Las Vegas Terror Threat Update - An Interview with the Man Who Heard the Call

Sierra Times ^ | J.J. & Nancy Johnson

[Freedom2specul8]

Gotta check this out...

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Bear with me here, and it's only a theory, but maybe the FBI saying how it's not credible could be taken as evidence that it is VERY credible. Why make the terrorists think you know where they're going to strike? You're preventing an attack THERE, but maybe they have a backup site. This could be a golden opportunity to catch them in the act. I'm probably giving the FBI way too much credit. But it could be a form of plausible deniability.

I'd bet that Vegas on July 4 will be crawling with FBI 'tourists' in plainclothes. As will NYC, Boston, Washington D.C., etc.

[Registered]

How do you think this happened technically, if it did? Is it an analog phone? I can't imagine this happening on a digital system. I noticed he uses AT&T Wireless from the image of the phone. If he had a scanner operating I could see this happening like Newt in Florida being taped by those two Dem operatives...but what do you think about a conversation picked up in this manner, via the cellphone?

[Registered]

It looks like he's trying to buy J.J.'s hat in that first pic....hehehe.

[6ppc]

I saw an interview with Hamdan on Hannity and Colmes last night. He seemed very credible...

I saw it too and I agree. I'm hoping the feds are downplaying it because they know a lot of details, have a plan to stop the attack and don't want to spook the terrorists, but I put the odds for that scenario at no more than 10%. Most likely it's typical FBI incompetance. It's also possible the attack has now been called off because of the publicity.

I have a bad feeling about the 4th. We could really use a big success, such as foiling an attack in a spectacular manner, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

[GingisK]

This could be a golden opportunity to catch them in the act.

I believe that was the plan in Oklahoma City as well.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

I believe that was the plan in Oklahoma City as well.

So did it work? I could see arguments either way.

[GingisK]

Re your #27: Thanks, I needed that chuckle.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

I'll be there on the 4th July weekend so I'll be sure and post anything worthy I see.

[HAL9000]

I suspect the problem occured in the carrier's switching equipment, not in the airwaves. Maybe a crossbar switch misfired.

[Askel5]

Hi!

[Askel5]

You ever had a Creole Tomato?

[Orangedog]

I'm an engineer at one of the big telecoms. My area of specialty is long distance and voice over IP, so I'm not an expert in wireless, but I know enough to see how this could have happened. I'll try not to go total telecom geek on this.

I believe AT&T wireless still runs a lot of analog cellular service. If that's the case in Vegas, then this is possible. Cellular service areas are broken up into smaller areas called "cells." When a cell phone is carrying a call, the cellular network will sense when the caller moves into another cell. As the caller moves into the new cell, the network will transfer broadcast and reception control to the next cell so the call doesn't drop. The network even controls the output power of the phones in that area.

What probably happened was that the arab talking to his terrorist buddy moved into the cell of this man who was attempting to make a call. The hand-off from one cell to another didn't happen very smoothly (considering that all of this happens in less than 1/1000 of a second). His power output probably spiked for a few seconds while the network tried to firm up the connection in the new cell. In analog broadcasting, there are some things like radio reflections and thermal inversions in the atmosphere that can knock these signals around and sometimes allow the signal to bleed over to ajoining frequencies. While the cellular network tries establishes a good connection, the phone that the man in Vegas was listening in on could have picked up this conversation for a few seconds. It doesn't happen too often, but on an analog network it is possible. Now if this was a digital phone, then I don't see how it could have happened, since a digital network converts the call into zeros and ones and then chops up that data stream and broadcasts it over several frequencies and the phone puts them all back together. One digtal phone couldn't put together a call meant for another.

[Registered]

HAL, I thought you were a geek, but it appears Orangedog has got you beat partner! Thanks for the input Orangedog! I even understood you!

[Registered]

BTW, I agree with Orangedog, if the phone is digital, I don't believe this story could have happened either.  I think I have identified the phone:

Benefits This stylish phone's unique multi-band GSM and TDMA technology gives you mobility around the US and the world. The S46 mobile phone's Internet access and browsing capability (WAP 1.2) allows you to keep in touch with the world around you. Along with superior voice quality, the S46 Global Phone gives you the latest GPRS technology for data communications with a built-in data/fax modem.    Specifications Weight: 4.3 oz Battery Life: 5 hours talk time (GSM mode) 2.5 hours talk time (TDMA mode) 200 hours standby (GSM mode) 150 hours standby (TDMA mode) Digital Multi-Band Phone: GSM 900 (Europe) / 1900 (U.S.) TDMA 800 / 1900    Features Digital Multi-band TDMA (800/1900) and GSM (900/1900), no analog GPRS with built-in modem- allows customers to transmit data at higher speeds Voice Dialing and Command - up to 20 names Microsoft Outlook™ and Lotus Notes™ Synchronization Two-way Text Messaging Outstanding battery life (see above) Ring Tone Composer - compose melodies on the phone to use as ringers, 39 pre-programmed, 3 create-your-own Voice and Conversation Memo Recorder - record up to 80 seconds of conversation Calendar with alarm list Internal vibrating alert Infrared Tegic T9 predictive text Profiles - normal, noisy and quiet environments Clock with alarm and date Calculator Currency converter Fun - Games, downloadable ring tones and graphics. MP3 Player - play your favorite MP3 tunes with the optional MP3 player accessory

[nunya bidness]

It's good to see JJ getting out of the house.

[HAL9000]

I doubt that contiguous cells share frequencies, and that 850+ MHz UHF frequency isn't prone to "skip".

Cell phones are not point-to-point like walkie-talkies. The calls are routed through the same switching equipment used for a standard terrestrial phone call.

I've had some interesting experiences with cell phones - but won't be posting the details on a public forum.

[hockey d gal]

Hmmmmm....I think if they were smart they would not just brush this off as a "joke" of some sort....Not that they have said it is a "joke" but they need to follow this lead a bit closer...and I do hope they are!

[packrat01]

Perchance the technogeeks at Siemens quoted the FBI the probability of one caller picking up another call; and the FiBbIes are running with "statistically impossible".

Should never happen is not equal to cannot happen.

After one particular network event, we were told the odds were 4 billion to one against the event happening ever again. Saw the same event again twice in the next three weeks.

Any bookies running a line on it? Wonder what odds they're giving?