D.C. KILLERS: TERRORIST CELL?

New York Post ^ | 10/18/02 | CALEB CARR

[kattracks]

October 18, 2002 -- A NON-STOP frenzy of psychological profiling has been gushing out of televisions, newspapers, and magazines since the start of the "Sniper Killings" in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., earlier this month, producing in almost every case a rather too pat portrait of a killer (or perhaps two) who are white, in their 20s or early 30s, have military experience, enjoy exercising the god-like power of life and death, and are alienated from society.

[starsandstrips]

I'm concerned with this, "9 killed, 11 shootings". What is next? Nine cities, eleven shootings?

[Dante3]

I have started to switch the TV to "Animal Planet" whenever the news programs bring on their "experts". I am tired of listening to these former so-called "profilers" or phorensic "experts" babble about their theories.

These "experts" are adept at bounching between Fox News and CNN programs - snake oil peddlers would have felt akin to these folks.

I'd rather watch the leemers snuggle up to one another rather than listen to the inane babblings of these "experts".

[thedugal]

D.C. KILLERS: TERRORIST CELL?

Nope. Sheesh, everyone knows it's a white ex-military gun-nut.

[pttttt]

Good analysis. Finally there's some public notice that this isn't the standard nutcase episode, as the pundits are trying to spin it as. As Safire said the other day, if organized terrorists aren't doing this they're kicking themselves for not thinking of it - and learning lessons from it since it's a very effective economy-of-force terror campaign, whoever the perps are. But terrorism is the simplest explanation which fits the facts. Too many/much tactics, planning, skills, fire discipline, site selection, players (more than 1), etc.

[waxhaw]

I'm glad to see that the NYP is willing to print a very objective and reasonable editorial that the sniper killings may be in fact terrorism. I know there have been other publications but thus far haven't seen anything like the above in "mainstream" publications - I don't watch TV news so I have no idea what's being pushed there. What will be very significant is if now that 11 have been shot and 9 killed (9/11), the shootings in the DC area will cease. As well, despite what the police, feds and the media have been telling us, I get the sense that the general public has already rejected their politically correct views and are looking upon these shootings as terror-related.

[mict42]

Can you imagine the disruption and fear brought to our country if these evil people launched multi- city terror? There would literally be only one answer, an answer which should be strongly considered: A nationally deputized armed citizenry. Millions of capable and patriotic Americans, armed and ready to protect every intersection in and around our cities. Scary times call for basic defense.It's all about the 2nd Ammendment. Think about it.

[abclily]

Especially since Congress will not let us have a Home Security.

[Steely Tom]

Scary times call for basic defense.It's all about the 2nd Ammendment. Think about it.

I agree you for the most part.

I have to say, however, that I just find the possibility that the DC attacks are moslem terrorism to be hard to believe. Not that it couldn't be the case, but it would be so stupid on their part. It strains credulity to imagine that the people behind Al Queda or the Waqf or whatever it is could be this assinine.

If it turns out that the DC shootings have been perpetrated by foreign terrorists under instructions from abroad, there will IMHO be huge consequences. For immigration policy, for second-amendment considerations (as you alluded to), for political correctness, for the entire edifice of modern-day liberalism and the liberal "hive." The power of the UN, of the opinions of other countries (like the EU, for example) will be even more diminished in force than they are now.

If our enemies are really this stupid, my fear of them will actually decrease. Not that they can't do horrible, lamentable damage to us, killing many innocent individuals and causeing much pain and heartache to individual Americans and their families.

But a "frank" world war would be the cause of many times more individual tragedy, and that is (again IMHO) what we are in now, or soon will be. The North Korea revelations bring us that much closer to the day when nuclear fire will again smite human civilization, and the next time the targets may not be some distant enemy of ours. I don't think it has sunk in to many in our country how serious this situation is, how much of a challenge to our way of life we face.

(steely)

[tm22721]

young white members of the frightening sniper subculture

Otherwise known as the US Military ?

You can't have it both ways.

Live by the sword, ...

BUMP

[Lion's Cub]

I have started to switch the TV to "Animal Planet" whenever the news programs bring on their "experts". I am tired of listening to these former so-called "profilers" or phorensic "experts" babble about their theories.

I haven't even watched Fox during the day now for about a week, I guess. I'm not going to sit and listen to some idiot insult my intelligence. I have the TV on with the sound muted (in case of breaking--real, breaking--news) and am thoroughly enjoying my CDs. At night, I mostly listen to conservative talk radio.

[Lion's Cub]

BTW-

I heard last night that a lot of the meat involved in that huge recall a few days ago was purchased by the government for its school lunch program. Since the s.o.b.s have targeted the schools according to some, I wonder if that was sabotage?

[nicmarlo]

[with serial killers], one detects an eruption of uncontrollable fury at work, and such episodes simply do not admit of the kind of careful scouting and intricate planning to escape that has characterized the D.C. killings.

The killings began just before the one-year anniversary of the American invasion of Afghanistan . . . [and coincide with] recent attacks in Kuwait, Yemen, and Bali. . .

. . . it has been trumpeted that the locations of the shootings have been "random" - but of course they have not.

. . . we must now look beyond this somewhat obvious theory [of a serial killer/white angry militant], with its horribly comfortable familiarity, to the even more terrifying possibility that a new kind enemy is conducting an unprecedented kind of campaign within our borders

And as many have pointed out, there have been 9 killed out of 11 hit. Now a long, unexplainable, lull.....coincidence? I think not. Excellent article and analysis.

[kattracks]

Since there have been conspiracy theories posted, I thought I'd get mine in, as farfetched as it may be.

What if the "sniper" is some nut who wanted to kill one specific person, but knew that he would be an immediate suspect if that person were murdered? Now, his victim is just one of many and the police are not looking for motives for each inividual killing.

I said some nut.

[tomkat]

it's difficult for me to put any stock in the '9 killed/11 shot' scenario.
i just don't believe that this guy(s) intended to miss twice ...

[aristeides]

This column was in the Washington Post yesterday. I think it's significant that the Post made the editorial decision to run the column.

[aristeides]

The shootings seem to have stopped after they killed Linda Franklin, the FBI intelligence analyst. We know the FBI has been analyzing information about money transfers to the terrorists in this country.

[nicmarlo]

That's a possibility (as are all ideas, right now, until we can disprove any idea). But, if that were so, it seems the person would only kill a couple more than the intended one, not as many. I would also think he'd have stopped that first day, when he killed, what was it, 4 or 5? That was "good enough" I would think. No?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

i just don't believe that this guy(s) intended to miss twice ...

He didn't. The 13 year-old just barely survived. It wasn't as if he shot the other two in the leg. The 9/11 thing is coincidence. (Although I do believe this to be a terrorist operation.)

[kattracks]

Unless he couldn't get to the "intended" victim until recently.