deere, dear) and I said it sounds fine to me - and Jimmy said yeah, runs just fine but it don't cut worth sh!t (pardon my language, but that's how Jimmy Earl talks, you know). So I got on, and cut on the blades and then put it in gear and it takes off just fine - and Jimmy Earl jumps up and hollers "Sumbitch! You mean you can ride the damn thing?"

I'll have to tell you about his job painting lines on the highway for the county sometime - or about his problems with the chainsaw. Y'all come up on the porch, I'll get some iced tea and we can sit and talk a spell.

[Critter]

The US media is hardly sympathetic to Israel.

ROFLMAO

[AmericanHistoryBuff]

Hey familyop,
Just for your info, the Majority of East Tennesseans were Union symphatisers. They raised several Dozen Federal Regiments fighting to restore the Union. There are fewer KKK members there than in many Northern States. That stereotype sickened to the point I registered just so i could reply to your uneducated stereotype. If I were you I wouldn't stay in the North. You might have a hard time making friends down here.
AHB

[Amelia]

taking the low road don'tcha see......

Oh! ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye...

[who knows what evil?]

That picture is from the North Carolina side...the 'world famous, highest in North Carolina Laurel Creek Bridge'.

[AmericanHistoryBuff]

*Would* stay in the North
(sorry first post, didn't proofread enough)
AHB

[Alouette]

You might have a hard time making friends down here.

Just where is "down here" Down Under? Or are you in Europe? It's still May 9 here in the U.S.A.

[deport]

No kilts for me, thank ye

[GovernmentShrinker]

Who knows, but since they claim to be Israelis, I vote we hand them over to the Israeli authorities forthwith. Sadly, they'll get dealt with more appropriately and effectively by Israeli authorities, than by ours.

[The_Media_never_lie]

The sheriff said the truck was rented in Mars Hills, N.C. He also said Daran produced a fake Florida driver's license issued in Plantation, Fla. He said his office would follow-up with Florida law enforcement officials and Interpol, the international tracking system for wanted criminals.

The fact that the truck was rented in Mars Hill is very, very suspicious. You cannot even buy lunch in Mars Hill on Sunday. Why would they rent a truck in Mars Hill?

[Bronzewound]

I'll have to tell you about his job painting lines on the highway for the county sometime

I believe I've heard about the chainsaw ("What's that noise?!") but, I'm not familiar with the highway lines story.

Could you give me a hint?

[ducks1944]

Maybe they was on there way to work on Gore rental house he has there????

[oceanperch]

Ditto here in Lincoln County on the Oregon Coast.

Hey the eyes in the neighborhood have led to allot of burgs in progress and are great but you are right the flip side to that is if you swerve while driving someone will call you in as a possible DUI all over the road.

Sometimes I need to turn the scanner off and then times that we have been homebound and it is interesting to listen to.

Another thing is the bad guys always come to our lil out of the way town. Clue!

I noticed the PO's are annoyed by the new lil computer screens they are sent info on by Lin Com and usaully ask for it to be sent again by air/scanner.

[AmericanHistoryBuff]

specifically Tennessee

[AlbionGirl]

I keep trying to tell him that they're better when you heat 'em up, but you can't tell Jimmy Earl nothing. It's like the time I brought the yard tractor up for him to use - he called me back after three days and said that it weren't doing him no good no how to use it - didn't go worth squat. So I went up to the place and had him start it up - was running just fine you know (nothing runs like a Deere, dear) and I said it sounds fine to me - and Jimmy said yeah, runs just fine but it don't cut worth sh!t (pardon my language, but that's how Jimmy Earl talks, you know). So I got on, and cut on the blades and then put it in gear and it takes off just fine - and Jimmy Earl jumps up and hollers "Sumbitch! You mean you can ride the damn thing?"

That was a real good piece of story tellin, bless your heart. And I'll take you up on that porch visit, but I need the promise of a mint julep. Please and thank you!

P.S. The "sumbitch" was really funny, reminds me of a couple of things: the Sheriff in one of those Burt Reynolds movies, 'why my name is Sheriff Buford T. Justice of Portague County, and the way my father says 'sumbitch' in broken English, 'sonamabitchin squirrels ate alla my nutsz'.

[Oorang]

Y'all quit talkin like that. Youre makin me homesick (N.C.).

[Bronzewound]

Guess that tip in East Tennessee extends a little farther than I thought. All the way to tomorrow.

[not2worry]

Yes, most American's don't realize that there are Israeli citizens who are not Jews, but Muslims. When I was in Israel several years ago, the Arab cab drivers were very adamant that they were not Jews.

I don't know how many Israelis are Arab, but there are more than one would think living in Israel and have citizenship.

Guess the same as a Arab Muslim living in Detroit.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Actually, it's very difficult to acquire an Israeli passport. As you are probably aware, security is pretty tight there.

[GSlob]

The self-heating jar is consistent with transporting biomaterials/ chempoisons in a vial inside the jar, which would be filled (for the courier's safety) by neutralzing agent, like sulfuric acid. Mixing would then result in exotherm (heat evolution). Similar storage setup has been used in bacteriological research.