Will Muslim Terrorists Burn the Western States?

Independent Logic | June 12, 2002 | Silas

[Silas]

Muslim terrorists have the capacity to set wildfires en masse and destroy a large part of the western United States. This theory was best said and first put forward by Freeper Travis McGee when he said it like this:

"Somebody had better be planning contingencies for a mass terrorist arson attack. Think of 20 arsonists setting ten fires each on a line 1000 miles long in one day. Or think of 20 Denver fires set upwind of cities on one day.

Box cutter >>> 9-11

Butane lighter >>> ??????"

We don't want to voice this concern because we are afraid that the terrorists will take up the idea. But we know that in fact they have already thought of this simple idea. By keeping our silence we are delaying an action plan to combat this idea.

We must have a plan in place in case these arsons begin. It's possible that they have already begun. We are barely out of May and already severe fires have started. This is unusual and it may be just the beginning. We must have a plan.

It is worth noting that during WWII the Japanese developed and implemented a plan to launch thousands of baloon-lifted incendiary bombs, hooked up to a simple timer. The idea was that a few of these bombs would detonate over California, based on prevailing winds. Some of the bombs did actually make it to California. The US gov. did not report any of these at the time, thus the Japanese believed that their plan failed when in fact it did not. California was saved significant fires due to a very wet season.

The point is that it is clear to any enemy that the US west is subject to arson - big time. Imagine what the Japanese would have done with a thousand spies given free run of the country.

WE MUST BE PREPARED TO DETAIN AND ENCAMP/DEPORT ALL ISLAMIC TERRORISTS AND THEIR SYMPATHIZERS. THE TIME TO PLAN IS NOW.

[freeperfromnj]

Two weeks ago we had a large brush fire along the Garden State Parkway in southern New Jersey as well and a couple of days ago as we were watching Colorado fires on the news, my 14 year old son asked me that very question - "Do you think the terrorists are starting all of these fires?"

[Don Myers]

"Will Muslim Terrorists Burn the Western States?"

Only if they want to find out the meaning of "free fire zone." There are a lot of Vietnam Vets out here in flyover country.

[Don Myers]

"We need every citizen to be on the look out and preferably armed to take out terror arsonists or whatever. "

The media and law enforcement would call it vigilantism. The common citizen would call it protecting his home.

[T. Jefferson]

Let's not forget by ignoring firefighter warnings on burn techniques, Clinton burned MILLIONS of Yellowstone park acres, as well as half the state of New Mexico.

[white trash redneck]

The Denver Post reported this morning that there was a "copycat" firebug starting fires along US 285 in the foothills between the Hayman fire and Denver.

[ctdonath2]

Recently saw a documentary on arson investigators' attempts to catch one serial arsonist - took them YEARS to find the guy and nail him, and link him to a few fires. When finally behind bars, deliberate & questionable fires in CA dropped by 75%. (Turned out he was a chief arson investigator - go figure.)

Your point is well taken.

[Eska]

We have 28 burns currently in process here in Alaska. Natural event for this area; vast majority eventually get some rain and go out.

[epluribus_2]

I'm ready for the firestorm of criticism after this comment but - conspiracy loonies out there - the head honcho cleric who masterminded the first WTC bombing (remember on X42's watch) is in jail in Denver. OOOOoooh!

He's the blind guy from egypt.

[John H K]

I wonder if you guys will be thinking up cute retorts while you watch your loved ones' houses/cities burn.

I'm sure people who lose their houses in Western wildfires would greatly prefer to think that they're victims of Muslim terrorism instead of random acts of nature or assorted imbeciles, but the fact remains that a great many people now live in areas that for tens of thousands of years have naturally, repeatedly, burned in massive fires.

[caa26]

Wildfires were actually a greater problem in the past. Today when there are fires out in the west, people try to contain them and put them out. 200 years ago when lighting started a fire no one could do anything and the fires naturally burned themselves out.

[Travis McGee]

Not at all. Do you know the fires were deliberatedly set?

NO! That's not my point. Up until now, we have seen the usual accidental forest fires starting with welders, picnicers, lightning etc.

What I am saying is that we ned to be ready for a coordinated forest arson attack, which could be devestating on a scale never seen before.

[stuartcr]

You ask me if I think deliberatedly set wildfires are a joke, and now you say that's not your point? Why did you say it then?

[Travis McGee]

No single point of origin forest fires we have ever seen would in any way compare to a super firestorm resulting from 200 forest fires started on a 1,000 mile front by 20 terrorists at the same time.

All that would be required would be one planner, 20 terrorists, 20 marked road maps, 20 rental cars, and 20 butane lighters.

The whole fire could be ignited in two hours, and it would be unstoppable. The smoke alone would present a grave health thread similar to the Iraqi oil field arsons. Fingers of the super firestorm would race ahead, cutting off towns and highway evacuation routes. The physics of such a fire are daunting.

[Travis McGee]

Your Mt. St. Helens ha-ha comment in number 5 seemed to me to belittle the concept of future terrorist forest arson attacks.

I don't think its a laughing matter, do you?

[RightWhale]

the Japanese believed that their plan failed

I personally know one of the Japanese meteorologists who launched the incendiary weather balloons. They knew the success rate very well. Seki knew of at least one fire in Oregon that one of his balloons caused.

[Travis McGee]

The Japanes forest arson plan still at best (for them) would have only resulted in a lot of widely spread single point of origin fires, to be dealt with one at a time in the usual way.

This could not in any way compare to a coordinated linear attack on a single cloudless hot dry windy day.

[stuartcr]

I refuse to live in constant fear of potential future terrorist actions. I remember the same atmosphere in the early 50's with the shadow of mushroom clouds and bomb shelters. If possible, I will inject humor whenever I can, this does not belittle anything, unless you let it. Tin-foil hats are required for most of the threads like this and I realize that the author quoted you in his thread, so you must be a little sensitive. I would like to think that there are some conservatives out there that won't revert to lynch-mob mentality, but the authors last sentence appeared to me to be just that.

[Travis McGee]

You must have gotten a lot of laughs out of the absurd tin foil idea of terrorists flying airliners into buildings last summer.

[Destructor]

Your theory seems sound. I believe the terrorists would do anything that they thought would hurt the United States. This particular type of attack would do a lot of damage with a minimal investment of money. All you would have to pay for would be a tank of gas, a pack of cigarettes, and a butane lighter. Pretty scary stuff!

[Destructor]

"Will Muslim Terrorists Burn the Western States?"

"Only if they want to find out the meaning of "free fire zone." There are a lot of Vietnam Vets out here in flyover country."

Not to mention other Vets!