[Dirk McQuickly]

Will someone explain why we're negotiating with this sick #*&!#? He's obviously not going to be stopping by Mailboxes, Etc. to pick up a cashier's check for $10 million. I think they need to call his bluff and draw him (them) into the open. At this point, what's the difference? By placating him, we set a vicious, ugly precedent whereby any tinhorn terrorist can extort his way to riches. The minute any kind of money hits a Swiss bank account, this guy will vanish and these murders will unsolved. They have to call his bluff, hold up a collective middle finger, and tell him to give it his best shot.

It's their only chance at this point. It's an ugly predicament, and one I pray involves no more victims (especially not children). But if we give in to his demands, no one's children will be safe ever again.

That said, I find it curious that there's no description of the caller. No talk of whether or not there was an accent. I'm betting there's an angry Palestinian (or Palestinians) on the loose (funded by Saddam, of course)...

[spokeshave]

Must be using Cingular

[Dirk McQuickly]

Could someone add this to Front Page News?

[Howlin]

Can anybody explain to me why WE should believe ONE WORD this guy wrote down?

[hole_n_one]

Will someone explain why we're negotiating with this sick #*&!#?

Where does it say that "we're negotiating with this sick #*&!#? "?

[per loin]

No wonder the cops are refusing to release the letter. I believe in bureaucratic circles such a refusal is called CYA.

[nickcarraway]

He thinks he's in control...but he can't even get through a call to the police.

[paul544]

Isn't a sad commentary on the crap quality of police work, that this guy had to actually call the police and tell them there was a big letter tacked to a tree? For gods sake. The police didn't see this??? Bunch of keystone cops.

[Malesherbes]

Is an "undocumented worker" the same as an illegal alien?

[clintonh8r]

I'm having difficulty being surprised by all this.

[PokeyJoe]

I know.

Let's challenge him.

Chief Moose, "We have this poor bastard shooting innocent people. I bet he doesn't have the guts to shoot at that person standing over there holding that CNN microphone.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm betting there's an angry Palestinian (or Palestinians) on the loose (funded by Saddam, of course)...

Why again? I was with you will the last sentence. Why does this sound like anything but a new twist on the old ransom gambit? - By one of our own... Why would a political terrorist ask for money and not a political goal?

[Thud]

I watched a kidnapping trial once where the following actually happened (attorney William Martin of Modesto, California, represented the defendant). The DA played a tape recording of the ransom call (from a pay phone) in which the operator broke in to demand another quarter. The jury cracked up.

[Shermy]

Jeez, even the crooks are complaining about LE now!

[Deb]

Yeah, that's what we need...more trainees involved. Wasn't it trainees who were in charge of looking for Chandra Levy in the park?

Of course, it is fun to think about the sniper stomping around his dirty apartment after being hung-up on by some female, FBI cub.

Seems to me, that's exactly what they should have done from the beginning. Hang up on him.

[MedicalMess]

The letter was neatly printed on lined paper and included a number of grammatical errors, including sentence fragments and misspellings.

Proof that you don't need to be educated to shoot straight. A reason why intellectuals fear the common man...

Oh my G.., a sentence fragment.

[dalebert]

Now we know what it would be like if Saddam had nukes ready to fire.

[blondee123]

If the cops or anyone gives this sicko any money, our freedoms are lost forever! They need to put the FBI in charge of this investigation, the locals mean well, but don't have the experience. I thought once this crossed into another state that the FBI would have jurisdiction. Guess I was wrong.

[JudyB1938]

It doesn't surprise me one bit that this happened. I've read comments by FReepers who tried to report things to the proper authorities, but were also treated rudely and "cut short".

BTW, "somebody" reported the sniper does have an accent. (Don't remember where I picked that information up though)

[Cobra64]

IF the LEO had any logistical brains in terms of the news media, they would shut down this mental masturbation. This is a circus. Throw some raw blood in the coral reef and 10,000 sharks go into a feeding frenzy. This is what has been happening for the last three weeks. It really is pathetic.

[per loin]

If this guy got as mad as it sounds, the recording (I'd hope they are recording the calls) should accurately indicate the caller's native tongue. Linguists should have that pegged by now.