Should I Contact the FBI? (Suspicious Activity Observed)

Vanity | 11-5-01

[dogbyte12]

Sorry for the vanity folks. But something happened today to me that spooked me, and I don't spook that easily.

I was driving to work today going south bound in San Gabriel California on a major street when a van turned in front of me. Large custom white van with a huge bubble top on it.

As we are going, liquid suddenly drips from underneath the van. Hmmm, I thought, bad exhaust or something. It stops. Then about 30 seconds later, another 4 oz of so of liquid drips out. Again, it doesn't appear to be from the exhaust pipe, but I figure it must be.

Then it happened. Out of nowhere, from the right passenger window a large... I mean 3 by 3 foot cloud of either white smoke or white powder flies out the right window. It dissipates and is invisible in about 2 to 3 seconds. I know anthrax is brown, but it freaks me out that I see this substance in such quantities. This was no cigarette smoke, it was just an instantaneous dicharge of something in such volume that it was probably about the size I think. around 3 by 3 feet.

I then wanted to get a look at the driver. It was a "olive skinned" man approximately 25-35, with short wavy hair, who appeared pakistani, indian in appearance. The van took a quick turn, I headed to work, related the incident to co-workers, who convinced me to call the local police.

Talked to the desk officer who basically humored me. I had written down the liscence plate number told him what I saw and he basically told me that he didn't hear any other complaints yet about this van, and the white smoke or powder was probably an engine discharge or something.

My question is, should I take this further. This very likely can just be a weird congruence, and the local police might have investigated it, but I am wondering if I should call the feds to be sure. I have been hearing stories of them blowing off people with similar tips as well. Any imput would be appreciated.

[Fred25]

Don’t you have some kind of state agency out there that might be interested in reports about “illegal dumping” of chemicals? Some companies are notorious for literally dumping dangerous chemicals, a little at a time, along the side of the road as they drive in their chemical vans. Maybe your state agency could investigate this as an illegal dumping situation.

Can you get a name and address of the van’s owner from the state by giving them the license plate number? Is there any way you can track down the owner and address of the van?

[babylonian]

I live 6 miles (as the crow flies) from a TVA dam. A week after 911 I had a light aircraft overhead, flying erratically and cutting it's engine, spiraling, then kicking it's engine back on and gaining altitude, only to repeat the process over and over. Last I saw it, it was headed straight for the dam. I called the FBI.

[Mulder]

https://www.ifccfbi.gov/complaint/terrorist.asp

[Fred Mertz]

Did it blow up the dam?

[riri]

As I ponder this, I have to ask-Are you sure they weren´t Mexican? Here in Phoenix, I see Mexican´s driving around in questionable vehicles, doing questionable things pretty frequently.

[bluefish]

Better story than mine. When I was a paper boy delivering the morning paper, I was at one house on my route and thought I smelled smoke, kind of like when newspapers are burning (or as it turns out - insulation made out of newspapers). Anyway, it was 4 in the morning and I decided it was nothing. When I got to the end of the street, I ran into another paperboy coming back from his route in another neighborhood and told him to check it out. A half hour later, while I was on the next block over, I heard the fire trucks. Luckily, there was no real damage. The house was owned by a fireman and their attic was smoldering from an electrical short circuit. The other paperboy ignored it too and the luckily, one of the kids woke up and smelled the smoke. To this day, I think about how my lack of action could have killed that family. From then on out, I have decided "better safe than sorry" is the right attitude - even if only to keep your conscious clear.

[rolling_stone]

I think you did right by calling the FBI, since you were alert enough to get the license plate and a description, they have something to at least check out...a quick computer check on the plate will show them who owns it and where they live, which will give them a clue to follow up or not. It could be a harmless medical company and it could be stolen or belong to a terrorist. Without knowing about it they have nowhere to start, and it is tips like these that sometime break big cases by determined investigators..

If the plate comes back to a suspicious sounding name, it could lead to more investigation, surveillance wiretap, phone records check etc....suspicion is what starts most investigations...

[Vicki]

By all means, call. Let the experts (FBI) check it out. You'd feel bad if it really turned out to be something and you didn't report it.

Worse than being told you're being paranoid by the few "hide your head in the sand" group.

[armourup]

Why aren't they vaccinating healthcare workers especially ER people. Today where I worked some idiot came in after opening a letter full of some unkown powder exposing the whole ER staff who promptly called HAZMAT. HAZMAT refused to respond saying they had too many calls already.

All the uniformed idiots (who voted Clinton in twice) don't pay attention to anything or read the news enough to know they should stay put and call the police...putting us all at risk again just like when they voted for Clinton.

[poet]

Did you get the license plate #s, if not, forgedaboutit. It will be added to the many thousands of reports the fbi receives. They can't be chasing every lead, that is why the plates are important. Besides, do you trust the clinton fbi considering their recent incompetancies? Correct me if I'm wrong, but, aren't clinton's people still in positions of influence.

[bootless]

The aim is to have mass deaths during the Christmas season. To do this, they have to initiate the attack in the middle of November. It is possible that they will use the Thanksgiving season to spread the weapon. Please call the FBI now.

Okay, you've got my serious attention. Besides turning in suspicious activity, what else can we do?

[Slic]

What if he's one of those guys thinking if he dies for the cause he's got a fast ticket to his harem of virgins.

You're right, I didn't factor in the virgins... clearly this guy was driving around throwing handfulls of anthrax out the window. Sure the skeptics and nays-sayers will say something like "the van had an oil leak - when oil contacts a hot surface like a header or exhuast manifold it makes whispy clouds of white smoke - wind can blow this same smoke from underneath the van so that it appears to be coming from the window" -- but this is the kind of cool, clear, deductive reasoning that will get us all killed. The only thing that we can do as citizens during a crisis is panic - and now is the time to panic. The only rational thing to do in this situation is pull the terrorist from the van, knock him unconcious with a tire-iron, and call the FBI. In fact, terrorists might not just be using oil-leaking vans, so the only prudent thing to do is drag all "olive-skinned" people from their vehicles. Remember - Now is the time to panic!

[zog]

--periodic dripping of a liquid, then periodic tossing out of another substance. A binary chemical perhaps? 2 different biocooties, a double whammy? haven't read anything in the approved terrorist handbook that says you can't use 2 or more agents. Who knows, but it sounds suspicious to me as well. God luck, hope you and thousands of others out there right now aren't infected. The advice on calling the fibbers is good, and I'll give ya some more right now-if you aren't hip to "shelter in place", get hip now, and stock up supplies a la y2k. ya never know, might have to sit it out at home with the doors and windows shut for an extended period of time. Besides, being adequately prepped is always a good idea, it doesn't hurt, doesn't really cost that much, and is good real meatworld "insurance" that is immediate when you need it and goes way beyond that folded piece of paper contract in the drawer. Oh ya, go to a doc, get tested.

[tallhappy]

...pull the terrorist from the van, knock him unconcious with a tire-iron...

I think that's happened to you one too many times, Slick.

[Slic]

I think that's happened to you one too many times, Slick.

Yeah, man - it must be my sarcastic attitude that gets me into trouble.

[babylonian]

Well, my toaster doesn't work.

[MaeWest]

Thanks for doing the right thing. Now talk to your doc and make sure you haven't been exposed to anything....and let us know you are ok, ok?

[princess leah]

Like Fox News says "You Report, They Decide" Call now!

[Don Joe]

"The aim is to have mass deaths during the Christmas season."

"Silly me - and I thought it was going to be THE MALLS over Halloween ..."

Don't be silly. Every rational person realizes that their goal is to elevate consciousness about the plight of the poor downtrodden masses of islamic extraction, and to do so using peaceful demonstrations of civil disobedience.

Why, the very idea that they'd want to do any actual harm to us is preposterous at face value. Especially when you take into account the 65,535 Jews who were warned not to go to work on 9/11/01, and the Israeli spies found in Pearl Harbor shortly after December 7, 1941.

Islam Means Peace, and Work Makes Free. Now go buy another damn car and leave the Men of the Women of Cover alone.

[Texas Gal]

It is not panic to report suspicious things one sees to law enforcement officers.
Key word: report.
Not assault. Not scream. Not panic.
Plenty of crimes can be thwarted if people are observant and take appropriate action.
Key word: appropriate.