"DUCK IN A NOOSE" message explained

AP Fox News Story ^ | October 24, 2002 | AP on Fox News

[Jeff Head]

The last cryptic message from Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose to the Washington-area sniper referred to a Cherokee Indian story about an arrogant rabbit that was duped by the duck he tried to catch.

"You have indicated that you want us to do and say certain things. You've asked us to say, 'We have caught the sniper like a duck in a noose.' We understand that hearing us say this is important to you," Moose said late Wednesday at a televised news briefing, called so authorities could release information on two people sought for questioning in the 13 sniper shootings.

[Jeff Head]

I think you are right. Fox news and others think this too about what the sniper was feeling in saying this, but are just saying that the tables got turned on the guy.

That will be the case unless he was messaging to others who start doing the same thing.

[RoseofTexas]

Perhaps, this was some sort of message to other muslims to continue in his footsteps after he was caught?! I pray not!

[twigs]

That's my fear! That and the threat to children.

[GovernmentShrinker]

If they'd vetted it, and decided based on all their information, that it didn't carry any dangerous code message, better to pacify the nut and lull him into imagining he had control of the situation, by broadcasting his silly request.

[jgrubbs]

Keep in mind that if the caller to the tip line that claimed responsibility for both the sniper shootings and the liquor store robbery in Ala. never called, they would have never went to Alabama or Washington state, and would have never found the sniper. I still think this caller was the sniper and he wanted to be caught.

[GovernmentShrinker]

All these names are, of course, translated from Arabic, which doesn't have an alphabet neatly corresponding to ours. Conventions for spelling in Roman letters vary (happens with all languages which don't use the Roman alphabet -- remember when Beijing used to be Peking, and Mumbai used to be Bombay?).

[Consort]

Ckerokee Nation

Cherokee Peace Flag

[SerpentDove]

>>Perhaps, this was some sort of message to other muslims to continue in his footsteps after he was caught?! I pray not!<<

Why would other terrorists need a "message" from this guy, is my basic question? I think they don't need any prompting, or that they're sitting around cleaning their guns, awaiting a message from some nobody.

While I believe grand schemes are most likely being planned, I don't this is how they would be communicated.

But what do I know? Just my thoughts on it.

[Talldocs1]

"Jeff, why do you suppose Moose-for-brains was so eager to broadcast this? if the fbi was scripting him... why did they want to get it out?

somethin ain't right here."

A lot isn't right, but what do you mean?

[SerpentDove]

My I was articulate. I MEANT:

While I believe grand schemes are most likely being planned, I don't *think* this is how they would be communicated.

But what do I know? Just my thoughts on it.

[#3Fan]

Actually the first person to explain this was Ron Kuby on WABC this morning with Curtis Sliwa.

Ron Kuby must lurk here.

[FryingPan101]

U....n...l...e....s....s, Y...o...u.......a...r...e......a....v.....e....r....y........s....l.....o....w........F....R....e.....e.....p....e...r......l...i.....k.....e..........m....e!

[FryingPan101]

OMG

[fooman]

Yes we did. Go Fox.

[LisaFab]

A caller to Rush today posited that the 'duck' reference might be as in 'decoy', signalling to the real (the brains behind the killings) perps: Hey, we're about to be caught...scram!

I just don't believe these two homeless vagabonds were alone in this. I believe they did the actual shoots, but they were fronting for AQ or similar organization.

[alethia]

I tend to agree with your synopsis. I also think more people than the two arrested were involved in the Greater DC sniper episode.

[razorback-bert]

You mean to say, you have never been to a snipe round-up, lassosed and branded 'em?

[spycatcher]

No doubt these guys are involved, but imagine if there are more sniper attacks over the next few days...by another muslim sniper team still at large. And the "Ooops I gave out the credit card, told someone about the Ala. robbery, and parked at a public rest area frequented by state police in the wanted car with the wanted plates with the rifle in the back..." was all designed to let the cops have their big media snare. Only to have another sniper loose like a duck in a noose.

This post made me think it may be possible:

Duck in a Noose While I believe the arrest of two men in Maryland is a positive development in the case, I am concerned that it just might be an outrageously brazen taunting of police:

What I'm saying is that the killer may be pulling off the ultimate humiliation of police and ultimate symbol of his power to terrorize: giving up a plausible suspect(s) while remaining at large, free to continue his murderous spree at just the right moment to inflict maximum psychological damage.

[meadsjn]

My take on it is this guy was running out of steam and luck, and needed to pass the baton to the next runner. I expect we'll see more excitement from FarahKhan's folks or other groups in the United Islamic Terrorist Network.

The score for these two was 12 dead, 4 wounded. These two are out of the game now; that leaves our team with two down, and 2 to 8 million to go. If each enemy team holds to that ratio, non-muslim Americans will be extinct in a couple of years. When there's only a dozen or so Americans left alive, maybe the goverment will start telling the truth about this peaceful religion.

[spycatcher]

see above post