[areafiftyone]

I am about to go in the shower. Hate this cause I will miss being on the thread. I can't believe the shooter now wants ransom. This is definately NOT AQ or ME terrorists. It is some greedy psycho. This makes me madder than hell that he wants blood money.

[nicmarlo]

They're saying shots occurred at 6 a.m. at bus stop...not sure from within or outside of bus.....or if it's related.

[nicmarlo]

the shooter now wants ransom

They're now talking about money....apparently a note was left with a 3-day warning....time has "expired," now this...

[jpthomas]

I'm not so sure he really wants the money, or is simply playing with the police. If this had been the motivation from the outset, the demand would have come earlier. "Pay up, or I'm shooting another one." "You didn't listen, so my price just doubled". "And doubled again". And so on.

[wewillnotfail]

That's what I thought too but then I considered that if the money flow has been cut off, well, terrorists need to eat too? Maybe it's wishful thinking since I can't remember there ever being a pay off that didn't result in an arrest. There just is no way to pick up cash without being caught.
Hmmm...maybe electronic transfer?

[Mudboy Slim]

"I am about to go in the shower."

Hey, me too!!

MUD

[GailA]

Steve Gill who I listen to from Nashville said this morning the note was in BROKEN English.

[theophilusscribe]

areafiftyone,

Sorry, I've got to disagree. This makes it more likely that it is AQ or some other ME group. A quick search on Google shows many instances where terrorists demanded ransoms or other compensation. We do not know all that they have demanded. (Here are a couple of articles, though there are many more instances)

U.S. said to expedite ransom to Abu Sayyaf
By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The U.S. government facilitated a payment of $300,000 through a third party in a bid to gain the release of two Americans held by the Philippine terrorist group Abu Sayyaf.

Hijackers Demand $200 Million and 35 Rebels' Release
By DEXTER FILKINS appeared in the Los Angeles Times on December 29, 1999
"NEW DELHI—The Indian Airlines hijacking took an ominous turn Tuesday as the terrorists escalated their demands, asking for $200 million and the release of 35 jailed guerrillas in exchange for the freedom of their 160 captives."

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1997
19 January
Russia—Near Samashki village in Chechnya, assailants kidnapped two Russian journalists who were traveling to the Ingush region's capital, Nazran. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $500,000. The hostages were released on 18 February. There is reporting that no ransom was paid. A Jordanian militant is suspected of leading the kidnappers.
. . .
27 March
Yemen—Yemeni tribesmen kidnapped four German tourists who were returning to Sanaa from Marib. A letter was sent to the German Embassy threatening to kill the hostages if the Yemeni Government did not pay a ransom of roughly $3 million.

Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1998, Chronology of Significant
Terrorist Incidents
15 April
Somalia—Multiple media sources reported that militiamen abducted nine Red Cross and Red Crescent workers at an airstrip north of Mogadishu. The hostages included a US citizen, a German, a Belgian, a French, a Norwegian, two Swiss, and one Somali. The gunmen are members of a subclan loyal to Ali Mahdi Mohammed, who controls the northern section of the capital. On 24 April the hostages were released unharmed, and no ransom was paid.


I'm not trying to see a terrorist behind every act of evil, but it is not beyond a viable possibility that these incidents are, in fact, some breed of terrorism.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The shooter wants ransom, eh? How about if I pay him by squeezing on his neck until his worthless, pathetic life slips from his body?

[philetus]

Just because he's asking for money doesn't make it not a terrorist.
Terrorists used to ask for, release all the "political prisoners, give back Palastine, and OH YA a million dollars.Here's how this will work:

Squirrel: wGive us a million dollars and we will stop.

Moose: OK, here's the money.
BANG
Moose: you promised you would stop!

Squirrel:We lied. Give us another million and we'll really stop this time.

Moose: OK here it is
BANG........