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.

[Atlas Sneezed]

...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.

That doesn't sound very legal. The local radio reports described the searches as "voluntary," except that those who did not consent would be denied the right to travel.

[cake_crumb]

"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"

...That was a joke, right?

[cake_crumb]

"Stay in the shadows, get under the docks, it's easy. Tow in a neutrally bouyant 55 gallon drum filled with the demo of your choice, I'll leave the rest to your imagination, only in case some stupid rag hasn't already considered it."

Yep...and if it has to do with killing people, they probably HAVE considerd it.

[bushfamfan]

For that matter, what is it with the Space Needle? They seem obsessed with destroying it. And they never gave up on the WTC until they destroyed it, so it seems they keep up attempting to destroy certain targets. That terrorist attempt to blow up the Space Needle on New Year's '99 and drawings of the Space Needle(with other monuments, etc) in Afghanistan are enough to give a signal to law enforcement to keep a watch on those places because they seem to constantly come back to targets.

[WIMom]

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[goodnesswins]

"The local radio reports described the searches as "voluntary," except that those who did not consent would be denied the right to travel."

Actually.....they said "those who did not consent COULD be denied the right to travel." It was NOT automatic....I'm assuming swarthy looking mid-eastern men might be denied travel options.

[thirst4truth]

There are two Naval bases inside the waterways of Seattle. The nuclear subs come up the Juan de Fuca Strait on the surface. All the ships travel in that water way from the ocean to the inland waters. On one side of the strait is the USA and on the other is Canada, from either shore you can see every ship traveling to Seatle, Bremerton, Bangor (where the subs are).

Remember they are letting undocumented aliens from all kinds of terrorist sponsered countries into Canada without passports. It would be easy to launch a boat from the Canadian shores and come right along side a frigate, sub or other ship, at night. The only assurance is that the submariners cannot tell family members when they will arrive in port, so there is some uncertainty of their location.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Hmmm... I could think of a few bridges, a Carrier base, a submarine base, ferry docks, the ferries themselves etc... etc...

[Libertina]

Seattle has a Somalian restaurant and the owners/patrons CELEBRATED the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers. I don't think anything every happened to them, the police chief / mayor/ city council didn't want to be "insensitive."

[monkeywrench]

Could you elaborate, please?

[A Navy Vet]

Sorry I missed your ping, shipmate. Stay safe, and thank you for doing your part. You set a fine example for others to follow.

CGAUX
District 11s
Division 2
Flotilla 27

[JHENN22499]

I can remember the Navy was sending busses of navy men to Everett from Bremerton on the ferry each morning. With the rush hour traffic on the ferries, it could be devastating. Is the Navy still doing this?

[RWG]

Swimmers in the Puget Sound would be really suspect since the water is so cold. Even with wet suits this kind of event would be suspect.

[Libertina]

Thanks for the ping MaraMema. I know there are watches on the Narrows. This is just ONE MORE reason NOT to build another bridge right next to the Narrows. Let's face it, a list of where terrorists do NOT want to hit would be shorter. I just wish our oficials would be act with more reason and intelligence.

[Eva]

Everything you said would be true, plus you would have the environmental backlash from the Green Nazis that would blame the whole thing on the oil industry being in the Puget Sound.

[Ramius]

Good morning Libertina... Gig Harbor ping. How are you enjoying this fine morning? Out on your deck with wireless laptop, a bowl of strawberries and a cup of coffee like me I hope?? :-)

Report from the Hales Passage Antiterror Watch Section: All is well.

[Ramius]

The Narrows Bridge could be a target, but it seems to me that the Al ConQueso types would hit things are bigger, more internationally known. That bridge seems a little obscure. Unless of course they were going for the mass-approach. Lots of bridges on the same day.

[Robert357]

Under Clinton's watch, I telephone the Seattle FBI when I was contacted by Islamic terrorists. Nobody returned my call.

Please call them again, if the terror cell still exists, it is important to root it out.

[Libertina]

LOL Good Morning Ramius! Well, I'm actually overlooking a beautiful creek, breathing fresh air and listening to birds sing. The only problem is that I now have to go outside to sit in the sun because I don't have a laptop and pc's are just so uncomfortable to place in one's lap! :) (Also I blended my fruit into a smoothie.) But it is indeed a glorious day and a good one to be a FReeper. You're probably right on your bridge analysis of priorities, but these are targets on the terrorist "wish list."

[Syncro]

Thanks for the link...good thing it all turned out with no explosions.

I hope they catch the perps.