US sniper may be linked to Bin Laden (DC SNIPER ALERT)

The Evening Standard ^ | October 14, 2002 | James Langton

[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.

[areafiftyone]

Well hopefully they won't start popping up all over the place. :-) I really in my gut feel like this is homegrown. Maybe coming from New York and seeing so many serial killer and snipers over the years. Even when I was little I remember I just can't link it to terrorist from Al Qaeda. Something just doesn't connect at all to them. But maybe this serial sniper would love for the police to think that it is some muslim extremist to throw them off the scent but the police know from experience that this is not the case.

[Demidog]

But that didn't stop Muhammed Atta.

He wasn't a devout Muslim. A devout Muslim wouldn't kill innovent people. I've run into quite a few "Christian's" who frequent bars and strip joints as well. I wouldn't tend to denegrate the entire religion because of that.

[Carlucci]

just did a google search. apparently, "I am god" IS a cheat on the Age of empires PC game. Supposed to earn you "diplomatic tributes from other players", FWIW.

check it out here:

http://members.tripod.com/~MustangMan5/ageofempires-pccheat.html

[AntiGuv]

OK, you definitely need to brush up on your serial killer mythos. I recommend this excellent resource:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/

And, no, this would not be 'out of character' at all...

[js1138]

Most. But not all. The Unabomber comes to mind immediately.

The Unabomber was an anti-american terrorist. As are the MD snipers. It is possible that they are also native Americans, but I doubt they are psychotic.

[areafiftyone]

The point could have been made by shooting a teacher on the school grounds, the targeting of a child is really beyond the pale.

Maybe for an adult it is beyond pale, but not for a young guy it isn't. We have seen the young killers have no feeling for their fellow kids. Remember all those school killings that were happening for a while. The youth of today does not have the same guilt feelings that we have. They seem to think that its not big deal to shoot a child as well as an adult. There is not distinction between a young target and an older target. For them the more the merrier Young, old, etc. Doesn't matter to them. The idea is to prove to the police that they are not afraid to kill anyone.

[Olydawg]

Four shootings (and four killings -- the tactic is successful) at gas stations: two in Montgomery Co., one in Manassas, the latest outside Fredericksburg.

Where I come 4 out of 10 isn't a majority. Try again.

[Prodigal Son]

This shooting of a child, I believe, would be out of character for an American sniper.

McVeigh referred to the children he killed as "collateral damage".

[nicmarlo]

"The Torat card could also be a message to other Al Quaeda"

Yeah, I thought of that, too. It's highly likely.

[Carlucci]

Wow, talk about coincidences! This guy is into games with the cheat code "I am God", AND guns with scopes...

http://members.tripod.com/~MustangMan5/guns.html

[twigs]

You're right; I didn't make myself clear. The speculation was that the tarot card was the response to the Glendenning's public statement. After Glen. said that the sniper was a coward, he responded with the assertion that he was God. This commentator was Brent Turvey, I believe. Bright man.

[Shooter 2.5]

Thanks. I'm not familiar with that game.

[nicmarlo]

McVeigh referred to the children he killed as "collateral damage".

Yes, but they weren't the target.....they were unfortunates who were "in the way" of the target. The 13-year-old child was the target here.

[AntiGuv]

I suppose it could be likely were it not for the distinctly unjihadist instructions not to release the Tarot card info to the media... That's why Chief Moose was so pissed off when someone in the neighboring county leaked the info...

[twigs]

I wondered about the Zodiac killer too. But didn't he seem to get his thrills by killing his victims up close and personal?

[MadIvan]

He is reported as being white. Perhaps he's a Serbian and is putting DC through what the US and International forces allowed to occur when KLA snipers were gunning down men, women and children on a daily basis. In the infinite wisdom of the Clinton administration, the US sided with the Al Queda-trained, heroin-producing KLA.

I see. And because of this, if the gunman were Serbian, he'd be justified in your view? If so, I hope your skin can withstand the heat of a nuclear explosion, because you're about to be roased like a Christmas goose.

Ivan

[Prodigal Son]

Agreed. Personally, it just seems to me that a lot of people here want it to be an al Qaeda terrorist. I'm not sure why that is exactly but I would concede that it is of course possible. But as for me, I want it to be whoever it is and I don't much care who it is- they could be a card carrying Republican or a member of our President's family for all I care. But whether they are a home grown sicko or a foreign variety or someone that Conservatives might find "embarrassing"- I want the nut caught and killed.

[aristeides]

Where I come 4 out of 10 isn't a majority. Try again.

Try what again? You said 3, and I corrected you. I take it you accept the correction.

Oh, and by the way, the latest 2 shootings were at gas stations.

[AntiGuv]

Not particularly. The Zodiac Killer's biggest priority seemed to draw his arcane symbol on the map - not figured out until years had passed - and to taunt the media & populace with rambling printed rants. Getting up close was a means to his end, but mostly he just shot them (like the taxi driver, who had to be where he was at to complete the map symbol).

[nicmarlo]

Yeah, you got a point there....but we also don't know what else was written in those instructions....perhaps something "jihadist" was said. Since we're not getting all the info., it's kind of hard to draw accurate conclusions, one way or the other....