Posted on 05/20/2004 11:32:31 PM PDT by trifona
May 20, 2004 -- The Big Story on Action News is word of suspicious activity along train tracks in our area, and the discovery of a wireless transmitter that seemed to be carefully hidden in the gravel under some tracks in Philadelphia.
Needless to say, this has attracted some peoples' attention. While authorities do not want to unnecessarily scare commuters, they say that after terrorist train attacks in Madrid Spain, they are taking all suspicious activity on rail lines seriously. Of most concern is the discovery of that wireless transmitter on a SEPTA rail line.
Action News has learned that last week SEPTA police recovered an infrared sensor that was carefully concealed along SEPTA's track bed near 34th and Powelton. The device, a commercially available wireless infrared transmitter made for home security use was discovered spray-painted black and tucked neatly in the trackside ballast. Such devices transmit a signal when something cuts across their infrared beam. And while there is no indication of any specific threat, investigators are concerned because the sensor has the potential to be used as a triggering device. The FBI is now investigating the discovery.
Jerri Williams/FBI SPOKESPERSON:
"We don't know why its there, what the purpose was and that's why we're investigating . At this time, we have no reason to believe there's a nexus to terrorism but of course we wanna be careful, we want to protect the public, and so we're investigating." Meanwhile, the New Jersey attorney general's office is investigating at least 7 instances in the last week of suspicious surveillance activity along Amtrak and New Jersey Transit commuter rail lines between Philadelphia, Trenton and New York." Peter Harvey/N.J. ATTORNEY GENERAL:
"The activities ranges from persons walking under a train trestle and filming it to persons trying to enter parking garages adjacent to train rail tracks or train stations filming those parking garages as well as filming the rail stations themselves." According to ABC News, the separate incidents in addition to other activity along rail lines between New York, Philadelphia and Washington has triggered concern among federal authorities in Washington prompting a massive counter surveillance operation. By coincidence these developments come as the Department of Homeland Security announced a series of new mandatory security measures on rail lines including the use of canine explosive teams to screen passenger baggage, terminals and trains. Meanwhile, you may remember a year ago when Action News told you about one man Hany Hasanin. Tapes obtained by Action News show Hany appearing to embark on a mission to make a roadmap of the Delaware Valley taking pictures of a public water supply and a PECO power station. He was arrested by Amtrak police taking pictures of 30th Street Station but he was deported back to Egypt before the FBI could questioned him. To this day, he has not been located.
Security is already being stepped up due to the presidential conventions in New York and Boston, and threats that an attack could be launched before the November election. Again, there is no specific threat to any local rail line, but officials are taking any possibility very seriously.
Dann Cuellar, Channel 6 Action News. Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved.
If the FBI had found it after observing someone, we would never have heard of this story.
Whew! Just checking... :-)
25: Good post.
Tally:
5 empty suitcases found in NY subway an the same day last month.
Empty 93,000 gallon tanker stolen in New Jersey.
Empty Amry training rocket launcher found near Atlanta. (I think this had nothing to do with terrorism)
Infrared transmitter found on RR tracks in Philadelphia.
I would use that fatass to to trip IED's in Iraq.
""I hope some industrious railroad employee doesn't get into hot water for rigging up a sensor device to help him with his job."
I hope the investigators don't try to Richard Jewel anyone either.
P.S. And don't forget the terrorism alert yesterday to watch out for homocide bombers.
ping
"What if the receiving beam is placed on the train itself. What if the train is fitted with a device that receives the beam and sets off an explosion on the train."
That reads like blowing up the train to find the bomb.
Your correct.
Oh wait, there is not terrorism, Bush is over reacting according to democrats.
No wait, according to Kerry, we are not doing enough.
Hold on, according to the left Bush is using the color coded threat alert to much.
Oh my. Chilling !!!!
Thanks for the info. I hope the camel humpers do not take your suggestions seriously.
GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK!
some boby was gonna build a garage and miss placed the garage door opener.
YA THATS IT!!!
What if all our rail lines were attacked at the same time, the economic loss and shortage of goods moved by rail would be huge imo. I heard this closed down a large rail.
(GUNTER, May 21) -- One of the two trains in a deadly head-on crash Wednesday night did not have permission to be on the track. An engineer died and four crew members were hurt when the Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains collided in Gunter, 50 miles north of Dallas. The southbound train stopped like it was supposed to, five miles north in Dorchester, where the track splits in two. It let a northbound train pass and was supposed to let a second train pass as well. Instead, it resumed its trip. Investigators will examine the trains' recorders to find out what was said between the engineers and dispatchers before the collision.
Cuurently, they are all in MA trying to get married.
My thoughts too.
I just started reading all the threads concerning this subject. Before that I was watching Fox talking about
the transmitters found on the train track and
6/11 is that came to my mind
I'm from Dallas so checked out the local news when it
happened. It appears that there was another train wreck
south of Dallas a couple of weeks ago. I will get the
info
Good, I will look for more info too.
Could it be for monitoring the trains? For example, checking to see what time the trains go over that particular spot.
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