These things are happening, it is real, it is not an internet hoax. People are reporting that taxi drivers are offering warnings to those who have tipped them well or were more friendly than others they have dealt with.
I am the author of what is below
====================================== Here is an update as of 1800 eastern
What I have learned in the last hour is that a 3rd person, who did NOT know of the previous calls, informed my friend of an identical event taking place with an old woman he knew personally
The source of the 3rd account is impeccable
This information was relayed to departments within Homeland Security and we were informed that there have been MANY reports coming in from around the world all saying that people who were just in NYC had received warnings from their cab drivers, with most of the cab drivers assumed to be Somali who gave this information out.
I was in NYC Saturday myself and took one cab ride but no one said these things to me.
In each of the reported cases, each of the witnesses said they left a generous tip to the driver who then said: You seem like a nice person, DONT be in New York after Wednesday
One of the persons I mention was told by the taxi driver to immediately change plans no matter how inconvenient, but to stay out of NYC from Wednesday on.
It is only speculation as to whether this is a legitimate threat or an attempt to create a hoax causing panic
======================================= my original, long winded comments are below:: ============================
I have a friend who does terrorism awareness seminars, I work for him on occasion doing research on the net for news articles to help keep a database
I got a call from him today.
Cab drivers in New York City have told two persons he spoke to, that "you look like nice people. You should not be in New York on Wednesday"
am not posting this in the open forum because I just dont have any more proof than what I am going to write here
I have a friend who does Terrorism Awareness for a living. I have been working with him for some time and am still, doing internet research on occasion
he received 2 phone calls from 2 separate sources today
In the last 2 days, these two parties were taking taxis and struck up friendly conversations with their drivers.
Each one was told by the taxi drivers to NOT BE IN NYC THIS WEDNESDAY
“You seem like nice people, You DONT want to be here on Wednesday” was the general statement
We all know that a elementary school boy was acting up in class in Brooklyn and exclaimed how he knew the Twin Towers were not going to be standing the following week. And 9/11 happened.
This may be a hoax done to the people who called my friend, but one of them is the child of someone prominant in the conservative movement and also in awareness of the Islamic Threat we face. Their concern was genuine.
I was told that the New York City Police department was called and they told the caller they were already aware of this threat.
For my New York Friends: report all lost baggage report all suspicious activity report all bags left unattended Avoid large crowds or gatherings get in-get out, do all business quickly in stores and malls
bring two cases of water home tonight and keep it out of the sunlight
Sounds fishy to me.
This thread — although it sounds a bit like some email hoaxes we’ve all seen — may VERY well prove legitimate.
Wednesday 1/7/2009 is the day of Ashura, a Muslim Holy Day of fasting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Ashura
For Shia, it is the day of mourning over the matryr of Muhammad’s grandson, Husayn ibn Ali, at the Battle of Karbala in 680AD.
It is unwise to assume that, because something SOUNDS the same as a previously heard hoax, that it IS — in fact — the same hoax just coming around again.
Jihidistanis around the world rarely need a particular excuse to punctuate their malcontentment (usually with explosives), but veiled warnings coincident with a recognized Islamic fast day should be regarded with elevated concern for personal life and property.
Prayers up for NYC.
When RaceBannon speaks,
I listen.
Nice to see you, Race. Happy New Year.
Who would have thunk that NYC Taxi Cab drivers would be in a direct communication path for Al Queda operational plans.........
FYI ping
"..text messages circulated in New York during the first week of
Race, thank you for taking the time to post this.
BUMP!
Never, EVER, buy bagels made by hairy muslims.
Just sayin'.....................
No one can be sure when or if - but it’s important for the information to be out. You put it out there. Thanks for doing that...
All these taxi drivers are reading the exact same script. Maybe it’s a taxi driver’s terror: tell every passenger this, and stand back and laugh?
Soooooo, any word from your fruit vendor?
I am going to see if I can obtain independent verification via my own NYC channels. They are well-placed and if there is something going on they may well know. If they do, that may assist with lending credence to what you’ve heard.
Naturally, I shall keep the nature of my enquiry general, and preserve confidences.
I shall report back if I suddenly become any the wiser. Stand by...
Kinda sounds to me like if something happens in NYC on Wednesday, the Jews did it.
I missed this ping last night.
I call BS on this. NYC cabbies all have picture ID Hack licenses plainly visible to the riders in the back seat. I find it hard to believe that none of those ‘warned’ took note of the driver’s name and number to report to LEOs.
I was in Jersey City/Manhattan this past weekend for a friend’s 25th wedding anniversary. My first drive there in 25 years... and my last. $32 to park for the day. $ 338 for a second-rate hotel. Ah, the driving in JC/NYC! $37.68 for breakfast for two at a greasy spoon. More Obama/Biden posters and stickers than I would have believed two months after the election. Everywhere. Mail boxes. Public buildings. Store fronts. People who had to be in NYC for their job but who hated it so much they walked down the street with snarls plastered on their faces, leaning forward, squinting, daring you to say something. 45 minutes to drive two miles. Ugh! May I never have to be there again; ever.
Any new information this morning except for the winter storm warnings for tomorrow here in CT?
It is exceedingly rare for someone to be so well defended on FR if attacked, so that alone gives me pause to take this post more seriously than I normally would.
If I may make a suggestion, perhaps you could ask the Moderator(s) to update your post to include the fact that some cabbies’ actual identifying information has been passed onto the proper authorities. This fact distinguishes this report from the Snopes rumor in that the Snopes rumor is based on nothing but an e-mail chain mail and/or an untraceable text message.
Are they referring to this Wednesday, as in tomorrow or next week?