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.

[don-o]

Both have sites.

Doubt the mug shots are up.

WJHL - Johnson City

WCYB - Bristol

Google away.

Bedtime here

[who knows what evil?]

I haven't found the mug shots anywhere, but I would concur with don-o's assessment of their appearance. Reminded me of a couple of clean-cut college guys...nothing like the vicious looking mug shots you see of Middle East terrorists.

[don-o]

Bob Dylan has a song,

"They took a clean cut kid
And they turned him into a killer
Is what hey did."

Not a bad strategy for those who have studied us well.

[TheLurkerX]

WJHL's site is reporting that they are both from Tel Aviv, Israel, and they came in on tourist visas back in January or February. No further information or pictures. They did verify that it was a vial.

Here's the story link:

WJHL

[bjcintennessee]

Ping

[lowbridge]

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.

The Jews of Hazzard

[AgentEcho]

Moonshine doesn't heat up when shaken, just when going down.

Æ

[Damagro]

I'd still like to know the origin of "I'll swan."

Sometimes spoken as I'll swanee. Been wondering about that one myself for awhile. Don't be surprised if you ever hear that from someone down under though. I had a friend from New Zealand who picked it up over here in 2001 and still uses the phrase lol

[conservative in nyc]

How new is the Interstate there? I was looking at my 2003 Rand McNally Atlas to get a sense of where this all is, and noticed that I-26 was shown as under construction from around Mars Hill, NC to the Tennessee border. The 2004 atlas shows I-26 as complete. And if you ask to go from Mars Hill to say, Johnson City on Mapquest, it tells you to take the old road, US-23 the whole way up.

Mapquest directions: http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?go=1&do=nw&un=m&2tabval=address&cl=EN&ct=NA&1tabval=address&1y=US&1a=&1c=mars+hill&1s=nc&1z=&2y=US&2a=&2c=johnson+city&2s=tn&2z=&idx=0&id=409f02bf-000dd-046f1-400c2526&aid=409f02bf-000de-046f1-400c2526

The vial tossing is bizarre, though.

This could be innocent Israelis getting lost or stupid terrorists trying to escape detection.

[concerned about politics]

Please remember that "Palestinians" have no legal state...so they have to travel on Israeli, Jordanian, Syrian, or Lebanese passports.

Yep. Good call.

[familyop]

"Given how they have already charged them with giving false names, it is likely that the above names released by the authorities are their actual names. I dunno, how many Palestians are named Shmuel?"

...all of 'em, when it suits their purpose.

"So it appears you are the one rushing to wrong conclusions based on stereotypes, and now come off looking like an idiot. But do you have the guts to apologize to the Southerners and police who you accused of being incompetent racists?"

Show me proof that those were Jewish terrorists, and I will apologize. I'll be watching for anything you can forward in private messages on reports of this story, too. The word, "Israeli" might be correct in describing the citizenship of a lot of radical Islamists, but it misleads most of the public here to think they were Jews.

And on some of the other replies,...

As for apologies for all of the sideways threats tossed my way in the other replies, the rest of you don't bother. I'm not vain enough to care about that kind of talk. And you all proved a point.

After helping three public officials to get dismissed from their jobs very near there almost ten years ago (and staying for three more years just to see that their officious friends talked to the same agencies), I left that area of highways flanked by Rebel flags for good. ...don't visit my relatives who, thanks to propaganda in their area, hate "Yankees" so much that they don't even want to see their own brother from the West, but I visit or live where I like, anywhere in the USA, opinions and all.

Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I don't care about talk or anyone ruining public relations for their own state. But for your sakes, don't ever carry out any physical reprisal against anyone (even someone en pauperis) for complaining about your state, people in general, or region. The penalties can be severe.

And if you want to complain at me for a tactical or historical error on my part with plain, angry rhetoric, do so in private messages.

[Roy Tucker]

Ditto.

[Judith Anne]

Since they were charged with using false identification, I'm thinking they were likely Arabs. If they were planning terrorism, what better way than to use Jewish names on Israeli passports, apparently there are a few here who might fall for that ruse.

[Mr. Mojo]

apparently there are a few here who might fall for that ruse.

And all too willingly......hoping, hoping.

[Doctor Stochastic]

...what would you have said if they were Iranians?

That they were Arabs?

[Arkinsaw]

I left that area of highways flanked by Rebel flags for good.

Thats the only part of your post I give a damn about.

[who knows what evil?]

How new is the Interstate there?

The last nine mile section from Mars Hill to the TN border was opened about nine months ago. The Tennessee side has been done for years. US23 and I-26 are the SAME ROAD from Asheville north. The signage in that area is clear. There is NO REASON in the world to exit off I-26 in Mars Hill onto the "old 23", which is no longer signed, especially if you were headed to Boston. I'm not even sure why they were headed that way...backtrack a bit to 40, head east, and pick up 95. Why head north on 26 to 81? You can get to Boston that way, but it certainly isn't the direct route. In any event...even if they WERE lost, why aren't they co-operating with authorities? Just admit that you're lost, and be on your way. Something else is going on here. They are spending their second night in jail with NO BOND. Pretty stiff treatment for two guys who just "got lost" in the Tennessee mountains.

[TheLurkerX]

40 to 95 is the most direct route. The only time I take 81 is when I'm taking a trip to Jersey during the day, and I want to take a scenic drive and avoid the metro congestion on the eastern route.

[adam_az]

"The Jews of Hazzard"

Considering the vial, jar, powder, etc, I hope they aren't the Jews of Hazmat!

[adam_az]

"...what would you have said if they were Iranians?"
"That they were Arabs?"

Well, Iranians aren't Arabs they are Persians.