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US sniper may be linked to Bin Laden (DC SNIPER ALERT)
The Evening Standard ^ | October 14, 2002 | James Langton

Posted on 10/14/2002 2:44:20 AM PDT by MadIvan

Intelligence experts in Washington are increasingly concerned that the gunman known as the "psycho-sniper" could be a terrorist with links to Islamic terror groups.

From the evidence gathered so far, which includes a handwritten note by the gunman, investigators think English may not be his first language.

The shootings, which have left eight dead in fewer than 12 days, coincided with a warning that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network is planning new attacks. The FBI warned last Wednesday that supporters of Bin Laden were "targeting key sectors of the US economy" and has long suspected that a number of "sleeper" cells are still active.

The latest victim, on Friday morning, was father-of-six Kenneth Bridges, gunned down at a petrol station in Fredericksburg.

Investigators are troubled by the gunman's behaviour, in particular his habit of selecting targets at random. Recent reports suggest he may have a female accomplice and drives a large white van.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: allies; alqaedq; blair; bush; dc; osama; sniper; uk; usa
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To: AntiGuv
What would you do if you were an Al Qaeda terrorist? Go slinking around the D.C. area trying to make the locals too afraid to pump their own gas, or go blow up the Limelight in New York so that people nationwide are too afraid to step into an entertainment venue.

You make a good point, but it's possible that security here in the States has been just too hot for AQ to try to take on, so they go for something simple like picking off one citizen at a time, thereby terrorizing the entire D.C. area.

Michelle Malkin is on FNC right now saying that the AQ training tapes has this type of scenario covered.

Another thing that I want to address, even though you didn't say it, is that lots of "experts" on TV are saying that it can't be AQ because they haven't taken credit for the sniper attacks. They base that on the premise that terrorists always take credit for their work. They never did take credit for 9/11, so that blows that theory.

I don't know if it's Al Qaeda or a domestic nutjob. I'm keeping an open mind about who it could be. I hope that it's not Al Qaeda, because if it is, if the perp is apprehended, there will be more people waiting in the wings to pick up where he left off.

101 posted on 10/14/2002 6:00:30 AM PDT by alnick
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To: putupon
gas station... giving away free coffee w/ gas and a big verbal thank-you...because business had dropped off so badly

I was very deeply touched by the Guardian Angels standing on the road outside of some gas stations encouraging travelers to stop, that they would pump their gas. One of them was interviewed and he was a young Hispanic man. I find it really amazing that Americans, anyone, would step up to help out strangers and thumb their noses at someone who could kill them so easily. Americans are really an in-your-face breed when it comes to anyone curtailing their freedom, aren't they? Brings tears... and an enormous amount of pride and gratitude that I am numbered among them.

102 posted on 10/14/2002 6:01:47 AM PDT by twigs
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To: Samwise
Devout muslims wouldn't do a lot of things that the terrorists do.

Not until they get a chance, anyway.

Hank

103 posted on 10/14/2002 6:03:48 AM PDT by Hank Kerchief
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To: shhrubbery!
Yes it was an eyewitness statement. They already stopped someone who fit that description but it wasn't him. I am afraid they will be stopping alot more people who look like that person.
104 posted on 10/14/2002 6:04:32 AM PDT by areafiftyone
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To: MadIvan
Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot

As I understand it, the "Death" card was chosen. I don't know if there is a specific religious prohibition in using Tarot cards to send messages. I would suggest the prohibition exists on using the Tarot cards to predict the future.

Regards, Ivan

Well, I hope this guy, if a Moose Limb, has checked with the Inman on the internet to be sure its all right to use a Tarot card!Wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of allah now would he!

105 posted on 10/14/2002 6:05:03 AM PDT by texson66
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To: thedugal
Death card is symbolized by fish. Fish also symbolizes Christ. The perp is targeting Christians (infidels). Death card's zodiac symbol is scorpio ruled by Mars. Mars is god of war. Also, interesting thing about scorpio that fits. If you put a ring of fire around a scorpion it will tend to commit suicide. Thus the perp feels that he is at war and if cornered will commit suicide.

Big Bump, even tho there's a few FReepers who will argue the "Christian target" theory.

106 posted on 10/14/2002 6:08:00 AM PDT by fivecatsandadog
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To: MadIvan
Thanks for the post. It's about time, they look at the Moslim terrorist angle. They know that the newly discovered terrorist training videos use a similar scenario.

They would not look into the connections to the Moslim terrorists in the anthrax cases, and the cases were never solved.
107 posted on 10/14/2002 6:08:40 AM PDT by FR_addict
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To: prisoner6
TArot does have roots in the Arab world, I've posted documentation to that fact twice now in different threads.
108 posted on 10/14/2002 6:10:12 AM PDT by Indie
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To: AmericanVictory
At War With EVIL
109 posted on 10/14/2002 6:10:28 AM PDT by blam
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To: 4Freedom; AntiGuv; savedbygrace
bump.. remember 911? NO ONE NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL....
110 posted on 10/14/2002 6:10:55 AM PDT by fivecatsandadog
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To: You Gotta Be Kidding Me
Men are men no matter what religion.
A good christian man would not hang out at a titty bar but they have been known to fall and end up in one if the man in them overpowers their religeous beliefs.

A drunk does not do things that lead him to falling of the truck but many have fallen then get back up on track.

So my point being what makes a Jihad human any different.

I have been on a strict diet and just have to blow it sometimes even if it means severe reflux because I am human and crave what I cannot have so I allow myself to be tempted. I beleive "all" humans have this in them. So it does not befuddle me as to why these guys want to go see naked woman they are just giving into the flesh.

I believe Jesus died for my sins yet if I fall down I am not worried about damnation because I get up and get back on the path and Christ shed his life for wead humans that give in at times like me.

Same deal with these Allah creeps. They cave to flesh yet can get up the next day and do the devils work.
111 posted on 10/14/2002 6:11:04 AM PDT by oceanperch
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To: AntiGuv
Yes. Except that this entire line of speculation is based on the theory that he writes like a foreigner...

Yes. And based on two words (Dear Policeman) at that!

112 posted on 10/14/2002 6:12:03 AM PDT by ET(end tyranny)
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To: NordP
1) When you learn another language, you always learn the more formal ways of speech, rather than the slangs, first. "Dear" and "Policeman" definitely fall into these more formal references.

I don't know. I've heard a lot of people saying no native English speaker would speak in this manner- but I frequently do. Every time I write a letter, in fact. I wrote a columnist the other day (he was deserving a nasty gram) and that's just how I started it- "Dear Butthole Writer"... Also used frequently- "Dear Congressman" and "Dear Editor".

Also, I am a native English speaker and I didn't know it was bad to call a policeman a policeman. Have Americans quit using the words actor and actress as well? (just curious). Odd that.

The way I see it, the guy didn't want to write a holiday postcard on his Tarot thingy. He was brief and to the point. I can well imagine he feels like God when he is deciding whether or not to take somebody out of this existence or not. The victim doesn't even know. The killer sits distant, deciding in an instant who gets to continue living and who will die. From his perspective it must be an incredibly powerful feeling. I have heard people in my life use that expression "I am God" or "I am a God" in relation to totatlly innocuous things- like running the table in a pool game. I find the message sinister in this case- given the circumstances, but there is just not enough there to assume it is a foreigner. The guy talks like I do and I'm an American.

On the other hand, the anthrax letter- "We have this anthrax"- it did sound a bit stilted and would point to a foreigner- but not necessarily so- it could've been a personal joke among the conspirators or an expression one of the perps heard elsewhere and decided to use. At any rate- I think before we just cross "home grown nut" off the list (and potentially let the real perp run free as a result) we need to be really certain.

113 posted on 10/14/2002 6:14:20 AM PDT by Prodigal Son
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To: Skywalk
For sure!
114 posted on 10/14/2002 6:16:28 AM PDT by oceanperch
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To: putupon
Take a look at my post #53. This is what's in the al Qaida playbook, now.

- Using pickup trucks with shooters concealed in the bed of the trucks;

- using motorcycles as a shooting platform for drive-bys and assassinations;

- executions of prisoners;

- ambushes of law-enforcement officers;

- residential assassinations;

- assassination on a golf course using a rocket-propelled grenade and rifle fire;

- drive-up kidnapping of target walking on a street;

- use of tunnels, storm drains and sewers for infiltration during urban raids;

- rappelling from rooftops of buildings to make entry on upper floors;

- use of motorcycles for grenade attacks; and

- raids on buildings with large numbers of occupants - perhaps schools or office buildings.

No hostages will be released. Their ritual executions will be recorded on video tape. (Sounds like the Pearl execution to me.)

Another scenario they mention is getting a home owner to open their door and then emptying their pistol into them.

Not exactly 'World Trade Center' operations, but they're all in the al Qaida playbook.

115 posted on 10/14/2002 6:17:35 AM PDT by 4Freedom
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To: fellowpatriot
>>Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot.

>If it is an Islamic terrorist, it's not his religion that's motivating him to do this.

IMO, these terrorists are motivated more by Arab nationalism.

116 posted on 10/14/2002 6:19:11 AM PDT by Cultural Jihad
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To: MadIvan; All
Many people assume the perps are ME because of the message they wrote. They could be ME, but if they are, it won't be because of the message, or at least the part of the message that was leaked if there's more. So I'm reposting (for the twentieth time) the following that shows that Dear Mr. Policeman is an "inside joke" in some quarters:

-----------------------------
Check out the Google result for "Dear Mr. Policeman" + "I am God":

The whole page is quite interesting, but go to the 2 highlighted parts, both further down the thread. I think the perps are too smart to leave the police a message with stuff they wrote on the internet, so I'd assume the perps have been lurking on that site and got the idea for their message from the posts . They could be trying to set them up too...

Excerpts:

**SNIP**

I've said all along "Dear Mr. Policeman: I know where you live, where your wife shops and where your kids go to school. Have a nice day!" ......

Do ya'll remember Detective Mark Fuhrman during the OJ Simpson trial? (He's the one who lied about saying the "N" word)...Remember what he said? "Out there I AM God!".... ALL cops think alike. Those who don't, quit.....

**SNIP**

The first letter is the letter that started the whole thing.

LINK

-----------------------------

Once again, it doesn't rule out ME, but the message AS IT WAS LEAKED TO US is NOT why we should suspect they're foreigners...

117 posted on 10/14/2002 6:19:32 AM PDT by Elenya
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To: ET(end tyranny)
I think the fact that the public has apparently not been much help...it seems the police are grasping at straws...tends to make me begin to lean towards the terrorist angle.

I just cannot believe that with the number of shootings that someone hasn't been able to put two and two together. If you couldn't account for someone at all of those times, if you knew they possessed the shooting skills and proper firearms, I am sure that there would be some clues in a person's demeanor...surely by now there would be someone out there who would at least have strong suspicions and would call in.

The terrorist theory, secrecy, a very tight and supportive community, etc...couple that with the info about al Qaeda and it's "small" terror tactics and it really makes a lot of sense.
118 posted on 10/14/2002 6:20:40 AM PDT by KsSunflower
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To: anniegetyourgun
Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot

Didn't they also say, after 9/11, that devout muslims would not go to strip clubs too? Didn't they say that witnesses saw them in strip clubs?

119 posted on 10/14/2002 6:22:43 AM PDT by Mixer
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To: Cultural Jihad
Not necessarily. The one who bombed the mall in Finland was a 19 year old born and bred Finish(sp?)guy who used bomb making chat rooms to learn how to make a home grown bomb. We can't ever rule out our own homegrown nutjobs we have here. And we have a hell of a lot of them.
120 posted on 10/14/2002 6:22:54 AM PDT by areafiftyone
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