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FBI: Maryland shootings fit no category
World Net Daily ^ | 10/04/02 | By Paul Sperry

Posted on 10/04/2002 3:38:51 PM PDT by RaceBannon

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4 2002

FBI: Maryland shootings fit no category Agency profilers can see no motive other than terrorism

Posted: October 4, 2002 3:10 p.m. Eastern

By Paul Sperry © 2002 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – It's not gang-banging. Or spree-shooting. Or armed robbery. And it's not a serial killer.

So what would motivate two assailants to randomly target five victims in a Maryland suburb, and possibly a sixth in D.C., killing each with a single shot from a high-powered rifle?

The calculated shootings, which took place Wednesday and Thursday, are like none that federal investigators have seen.

"If some sicko just wants to go out and essentially assassinate a bunch of random people – and he's not a terrorist – it's almost like a new category" of crime, said a veteran FBI agent.

The perpetrators aren't spree shooters, FBI profilers have concluded.

Typically, spree shooters are loners who snap one day and fire away until police appear and they come to their own violent end.

They typically seek revenge on an employer, such as the post office, or fellow students at a school. They come to the scene loaded with weapons, and take a stand, spraying victims with bullets.

But in this case, two men in a white van or "box truck" did not spray bullets, but picked targets, trained a rifle, or rifles, on their victims and aimed to kill, like trained assassins.

"In a spree shooting, there are usually a lot of people wounded," said one agent. "The shooter is not really taking time to aim."

"This is much more cold and calculated than the typical spree shooting," he said. "The victims were not wounded."

What's more, the sniper, or snipers, didn't take a stand, but sped off to avoid capture.

"This is different – they've taken great steps to avoid being apprehended," he added.

Authorities are said to have a description of the shooters but are not releasing it. They've reviewed video tapes from security cameras at some of the businesses where the shootings took place.

"The idea of terrorism is to spread fear," said one law enforcement officer. "If that's what they wanted to do, they've succeeded, because there's a lot of fear in the Washington area right now."

Related story:

Terror link to Maryland shootings? http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29178

Paul Sperry is Washington bureau chief for WorldNetDaily. © 2002 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: shootings; terror; virginia
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To: browardchad
I definitely don't rule these shootings out as terrorism, but given that this perp is skilled in marksmanship, how many other Islamists with similar skills would you expect to find in other areas of the country?

This one person (or pair of people) could drive to other areas of the country. Attacks on other cities wouldn't necessarily have to be on the same day in order to breed terror; that would be dramatic, but, as you say, it may be beyond their capabilities.

121 posted on 10/04/2002 5:32:00 PM PDT by Mitchell
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To: aruanan
Trying to strike terror into the hearts of U.S. citizens? The shootings were consistent with Al Qaida training tapes.

And what about the announcement this afternoon of the arrests of a number of al-queda wannabe goons who were observed target shooting with high-powered weapons in an abandoned quarry somehere in Oregon!!!

Helloooo!!!!!!

122 posted on 10/04/2002 5:32:18 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham
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To: templar
The point I'm making is that the combination of skill and non-squeamishness are not very common outside the military, which makes this guy a non-garden-variety individual...and probably NOT a whackjob.
123 posted on 10/04/2002 5:32:29 PM PDT by Poohbah
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To: MissAmericanPie
Panic? It might start payback all over the USofA.

Agreed. Panic, not. But a retribution, yes.

124 posted on 10/04/2002 5:38:05 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham
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To: Poohbah
That's a relief! But isn't cochran a well placed Mossad plant? Ouch, my head hurts!

I am tuning into some limited shortwave stations here (just getting dark) but quite often their "insight" is very thought provoking.

125 posted on 10/04/2002 5:39:35 PM PDT by Cobra Scott
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To: Mitchell
I posted this elsewhere, but could the location of the first report (Michaels) be significant as a code message to neighboring cells to take this up and move it (and the investigation) down the road a piece?
126 posted on 10/04/2002 5:41:28 PM PDT by Cobra Scott
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To: RaceBannon
Horse crap!! It's called terrorism. They are just afraid to say it.
127 posted on 10/04/2002 5:42:47 PM PDT by hove
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To: BlessingInDisguise
I wonder what they're name they're going to come up with for this "entirely new category of crime". Perhaps they'll call it 'murder'?

They can call it: "Justifiable Homicide by a Protected Class". Such a crime goes uninvestigated due to past grievances by and current policies of the US Government. Witness the current discussion about whether or not we should (be "permitted" to) stomp the Iraqi Government into a pile of dust.

128 posted on 10/04/2002 5:44:48 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham
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To: RaceBannon
"The idea of terrorism is to spread fear," said one law enforcement officer. "If that's what they wanted to do, they've succeeded, because there's a lot of fear in the Washington area right now."

I suspect the source of a good portion of that fear is the thought that most poeple aren't legally equipped to shoot back, provided they even get the chance.

I would call this shooting spree "terrorism" regardless of who is responsible.

129 posted on 10/04/2002 5:46:43 PM PDT by meyer
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To: joesnuffy
Weapon may have been one stolen from a DEA, ATF or FBI agent.
The fine officers are just confused.
My favorite guess on the weapon is a single shot center fire pistol such as the Contender. Wound would mimic a long range rifle shot. Have to outlaw all weapons to keep the ATF safe.

130 posted on 10/04/2002 5:47:28 PM PDT by earplug
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To: dcwusmc
I'm sorry, didn't mean to be taken that way. I was making fun of the posted "profile" offered above in a sarcastic way, somewhat at the expense of your statement. Not personal, believe me, and apologies for seeming otherwise. I just thought it was funny in that context.

You have to admit, the speculation in the media world is 180 degrees away from the speculation here. I'll put my money on a blatant FR tinfoiler before CNN.

131 posted on 10/04/2002 5:49:52 PM PDT by Cobra Scott
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To: Poohbah
The point I'm making is that the combination of skill and non-squeamishness are not very common outside the military, which makes this guy a non-garden-variety individual...and probably NOT a whackjob.

And the fact that there are appaerntly two of them seems to argue that it is a terrorist act. (In my mind it does, anyway,)

132 posted on 10/04/2002 5:52:27 PM PDT by The Other Harry
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To: The Other Harry
True enough.
133 posted on 10/04/2002 5:54:25 PM PDT by Poohbah
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To: Cobra Scott
I posted this elsewhere, but could the location of the first report (Michaels) be significant as a code message to neighboring cells to take this up and move it (and the investigation) down the road a piece?

That's an interesting theory. We'll know soon enough if there's a series of shooting sprees in different locations, each one starting at a Michael's. Right now there's too much noise to tell what's significant and what's not.

134 posted on 10/04/2002 5:57:33 PM PDT by Mitchell
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To: Cobra Scott
>>>president, who killed kyoto on secret orders from the Brandenbergers<<

Uh, it's the Bilderberg Society.
Brandenberger, although a noted author of communism, is not given any credit for the current state of world affairs.

135 posted on 10/04/2002 6:00:02 PM PDT by fone
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To: the gillman@blacklagoon.com
Oh, and thank goodness some of the victims were white, so it's not a hate crime either. Well I believe that was exactly what Brokaw intimated until he heard one of the victims was white. He's yet to apologize but then he never does.

Race, with terrorists enlisting in the arms services it's no wonder we're having with the parachute cords.

136 posted on 10/04/2002 6:02:35 PM PDT by StarFan
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To: Poohbah
On a live target, it takes one heck of a shooter to even open fire (85% of grunts never shoot in firefights), much less kill 5 people with 5 shots.

I'd agree, except that the victims seemed to be just about as still as paper targets on a relatively calm day. I'm not saying that the perp isn't skilled, they are above average IMHO and seem to have little or no aversion to taking an innocent life. That takes some rather strong, if perverted discipline.

137 posted on 10/04/2002 6:02:49 PM PDT by meyer
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To: fone
yeah, they want you to believe that , LOL!
138 posted on 10/04/2002 6:03:07 PM PDT by Cobra Scott
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To: Poohbah
As for getting a round or two into the shooter...you're shooting at a guy inside a metal box. Rotsa ruck.

The skin of the average "box" truck can be penetrated easily by the Girand's 30-06 ammo. An average sidearm, however, most likely will do little more than dent the shell unless it is very thin sheet metal like the outer skin of a car door.

Where can I get one of those Gustav rifles? :^)

139 posted on 10/04/2002 6:07:42 PM PDT by meyer
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To: joesnuffy
"1. men between the ages of 25-45 2. Love Guns 3. Read "Soldier of Fortune" and or "Guns and Ammo" magazines 4. Are deer hunters and may have also killed a moose 5. Go on hunting trips to "like Canada or out west" 6. Spend a lot of time at shooting ranges 7. Brag about "what their guns can do" 8. Name people or groups of people they dont like "

Except for the Canadian hunting trip thing....doesn't this describe the majority of heterosexual white males who didn't vote for Al Gore?

140 posted on 10/04/2002 6:07:57 PM PDT by Godebert
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