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.

[Libertina]

BTW Ramius, I've mised you at the last 100 or so FReeper meets! Get off that peninsula once in a while! (Or invite us all over :)

[Robert357]

From the public record, we know that Al-Quida records show an interest in scuba-type attacks. We also know that earlier in the year there were FBI inquiries in Florida about middle easterners taking scuba lessons. Furthermore, we know that immediately after 9-11 Coast Guard activity in Puget Sound was stepped up and yet in some other major ports, no such activity occurred. We also have some stepped up State Police activity around Washington state ferrys asking car passengers about explosives and weapons. Finally, we have a bunch of X-ray type pieces of equipment being deployed at Seattle & Tacoma Ports to search cargo containers.

My conclusion from this is that there has been and is renewed electronic intecepts, which are a credible threat warning of a marine-vessel attack within the Puget Sound area, but the type and method of attack are not clearly known. This means that citizens if watchful, may be able to help the authorities.

[spokanite]

You're absolutely right. I was just thinking that myself with this addition. If our government throws out all these warnings, it just gives them more advancement into our private lives. For example, they are now searching all cars before they get on a ferry, or you're denied access. We are now all considered threats to our own nation by our government. And on that note, our enemies have won.

[Ramius]

Yes, yes... I know. I'm really lame that way. Just ask my friends. :-) I'll get to one of those things one of these days.

I am also a pretty regular customer down at the sunset grill, if you ever find yourself in that part of town.

[goodnesswins]

RE: Somolian restaurant that celebrated.....IF the gov't is doing their job....they are being WATCHED.....discreetly....I hope. All's well on the southern PS front, so far....I worry about the Port of Tacoma and a few of the chemical/oil/containers and other stuff there - but, not enough to keep me from sleeping...

[HairOfTheDog]

Good morning! - Glad to hear all is well on Hales Passage...

Maybe the Hale's Passage Anti-Terror watch can get one of these!

[The_Media_never_lie]

Are you a CG Auxiliarist? I retired in '98 as a reservist and my weekend job was comms. watchstander.

[Polybius]

We also have some stepped up State Police activity around Washington state ferrys asking car passengers about explosives and weapons.

This situation is ridiculous. All an Islamic terrorist has to do is drive an explosives-laden vehicle onto the Bainbridge ferry and the deed is done.

After all the "When did Bush know and when did he know it?" garbage spewed out by the Democrats, Political Correctness still reigns supreme.

A grandma from Poulsbo is not going to attack a ferry and asking her if her if she is driving a car bomb serves no purpose whatsoever. Middle Eastern men driving onto Washington State ferries need to profiled at every ferry terminal.

We can't sacrifice any more American lives on the altar of Political Correctness.

[PoisedWoman]

. All they would have to do would be to drive a car on board loaded with high explosives.

I ride the Washington State Ferries every time I need to go into Seattle, and they've scared the dickens out of me since 911. At rush hour, boats carry up to 1200 passengers, also at Mariners game times. Right after 911, there were guards walking among the cars waiting to board, doing a pretty good job of looking into cars and questioning drivers; but now, things are pretty lax.

Here on my peaceful, pastoral island, I felt very safe until Ahmed Reshad, the would-be LAX bomber, was caught coming in from Canada to Port Angeles. Had he gotten through, he would have driven within a few hundred yards of my door on his way to the ferry into Seattle, where he had a motel reservation. He would have been on ferry I take, and the explosives in his car were so badly packed, they could have exploded if he hit a bad bump in the road, or perhaps on the ferry. Nevertheless, the idiot liberal leftists who populate this place are quite sure it can't happen here. Maybe they'll wake up now. Maybe. Or it may take a loud bang to open their eyes to the facts that no one is safe anywhere.

Soon after 911, while waiting in ferry line in Seattle to board boat back to my island, I noticed two big strong "swarthy" fellows walking around the cars. I got out of mine and approached them, started a conversation just to see what they were about. They were fine, had a little girl with them who was afraid of my barking dog and clung to her loving dad. The men were from India. And the guards were going through their van as we spoke. I hope the guards remain vigilant. It's awful to have to suspect everyone, but better safe than sorry.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Are you a CG Auxiliarist? I retired in '98 as a reservist and my weekend job was comms. watchstander"

Yes, in Coos Bay OR.
I live in Bandon OR which has a 47' boat here from May till Sept full time.
I stand my radio watches on the CG base in Coos Bay.
I finished my qualifications last month.
When I can I also go on CG Aux patrols. Working on my crew quals for that.

[swarthyguy]

Unfortunately, that's just the price you have to pay. Unfortunately, privacy in public has to compromised (among other things) when we have jihadis infiltrated among us and apparently still trying as we speak. It's necessary. Absolutely. What choice is there.

[Travis McGee]

As long as we have enemies on our soil who want to commit acts of terrorism and sabotage against us, there is NOTHING we can do to stop them.

There are just too many targets to protect. Ships are just one category of big easy targets.

[Travis McGee]

If they want to do it, there is NOTHING to prevent them from doing so. NOTHING.

We have scorpions nesting under our clothes. As long as they are here, we will get stung.

[Travis McGee]

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.

You will never see a swimmer on a dark rainy night in a black wetsuit with only his black painted face above the surface. Surface swimmers on a sneak attack swim on their backs using only their fins, they don't even leave a ripple. Only a ship of 100% full alert with searchlights scanning etc has any chance of stopping them. A typical ship pierside has a zero chance of seeing or stopping them, that goes for warships, cruise liners, tankers etc.

[ethical]

There is major terrorist support here. From fellow terrorists and liberals.

[PoisedWoman]

All an Islamic terrorist has to do is drive an explosives-laden vehicle onto the Bainbridge ferry and the deed is done.

Scary. That's my ferry. You may be interested in my post #89 on this thread, posted at the same time you were posting.

Did I tell you that when the National Enquirer and Globe and Star published pictures of terrorists on their covers right after 911, my local Safeway put white cardboard over these covers so people couldn't see them? I asked why. They said, people had complained about possibility it might make shoppers think the "wrong things." I was enraged! Finally convinced them to stop bowing to political correctness and let people see who the enemy was. Ihad to threatend to call the distributor and the publications to get any action, as the tabloids pay for those racks at the checkout counter, and store was violating their rights, a form of "economic terrorism." Big sigh. The significant thing was that the politically correct were on their toes even as smoke was coming from the WTC, making sure we didn't profile anyone or hurt any feelings.

[2rightsleftcoast]

Yes, let the deportations begin. Now!

[proudofthesouth]

Don't forget though, that we have trained a lot of foreign nationals (military) on our bases. I know for a fact that we have had them on our Air Force and Army bases. Training them at a Naval facility wouldn't be farfetched an idea. Just because they are from countries whose terrain is dessert doesn't mean that they aren't capable of learning underwater warfare.

[freeperfromnj]

I read the following article today and wondered how well our beaches are being protected for the upcoming season. Imagine this scenario at one of our crowded beaches.

PALESTINIANS PLANNED TO ATTACK BEACHES - Israel

The Israeli army says two armed Palestinians tried to swim along the Mediterranean coast to attack civilians on the beaches of southern Israel.

The two were spotted by naval personnel at a shore observation station near the northern edge of the Gaza Strip, an officer at the facility said.

Both the Palestinians were shot.

One body washed ashore on Saturday and a second washed up today. The two men were identified as members of militant group Islamic Jihad.

A bag belonging to them had automatic rifles and grenades the army said.

Elsewhere, militant Islamic group Hamas has claimed responsibility for an attack on the Jewish settlement of Karmei Tsur. The gunmen killed a pregnant woman, her husband and an Israeli reserve soldier.

One Palestinian, identified by Hamas as Ahmed Masalme, was also killed. A second gunman escaped to the nearby Palestinian village of Halhoul.

"This military resistance is the acceptable way and the proper way of confronting Israeli military forces," said Ismail Abu Shanab, a Hamas leader in Gaza.

And The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine has claimed responsibility for an attack on four Israeli soldiers who were wounded in the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.

The group said 18-year-old gunman Ahmed Hammad, 18 was killed. The group issued a leaflet vowing to "continue its struggle for liberating Palestine."

[RWG]

The Cole was attacked in daylight.