Missiles smuggled into U.S.

Washington Times ^ | 5/31/02 | Bill Gertz

[kattracks]

The U.S. government has alerted airlines and law enforcement agencies that new intelligence indicates that Islamic terrorists have smuggled shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles into the United States.

Classified intelligence reports circulated among top Bush administration policymakers during the past two weeks identified the missiles as Russian-made SA-7 surface-to-air missiles or U.S.-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles obtained covertly in Afghanistan, said intelligence officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

[Steve0113]

Too bad that IR guidance systems don't work like that.

They select one heat source as a target, not the average of several, right?

[DTwistedSisterS]

Close our borders to new immigrants (the reason I don't want borders closed to us, is that I know a buncha people from Poland (they are now US citizens) and they are reallly close friends, and they wouldn't blow up a freaking building) and DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS!! I don't care if they are white European, black African, or brown (sorry if offensive, I couldn't think of a color, it seemed right) Mexican!! Kick them all out!!

[JohnGalt]

Your ideas have already been implemented over the last 10 years and they have been a gruesome failure. Posturing to ask for ever more powers will do more harm in creating a greater sense of security amongst your political bent, but do nothing to stop those determined to die for Allah.

[NautiNurse]

Shuttle launch is scrubbed again today -- weather concerns predicted for later. They will consider a possible weekend launch, otherwise looking at Monday.

[Dan Day]

"We don't have information that al Qaeda is planning to use these against commercial aircraft in the United States," an FBI official said. "However, we are passing the information along for people to remain alert to the potential use."

I wouldn't expect commercial aircraft to be their first target -- I'd be most worried about Air Force One.

[Poohbah]

Correct. As its moves closer to the target and the individual heat sources become distinguishable, the seeker will notice that it no longer has a heat source centered up. The seeker will go back into search mode (scanning in a rosette pattern), and will lock onto the first individual heat source entering its field of view.

[ClancyJ]

CYA; so they can say we warned you.

So, what do you expect? They incriminate Bush because he does not issue nonspecific warnings; they criticize if he issues nonspecific warnings. Looks like the democrats and regular complainers just have to find something on Bush.

Are we so soft we can't handle nonspecific warnings? If so, guess we will need to toughen up a little. Some might even consider joining the war against the terrorists instead of merely whining and complaining.

You know, they might consider blaming the terrorists, the terrorist supporting nations, Bin Laden, Al Qaida. Yet - guess it is so much more effective to just blame Bush - doesn't require much effort either.

[swarthyguy]

Oh, no, we want to know

Why do they hate us?

And what can we do to appease their anger?

So prince, what would you like tonight? KY or Vaseline?

[satan]

and, "we don't know if they'll be used against aircraft." If not aircraft, what?

[swarthyguy]

Flying Carpets?

[eno_]

Your ideas have already been implemented over the last 10 years

Really? Where?

I am not saying immigration is bad. To the contrary, legal immigration is mostly very good. But illegal Arabs are killing us. This is not like trying to make pot illegal, which is both hopeless and has no benefit. This is a serious matter where, even if we do not succeed 100%, 80% would be a good start and would surely save innocent lives. What is the counter argument? That our liberty is somehow enhanced by illegal Arabs? That they are a vital part of our economy? How does sending them home hurt anything at all?

[Woodstock]

IMHO, flight 800 was probably a shoe bomb.

[TexKat]

There's always some unnamed official being quoted, but Abu Zubaydah's name always gets a lot of play in the media. Disinformation campaign to keep the terrorists guessing?

Vice Versa, disinfo by Abu Zubaydah, to keep America guessing.

[JohnGalt]

The policy to prevent Arabs from overstaying student visas; the policy to run criminal background checks for visa requests; the policy to run criminal background checks after you stop someone for speeding...were all in place prior to 9/11. I am suggesting that the people who are at the frontline enforcing these policies are incompetent of working existing policies so I suggest there is a logical disconnect in suggesting more policy as an answer?

[Marine Inspector]

Duck hunting?

[TexKat]

Ok this is not a joke..what's the difference between "intelligence" and a "specific threat".. Reports and observation?

I don't know the answer to your question. But I do know I am wearing weary of the cable news alerts. Yesterday, I immediately stopped what I was doing because an (Alert) was announced on Fox News. When all was said and done, the alert was that Dianna Ross had checked herself into some rehabilitation spa.

I propose that we color code our (Alerts). What do you think?

[TexKat]

Or perhaps that could have a different tone, like cell phones, so that we may distinguishe if a low or high alert.

[fivecatsandadog]

and, "we don't know if they'll be used against aircraft." If not aircraft, what?

dams, buildings and/or nuclear power plants, tanker cars/trucks, to name a few.....

[Bigg Red]

A coordinated attack on Air Force refueling aircraft...

A very efficient move for their evil intentions. But what is the danger also of an attack on Air Force One? That's also very scary.

[Young Werther]

Sounds familiar TWA 800 August 96!

This is the most curious and I post rather than link from TWA 800 page because of the depth at which is was buried. It comes from an Aviaiton Sub committee meeting May 14, 1999.

"There have been 26 aircraft worldwide shot down by MANPADs--Man Portable Defense Systems; Flight 800 may have been the 27th. To prove that foreign MANPADs have been previously smuggled into the country, Donaldson recalled the curious case of the French-made Mistral, a Stinger-type missile that was found along a country road in Westminster, Maryland in October, 1994. The owner of a nearby convenience store had noticed it alongside the road; the Mistral was leaning on its side. "Somebody brought it here," said Donaldson. "Normally a Mistral would not be in this country except for some type of joint military test. Westminister, Maryland is an area that is constantly overflown by airlines from the major airports on the east coast. It's a great place to try to shoot down a plane. But it's strange the way the missile was just left at the edge of a road--in plain sight. As if someone wanted it to be found. This is just my speculation, but it's as if someone was giving our government a warning that they could take down a plane of ours at any time."

Of course the real question is, when did Bush OOPS! XLINTOON!! know and what did he do about it?

OCTOBER 1994!!!