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.

[FReepaholic]

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

Well, that narrows it down to a few MILLION people!

[Ajnin]

I remember reading an article here on FR about a sniper in Israel that blasted several Israeli soldiers. He shot them where they were not covered by body armor. He was able to shoot several soldiers because they could not locate him due to the echo of rifle fire from the surrounding terrain. When the Israelis finally found the location from which he was shooting he was long gone, but he had left a broken War War II era rifle in his place. Presumeably as a taunt to the Israeli's. Perhaps we have a similar person here.

[stndngathwrthistry]

Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot.

Not all terrorists--even Arab terrorists--are devout Muslims.

The PLO, PFLP, Abu Nidal Organization, etc., are radical secular groups which originally had Marxist ideologies abnd Soviet sympathies.

Also, a devout Muslim wouldn't hang out at strip clubs, either, but Mohammed Atta did.

[AAABEST]

....investigators think English may not be his first language.

FR is way ahead of these guys.

Check out #36 of a previous post linked below.

investigators think English may not be his first language.

[putupon]

Good point.

[twigs]

I just asked a pilot this over the weekend. He said it is still down, although it has gotten better since the attack. But the problem is that airlines have slashed their prices so deeply that even with a loaded plane, they are still losing money.

[xJones]

I've been saying all along, on other threads, that I suspect Palestinians who are experienced with Israeli police.

Yes, there was that supposed ("supposed" because they never caught him) Pali sniper that killed 6 or 7 Israelis a few months ago and disappeared. This sniper (assuming only one with an accomplice) kills with one shot and knows how to seemingly disappear. Very well training and cunning. You could almost say that this isn't a rookie on a first-time killing spree because there have been no slip-ups (unless less you count the two survivors). And the language on the Tarot card is distinctly different from common American usage.

Chief Moose has released composite sketches of the white truck based on several eye-witnesses. But he won't release any composite drawings so far, of even the driver although the cop at the last shooting was said to have seen two people in the truck and a by-stander had a view of one of them. Early reports cited two men. But to date we've been told something about "Hispanic" appearing men after the D.C. killing and no other description. Moose doesn't want to "muddy the waters" and "get people searching after the wrong people". After the OKC bombings, the FBI had drawings of John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 out in less than 24 hours. Is it that the eye witnesses are vague on what they so quickly saw? Or what? Even a very partial description, such as saying that the men sighted weren't black, white, whatever, would begin to narrow the search, right?

[oceanperch]

I read a guide on Jihad and the biggest point pushed (praise be to Allah) was secrecy. Not to even tell loved ones. Things like if you must use "gyms" go with a buddy to avoid temptation to the way Americans dress in public.

To use any available training classees so the YMCA is a source but again do not let on even to closest loved ones you are training.

The survival section said avoid traditional camp grounds use the stars and the bare essentials and start out slow one or two nights out to train.

Learn to use drain systems. I remember taking candles and playing in these as a kid we would walk under the whole neighborhood scared but that was part of the fun. We got busted by the older kids as we were giggling that we made it so far and came up underneath the older boys playing. So I can see them using our sewer/rain systems.

Again the manual pointed out to blend in while training and deny that you are preparing for Jihad to all.

As for the wives jobs as nurses and such. THen pointed out woman who should turn on men who blow their training even if it means death to the men. So if a guy starts slacking off and quits his training kill him.

So the more it does not look like Jihad acts/training the better. Which now after reading this manual has me looking at the more it leads away from a terrorist act the more likely it very may well be a dirty rat.

[BullDog108]

Whom ever it is is acring much more like a Special Forces group on a mission than any whack-job or serial killer IMHO.

Now it could be a killer with those skills. But the more I hear and see, the more I think not. Partricularly with an accomplice. Just my opinion, and I hope I am wrong ... but if it is a terrorist, I believe they are creating a "play book" for others to use in the future.

I concur. And I think the government does also, but is keeping quiet for whatever reason.

[putupon]

But it still seems more homegrown to me. The results are what the Islamists want though, as Neal Boortz just said on the radio, so its only a matter of time before they adopt the technique.

[fivecatsandadog]

Your "words matter" post brought out some interesting points, particularly #3:

3) I would like to add that perhaps thought should be given to the majority of the shootings happening around "oil" supplies...gas...hmm...now let's see, who has the oil, and who buys the oil.

There might be something to this..oil supplies, etc. However, it touched off something else when I read it: If by chance the sniper missed, and the bullet hit a gas pump - would it go KA-BOOM!??? or does that only happen in the movies? Also, unlike the most recent shootings, the first victims were doing other things (mowing the lawn, etc). Seems like the sniper discovered by chance the ease in picking out victims at the gas pumps.

[wgeorge2001]

"There goes my theory that the sniper is Sen. Dashle."

Now that made me laugh today. Maybe Hillary is the female driver that has been seen with the man. Which brings up another thought; how come the nationality of the people which witnesses have seen aren't reported? Could it be that it is not p.c. to report any other nationality except white?

Just a thought.

[oregon conservative]

Oh yes it is

[shhrubbery!]

People who have seen these guys say one is a white male with sandy hair.

Are you sure this is an eyewitness statement?

What I've read is that a security videotape from one of the murder sites may show 'suspicious activity' by a white male with sandy hair.

But that's a far, far cry from an actual eyewitness description of the killer(s).

[oceanperch]

Exactly what the Jihad training manuals instruct to lead attention away from ones self. Boasting what one is doing for Allah is a big no no.

So our own Americans who are bad guys remember the rash of child molesters over the summer? are actually doing the terrorists a big favor by taking the attention off of them.

[twigs]

Thanks for the article. A criminal profiler, one of the sharper ones I've seen on the news, said this morning that he thought the first wave of killings, in Montco, MD involved targets with which the killer(s) had issue. The focus of his anger would be found there. He thinks that the later killings are a response to the media--Moose saying that children were safe (child is shot); MD's governor saying that he was a coward (he left the card saying he was God); and that they had developed a geographical profile (went to VA). If he's right, then LE should be doing detailed background checks on the people/businesses targeted in the first spree.

Mancow said on FNC this am that his LE contacts are looking more closely at the terrorist angle and are saying that there are probably two groups of two responsible. Interesting.

[nsmart]

Every day inside the beltway, people are murdered. In fact, I looked it up and the murder rate inside the beltway is about 50 per 100,000 and works out to over 250 a year.

Is someone trying to show the elites that live "outside" the beltway what it is like to live in terror "inside" the beltway?

[Kerberos]

"Y'know, it would take an offshore newspaper to state the obvious, glaring fact that our domestic newspapers are loathe to mention out of "political correctness."

And therein is the crux of the problem, our inability to point out the obvious.

[Kevin Curry]

Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot.

It's hard for me to imagine a strict Muslim saying, "I am God" either.

[Hank Kerchief]

I see no reason we can't put our own snipers out to take care of the problem.

They may be the problem.