Posted on 06/08/2002 9:07:51 PM PDT by mhking
Coast Guard warns of terrorist threat in Puget Sound
06/08/2002
The Associated Press
SEATTLE - The Coast Guard warned Saturday evening of a potential terrorist threat to maritime interests around Puget Sound.
Based on information received across the U.S. Government, there is a credible threat to maritime interests from swimmers and divers, Lt. Scott Casad of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound said in a release.
He said the Coast Guard had told local port officials and maritime business owners to be on guard for suspicious activity.
No further details on possible targets or what triggered the warning were released. Casad did not immediately return a phone call Saturday evening.
The warning followed one from FBI national headquarters on May 23 that various terrorist elements have sought to develop an offensive scuba diver capability.
FBI agents have been questioning scuba diving instructors in Washington and around the country about any suspicious activity, including students interested in learning about underwater demolition.
Also, the Washington State Patrol last week was making random vehicle searches at public ferry terminals. The searches were done on the advice of the Washington State Ferries Security Committee, made up of staff from the Coast Guard, State Patrol and ferry system.
The Coast Guards Casad asked Saturday that any suspicious maritime activity be reported to the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Puget Sound, at (206) 217-6230 or 1 (800) 688-6664.
If we secured every port, airplane, ship, pipeline, chemical plant, etc etc etc etc, they would just take AK-47s into crowded churches, or set 100 forests alight on a single hot dry windy day.
Last year my father-in-law talked to a retired FBI Chief who encouraged me to contact the FBI again. On my behalf, my father-in-law attempted several times to call the FBI and was rebuffed.
Kayaks? No one pays any attention to them. Naval Bases do have some security so an attack on one of them may have its difficulties but if the terrorists wishchoose "civilian targets that will damage the USA the number of absolutely inprotected targets is too large to even imagine. As to a scuba borne attack. Rebreathers are unecessary. Who will pay attention to bubbles except at a Navy base. Even then the chances of bubbles being spotted on a breezy day is slim. Yes the USN has counter measures available but outside of US Navy facilities what security is there in the water? hey in New York or Boston Harbor if they do not not wish to use a 55 gallon drum they can substitute a refrigerator. As to swimmers in the water people as a rule don't even call in dead bodies in the water.
Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown
Tight security in one area just causes them to move to one of the million other unprotected targets.
The key is their motivation, not their weapons, skills, or particular targets. Any former SOF person could take 20 motivated Boy Scouts and spread utter havoc.
Please see the following post 21 in the following thread (and 14 if you want to see what I told/asked them).
A e-mail response from the Ferry System on my questions about taking firearms onboard
My conclusion is that the State Patrol is being a little more selective than the newspapers are reporting.
Since I usually enjoy your comments on the California Power Crisis, I am reluctant to point out that the ferry system is something regulated under federal law as a "common carrier." There are lots of requirements on "common carriers" having to do with access to all, no favoritism, and rules to make sure that commerce is fairly served. Based on my limited business law knowledge, there is a huge difference between a "common carrier" and a typical private company.
I've been seeing one of those pretty regularly. Zipping back and forth, running all over. The one in the picture looks slighly bigger, with a .50 on the bow. The ones I've seen are maybe a 21ft with what looks like an M60 on the bow. Nifty. If they'd had those before I would've stayed in. Makes me want to join the reserves. :-)
There is an outstanding threat to Jewish neigborhoods in NYC. A Rabbi there has proposed patrols armed with shotguns to protect those neigborhoods and the Shuls synagogues and schools. What is the policians response? Panic, they say these folks are untrained but the deterent value alone would do wonders for protection and training can be given.
There is a vast resivoir of Vetrans from every war and the inter-war periods of the Twentieth Century who would once again bear arms in defense of their homeland. These men and women have had the training and could train others. No they are not crack troops anymore but they could do a necessary job but since they will be unpaid volunteers the polidiots choose defenselessness instead. How many will have to die because of this idiocy on the politician's part.
Stay well - Stay safe- Stay armed - Yorktown
I'm sure that if I pulled up with a leaking Propane Delivery Truck, they would not allow me drive it on and park it on one of those ferries if they knew that I had a slow propane leak.
I hope that random searches are used. If one does not want a random search, they don't have to ride the ferry. Same thing applies in our airports. You have a problem with a search, then don't fly!
I have been riding state ferries since I was born and I am pretty sure they have to follow common carrier requirements.
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