Coast Guard warns of terrorist threat in Puget Sound

KING-TV Seattle ^ | 6.9.02

[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 Guard’s 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.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Coast Guard Auxiliary Members PING

[Pining_4_TX]

OK, I'm really confused now. There were 2 experts (ex Seals or something) on Fox News who said that it was extremely improbable terrorists would attempt an underwater/scuba attack because of all the difficulties involved. They said other methods of attack were much easier to accomplish. So, what is this all about?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

United States Coast Guard role under the new Department of Homeland Security proposal.

In order to secure our nation’s territorial waters, including our ports and waterways, the Department would assume authority over the United States Coast Guard, which would maintain its existing independent identity as a military organization under the leadership of the Commandant of the Coast Guard. Upon declaration of war or when the President so directs, the Coast Guard would operate as an element of the Department of Defense, consistent with existing law.

The U.S. Coast Guard is charged with regulatory, law enforcement, humanitarian, and emergency response duties. It is responsible for the safety and security of America’s inland waterways, ports, and harbors; more than 95,000 miles of U.S. coastlines; U.S. territorial seas; 3.4 million square miles of ocean defining our Exclusive Economic Zones; as well as other maritime regions of importance to the United States.

The Coast Guard has command responsibilities for countering potential threats to America’s coasts, ports, and inland waterways through numerous port security, harbor defense, and coastal warfare operations and exercises. In the name of port security specifically, the Coast Guard has broad authority in the nation’s ports as “Captain of the Port.” Recently the Coast Guard has worked to establish near shore and port domain awareness, and to provide an offshore force gathering intelligence and interdicting suspicious vessels prior to reaching U.S. shores.

[conservative cat]

including students interested in learning about underwater demolition.

Bridges, I wonder?

[pepsionice]

What is with the Seattle area? The one Muslim idiot was caught with the explosives trying to get from Canada over to Seattle area. And now this. One has to wonder if there is a support cell in the local area. Time to sniff around and see who runs.

[AngrySpud]

Here's hoping any nefarious diver gets chewed up by a ferry boat ... Islamic crab food.

[CedarDave]

Before 9/11 hijacking four planes simultaneously and flying two of them into targets together would have been thought improbable, too.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

We Need You -- In the wake of the recent attacks on the United States, the Coast Guard Auxiliary will be called upon to provide essential services to the Coast Guard as they focus more heavily on their military missions.  We will need all the help we can get.  You needn't own a boat or even be an experienced boater, since our missions are wide-ranging.  For information about existing Auxiliary missions and the Auxiliary in general, go to our Join the Auxiliary webpage.  You will find there a form through which you can ask that a local Auxiliarist make contact with you to explore the ways in which you can assist Team Coast Guard
and, in the process, do something for our country in its hour of need.
Age 17 and up (no upper age restrictions) Click Here for details.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

PING

[UnBlinkingEye]

The warning followed one from FBI national headquarters on May 23 that “various terrorist elements have sought to develop an offensive scuba diver capability.”

Not to mention potential kayak based attacks. The only way to stop these fiends is marshall law. Our role as globocop is being threatened, major corporate interests could be damaged.

[Iowa Granny]

I thought of you immediately when I heard this reported on Fox News tonite. I couldn't remember your exact location. Are you near Pudget Sound?

Stay safe, Buddie,,, we like you alot around here.

[claptrap]

This is so lame they are probably looking for a new fleet of boats equipped with anti scuba stuff, it must be condition lavendar up there or something, the whole thing sounds kind of stupid what are the terrorists gonna blow up Daves Marina. Fly a jet into the Space Needle?

[ladyinred]

There are terrorist cells all over the nation, not just in the Seattle area. They are just waiting for the right time to attack.
Deportation of all of them would be nice.

[Pining_4_TX]

Well, if it were just an average person's opinion, I would agree with you, but these 2 men (as I said, both were ex special ops guys) said that it would take too many hours of training and too much expertise and equipment for these terrorists. In fact, they said they thought these men had begun scuba training but abandoned it when they saw how difficult it would be to attack using this method. Both experts said it is much easier to blow a bridge or something by hijacking a fuel truck.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Are you near Pudget Sound?"

I stand my Radio Watches at the Coast Guard base in Coos Bay OR which is the 7th largest port on the West Coast.
Puget Sound would be a couple hundred miles north.
BOTH are part of the 13th Coast Guard District.

[jwalburg]

Yeah. Bridges, highways and dams would be likely targets.
It takes forever to secure funds and then finish those projects.

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

tyson eats muslim canvas bump

[ValerieUSA]

Think of the attack on the USS Cole launched against a huge passenger ferry

[MarMema]

ping for my buddies