Beltway Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary-Monday, Oct. 21, 2002

Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences | October 21, 2002 | Fox News, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

Let's keep a live commentary thread going again today. The FBI Tip # is 1-888-324-9800.

[Merovingian]

err, should have added..the handlers(like all behind the scene string pullers) like it like this....that way the locals are set up to take the fall when it all goes south.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Deserter on Interpol list: radio
From the International Desk
Published 10/21/2002 3:26 PM

PARIS, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A French officer cadet listed as AWOL in Paris may be the Washington-area sniper, French media reported Monday.

France's RTL radio station, which first reported the news Monday, and various Paris newspapers identified the officer as a 25-year-old from Yugoslavia, who had enrolled in his second year at a French military school.

The man, whose name has not been released, was apparently a good marksman. He told friends he would spend the summer in Canada. But he was last seen in the United States, the radio station reported, without identifying which region.

RTL reported that some of the man's friends had apparently identified the Frenchman based on a tentative "robot portrait" being circulated of the sniper, who has killed 9 people and wounded three others in random shootings since Oct 2.

Meanwhile in Washington, a Pentagon official told foreign military attaches Monday, quoting French sources, that a French officer in the United States on a sharpshooting course was missing from his unit...

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021021-124016-9986r

So could Mr. French marksman been training with the French...learning about the French Military, as others have done in ours? Mr. Frenchman goes AWOL, and has his Al Q buddies in the US moving him around from AQ safehouse to AQ safehouse...changing vehicles. He's the marksman, and AQ has already scouted out places in the region...

Heck, I don't know...very scary...

[Letitring]

I heard it on MSNBC, I believe they said it was confirmed or sourced from Richmond.

[Freedom2specul8]

That's just a shock. I thought the administration wanted him out out out.

[Elenya]

that way the locals are set up to take the fall when it all goes south.

Yep!

[Letitring]

Petah Jennings had it, too, and I can't remember if CNN said it yet or not.

[John Jamieson]

And the DOD plane gets there is how many minutes?

[swarthyguy]

And he looks like a White Caucasian type.

[Freedom2specul8]

Hi JJ! How are you?

"They want the Blind Shiek and his son "God's Sword" back real bad. "

You lost me on that one..

[John Jamieson]

He's both guest shooter and trainer for local cells.

[slimer]

Interesting. Hope you get out soon. ;)

[txhurl]

that way the locals are set up to take the fall when it all goes south.

Plus the locals are having to eat their lead on the front-end, too! I just don't think this is fair.

[swarthyguy]

Blind Sheikh Rahman - convicted for WTC 1993,

His son's nickname is God's Sword and he's at Gitmo, i think - and they just announced a bunch of prisoners being released from there to Pakistan.

Again, Kim, Re Powell/Bush i'm speculating.

[formerDem]

I'm not sure if I have these 'facts' straight, but am I to understand that the sniper phoned the police and told them they did not find the note he had left? When was this phone call made? Seems very odd. And someone mentioned a demand for money? Also seems odd.

Of course, it is hard to figure things out because the police have information we don't. I assume there must be a similarity between the writing on the tarot card(s) and the note?

This killer may be a lot of things but it is obvious he is not stupid. I can't believe that he would make a demand for money. This part of the story seems very strange.

Also, I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought that the people from the white van were not the suspect(s) because he wouldn't be that stupid. Although I did think it was possible that an accomplice (wanting OUT) left a note, but then I thought that anything publicized on that would mean death for that accomplice.

[John Jamieson]

I'm doin' fine.

Blind Sheik Rahman has much to do with U.S. terrorism By Eric Fleischauer DAILY Copy Editor

Osama bin Laden's expressed loyalty to him demonstrates Rahman's importance to Islamic militants. Last year, bin Laden swore in a videotape that "we will work with all-out power to free our brother, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman and all our prisoners in America, Egypt and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)." One of Rahman's sons, Ahmed Abdul Rahman, was in the videotape and urged Muslims to "move forward and shed blood." The northern alliance announced Thursday that it captured Ahmed, who goes by the name "God's sword." Bin Laden and other Islamic militants issued threats as to the consequences of a conviction of Rahman, and more specifically threatened a violent reaction if Rahman ultimately dies in a U.S. prison.

[Merovingian]

eat their lead on the front-end

How 'bout it....never heard that expression, but I LIKE it..says it all.

[swarthyguy]

We don't know. He could have eaten at the steak house and left the note inside the place or outside.

All we have is a flashlight on a dark rainy night.

[Letitring]

Another thing that has bothered the retired military types I know, is they haven't released the range of these shootings. When they have said something about it, it's just been media speculation. Nothing from LEO's about range. They said it would clear up alot of confusion as to the shooters skill and training if they would release range facts.

[Freedom2specul8]

I haven't heard anything on the news about the money..but I do appreciate the new info. I can only imagine how they would "get the money" without be traced/caught. Yeah..right!! It just surprises me that they think they could get away with it.. ?????

[Bella]

What I find interesting is that the "leaks" coming from the police dept that upset Moose..wonder if they found out who it is as yet??..Has anyone heard anything on this??