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I saw the report this morning and found it interesting that camera guy didn't hit the dirt.

After an initial flinch he just kept filming . . . presumably in full stand-up mode and presenting a great target to the sniper.

O'Riley is gonna have more footage with Geraldo being shot at in a cave.

Should be interesting to watch this one.

It strikes me odd that this guy detonated in the middle of the street, before he got into the hotel where Israeli officials were ensconced.

<Speculation>
Since there are thermal imaging devices that allow one to see through walls. It seems quite plausible to me that there would be devices that would enable lookouts to visually frisk folks in the vicinity of an area that was to be secured.

A bomb encased with nails and screws under a jacket would present a very distinctive image.

So . . . when the guy gets in a good location – say for example, out in the middle of the street and away from most other folks, then pop one into the bomb and let nature takes its course.
</Speculation>

From: http://rawasongs.fancymarketing.net/tym15.htm

Having re-read the article, it seems as though Graham is concerned with countries that employ "Islamic law."

So . . . how could Graham be concerned with countries that employ "Islamic law," yet not be concerned with the faith that the law is based on,?

In other words, what were the facts that lead the author of this piece to tell us that Graham was "not concerned . . . with the faith itself?"

Interesting first paragraph (emphasis supplied:

The Rev. Franklin Graham said in Minneapolis this week that he is concerned with the way Islamic law is enforced in several countries, and not with the people or the faith itself.

Read the article and see if you can find where Graham said he wasn't concerned with the Islamic faith.

Here's the direct quotes from Graham regarding Islam that I found in the article:

• "We're not attacking Islam, but Islam has attacked us."
• "I've worked in many countries, and my concerns are the nations that are under Islamic law, when they use the Qur'an as the basis for the law."
• "It's not the people of Islam. I'm concerned about the nations that use Islamic law."

I can't find anything in the story to substantiate the first paragraph that claims the Graham has no problem with the Islam faith "itself."

Can you?

Got a URL for the original story, Annie?

Which of these guys (http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/fugitives.htm) would be the best captain of the debate team representing "the Islamic factions who hate Americans enough to murder them?"

TOMMY
by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)  

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

 

All along the watchtower

I was driving home from work listening to National Public Radio (my car arial broke so all I can get is NPR) and heard on the news that Grey Davis, governor of California, had gone public with the latest terrorist threat against suspension bridges in the west.

Davis explained that he did this because the missive he received from the federal government was specific as "to time, place and method."

As I slammed on my brakes to avoid ramming the car in front of me (the driver of which had slammed on his brakes to avoid ramming the car in front of him . . . . and so on), I recalled images from a recent news conference where Ashcroft was asked about the latest FBI warning of a looming terrorist attack on our country.

The questions went along the line of "why warn citizens to be on the lookout without giving specifics of what we are to look out for?"

Ashcroft explained that when information of terrorist attacks carries specifics as to time, place and method, the public will be certainly be told.

What struck me about the NPR report is that it said the information given to Davis carried the advisory that the information he received should not be given to the press.

Curious times.

Keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious (for example, 6 middle-eastern looking guys motoring around in two large white vans with odd photographs strewn about on the floorboard).

The latest story is an update to the continuing story about the 6 "middle-eastern looking" guys that were reportedly stopped somewhere in the Midwest with photos of a nuke plant, photos of the Trans-Alaska pipeline and other "suspicious material" and then released for no apparent reason.

The new story does not add clarity to the situation.

According to the latest news, the 6 middle-eastern looking guys (called "terrorists" in the latest story) got in using stolen or forged passports.

According to the latest story the problems with the passports were discovered immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks.

When all stories are considered together, we find that the 6 terrorists that are officially not in the country got in using stolen or forged passports that officials discovered a month ago.

I told you the latest story didn't add clarity.

The latest update follows below in the context of summaries of the previous stories.

For completeness, complete text of all stories follow the summaries.

The Original story (Oct. 31):

FBI looking to question 6 men

The original story tells us that cops, somewhere in the "Midwest," stopped 6 Middle Eastern looking men traveling in 2 vans with photo's of a nuke plant in Florida, photos of the trans-Alaska pipeline, boxcutters, and other "equipment."

The original story tells us that after stopping these guys, the cops released them, and after they were released, the FBI was looking for them.

The Update to the Original story (Oct. 31):

FBI furious over release of 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

The update to the original story tells us that the FBI was "furious" over the fact that the cops released 6 middle eastern men.

The Revision of the Update to the Original Story (Oct 31):

U.S. officials deny newspaper report that 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

The revision to the update of the original story tell us that the original incident never happened.

The latest story (Nov. 1):

Six Islamic terrorists are in U.S. carrying Israeli passports

This story tells us that 6 Islamic terrorists have entered the U.S. using stolen or forged Israeli passports.

The story says that law enforcement officials believe that agents were sent by Osama bin Ladin and intend to launch attacks on nuclear plants and pipeline facilities.

The story says that U.S. security officials said the Israeli passports were discovered in the investigation that immediately followed the Sept. 11 suicide attacks.

Curious, ain’t it?

All four stories follow:

Story 1:

From: http://www.l-e-o.com/content/columbus/2001/10/31/news/1031ALERT.htm

FBI looking to question 6 men

Group had pictures of nuclear facility, pipeline, but were released by police

BY MARTIN MERZER,
LENNY SAVINO
AND SUMANA CHATTERJEE
Knight Ridder Newspapers

--

WASHINGTON - As the nation again stands on high alert, the FBI is searching for six men stopped by police in the Midwest last weekend but released - even though they possessed photographs and descriptions of a nuclear power plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska pipeline, a senior law enforcement official said Tuesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration imposed new flight restrictions around nuclear plants nationwide Tuesday, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission advised the nation's 103 nuclear plants late Monday to fortify security.

The FAA temporarily banned all flights near New York's Yankee Stadium, where President Bush stood before a huge crowd at a World Series game Tuesday night and - wearing a New York City Fire Department jacket - tossed the ceremonial first pitch.

"It helps to keep the fabric of our country strong," said spokesman Ari Fleischer.

Meanwhile, an administration official said the urgent terrorism alert sounded Monday evening by Attorney General John Ashcroft was based largely on a message transmitted Sunday night by an Osama bin Laden supporter in Canada to Afghanistan.

That message referred to a major event that was going to take place "down south" this week, the official said.

Knight Ridder reported Monday that American officials feared that members of bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network had been unleashed to launch attacks without specific permission from their superiors.

On Tuesday, agency spokesmen said the FAA's flight restrictions and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's security recommendations were based on Ashcroft's general alert rather than a specific threat. Ashcroft warned that Americans at home or abroad could be struck by another terrorist attack this week.

The incident in the Midwest apparently contributed to the new terror warning. The six men stopped by police were traveling in groups of three in two white sedans, said the senior law enforcement official, who requested anonymity.

In addition to the photographs and other suspicious material, they carried "box cutters and other equipment," the official said. They appeared to be from the Middle East and held Israeli passports.

They were let go after the Immigration and Naturalization Service determined the passports were valid and that the men had entered the United States legally, the official said.

A spokesman for the INS called the report unfounded.

Story 2:

A copy of the second story follows.  This story existed for a few hours at this URL: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1031detainees.story?coll=sfla%2Dhome%2Dheadlines, and was then replaced by Story 3.

FBI furious over release of 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

MIAMI - Federal agents are searching for six men who were detained in the Midwest but later released even though they were carrying material about a nuclear power plant in Florida and an Alaskan pipeline.

FBI director Robert Mueller was said to be ``furious'' at the release, the Miami Herald reported, citing an unidentified senior law enforcement official.

The incident apparently contributed to the new terror warning issued by the U.S. government, it said. FBI and INS officials were not immediately available to comment on the report.

Police stopped the six men traveling in two cars in an unidentified state over the weekend, the paper said. They were carrying photographs and information on a nuclear power plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska pipeline. They also carried box-cutters and other ``suspicious equipment,'' it said.

The men who hijacked four planes on Sept 11, killing more than 4,800 people and triggering the U.S. war against terrorism, used box-cutters to overpower flight crews.

The suspects in the Midwest incident appeared to be from the Middle East and carried Israeli passports, according to the Herald report. The Immigration and Naturalization Service decided the passports were valid and they had entered the United States legally and it released the suspects without consulting the FBI, it said.

Florida has three nuclear power plants -- at Turkey Point, south of Miami, St. Lucie, and the Crystal River plant north of St. Petersburg.

Story 3:

The story below replaced the above story -- i.e. after a few hours, the content of the above page was altered to read as follows:

U.S. officials deny newspaper report that 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

Reuters
Posted October 31 2001, 2:16 PM EST

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials Wednesday said they had nothing to corroborate a newspaper report that federal agents were searching for six men who had been carrying material about a nuclear power plant in Florida and an Alaskan pipeline.

Officials said they had no information about a search for the six men, whom The Miami Herald said had been detained in the Midwest but later released even though they were carrying photographs and information on a nuclear power plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

``We have absolutely no information at this point in time to substantiate that story,'' said Russ Bergeron, spokesman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

A federal law enforcement official denied claims in the story that FBI director Robert Mueller was ``furious'' at the release.

``There's nothing to that. He was completely unaware of it. So there's no way he could be furious,'' the official said.

A Justice Department official said ``there's no credibility at all to that report.''

According to the report, police stopped the six men traveling in two cars in an unidentified state over the weekend. In addition to the photographs, they were carrying box-cutters and other ``suspicious equipment,'' it said.

The men who hijacked four planes on Sept 11, killing more than 4,800 people and triggering the U.S. war against terrorism, used box-cutters to overpower flight crews.

The suspects in the Midwest incident appeared to be from the Middle East and carried Israeli passports, according to the Herald story. The INS decided the passports were valid and they had entered the United States legally and it released the suspects without consulting the FBI, the newspaper said.

Florida has three nuclear power plants -- at Turkey Point, south of Miami, St. Lucie, and the Crystal River plant north of St. Petersburg.

Story 4 (the latest so far):

From: http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_4.html

Six Islamic terrorists are in U.S. carrying Israeli passports

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Friday, November 1, 2001

WASHINGTON — Islamic insurgents operating in the United States have entered the country with forged Israeli passports.

U.S. security officials said the Israeli passports were discovered in the investigation that immediately followed the Sept. 11 suicide attacks on New York and Washington. They said the passports were either stolen or forged.

The FBI believes that six Arabs from the Middle East are now holding Israeli passports, Middle East Newsline reported. They have stopped Israeli nationals coming into the United States and have detained several of them.

Law enforcement officials are concerned that agents were sent by Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden intend to launch a new series of attacks on strategic U.S. targets. These include nuclear plants and pipelines.

In Vienna, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency today urged world leaders to safeguard radioactive materials, and called for strict new controls to prevent a nuclear catastrophe.

Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters the willingness of terrorists to commit suicide and inflict massive damage makes the possibility of a nuclear-related attack much more likely now.

"We need to act quickly to protect ourselves," he said.

Anyone know what happens after they serve their time?

previously posted here

I have kind of followed this story.

Based on what I’ve seen, the judgment as to whether this is an urban legend or not, would merely be a choice on which story or stories that you choose to believe.

If you believe the stories about the 6 guys and the passports, you will come to the conclusion that this is not an urban legend.

If you believe the single story refuting the stories about the 6 guys and the passports, you will come to the conclusion that this is an urban legend.

The decision can’t be made based on the sources for the stories, because the quality of the sources for all stories is the same – very poor. None of the stories name sources,

Here’s an outline of what I’ve found.

Story 1:

FBI looking to question 6 men

Date: Oct. 31, 2001

Synopsis:

6 middle eastern looking men were found traveling in 2 vans with photographs of a nuclear plant in Florida, photos of the trans-Alaska pipeline, boxcutters and other apparently incriminating material.

The cops that made the stop released the 6 guys after calling INS and learning the passports were valid. INS called the report unfounded.

The FBI is now looking for them.

Sources: “a senior law enforcement official,” INS

Original Story: http://www.l-e-o.com/content/columbus/2001/10/31/news/1031ALERT.htm

Story 2:

FBI furious over release of 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

Date: Oct. 31, 2001

Synopsis:

“FBI director Robert Mueller was said to be ``furious'' at the release, the Miami Herald reported, citing an unidentified senior law enforcement official.” Sources: Miami Herald, “a senior law enforcement official,” INS

Original Story:

This story was published by the South Florida Sun Sentinal at this URL: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1031detainees.story?coll=sfla%2Dhome%2Dheadlines.

However, the above story no longer exists at that URL, because it was quickly replaced with Story 3, below.

See this post for details on the revision of the above story: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/560594/posts?page=68#68

Thread here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/560594/posts?

Sources: Miami Herald, "unidentified senior law enforcement official."

Story 3:

U.S. officials deny newspaper report that 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

Date: Oct. 31, 2001

Synopsis:

“U.S. officials Wednesday said they had nothing to corroborate a newspaper report that federal agents were searching for six men who had been carrying material about a nuclear power plant in Florida and an Alaskan pipeline.”

Sources: Miami Herald, “U.S officials”

Original Story:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1031detainees.story?coll=sfla%2Dhome%2Dheadlines

This is the story that replaced the story claiming the FBI was furious over the release of the 6 guys.

This is the piece that you can cite if you choose to believe that the story of the 6 middle eastern looking guys with material about a nuke plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska pipeline is an urban legend.

Sources: Miami Herald, “U.S officials”

Story 4:

Six Islamic terrorists are in U.S. carrying Israeli passports

Date: Nov. 1, 2001

Synopsis:

Islamic insurgents operating in the United States have entered the country with forged or stolen Israeli passports. The FBI believes that six Arabs from the Middle East are now holding Israeli passports.

U.S. security officials said the Israeli passports were discovered in the investigation that immediately followed the Sept. 11 suicide attacks

Original Story:

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_4.html.

Sources: Miami Herald, “U.S security officials”

The guys that were on the rooftop were busted.

The guys with the Israeli passports alluded to in this story have apparently not been busted, so they would not be the same guys.

From: hoboh@home.com
To: gbulfin@sun-sentinel.com
Cc:
Subject: Please explain mystery
Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 7:36 PM

FBI furious over release of 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

MIAMI - Federal agents are searching for six men who were detained in the Midwest but later released even though they were carrying material about a nuclear power plant in Florida and an Alaskan pipeline.

FBI director Robert Mueller was said to be ``furious'' at the release, the Miami Herald reported, citing an unidentified senior law enforcement official.

The incident apparently contributed to the new terror warning issued by the U.S. government, it said. FBI and INS officials were not immediately available to comment on the report.

Police stopped the six men traveling in two cars in an unidentified state over the weekend, the paper said. They were carrying photographs and information on a nuclear power plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska pipeline. They also carried box-cutters and other ``suspicious equipment,'' it said.

The men who hijacked four planes on Sept 11, killing more than 4,800 people and triggering the U.S. war against terrorism, used box-cutters to overpower flight crews.

The suspects in the Midwest incident appeared to be from the Middle East and carried Israeli passports, according to the Herald report. The Immigration and Naturalization Service decided the passports were valid and they had entered the United States legally and it released the suspects without consulting the FBI, it said.

Florida has three nuclear power plants -- at Turkey Point, south of Miami, St. Lucie, and the Crystal River plant north of St. Petersburg.

However, the story now at the above URL is now completely different and reads as follows:

U.S. officials deny newspaper report that 6 found with map of Florida nuclear plant

Reuters
Posted October 31 2001, 2:16 PM EST

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials Wednesday said they had nothing to corroborate a newspaper report that federal agents were searching for six men who had been carrying material about a nuclear power plant in Florida and an Alaskan pipeline.

Officials said they had no information about a search for the six men, whom The Miami Herald said had been detained in the Midwest but later released even though they were carrying photographs and information on a nuclear power plant in Florida and the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

``We have absolutely no information at this point in time to substantiate that story,'' said Russ Bergeron, spokesman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

A federal law enforcement official denied claims in the story that FBI director Robert Mueller was ``furious'' at the release.

``There's nothing to that. He was completely unaware of it. So there's no way he could be furious,'' the official said.

A Justice Department official said ``there's no credibility at all to that report.''

According to the report, police stopped the six men traveling in two cars in an unidentified state over the weekend. In addition to the photographs, they were carrying box-cutters and other ``suspicious equipment,'' it said.

The men who hijacked four planes on Sept 11, killing more than 4,800 people and triggering the U.S. war against terrorism, used box-cutters to overpower flight crews.

The suspects in the Midwest incident appeared to be from the Middle East and carried Israeli passports, according to the Herald story. The INS decided the passports were valid and they had entered the United States legally and it released the suspects without consulting the FBI, the newspaper said.

Florida has three nuclear power plants -- at Turkey Point, south of Miami, St. Lucie, and the Crystal River plant north of St. Petersburg.

According to your web site, the revision was published at 2:16 PM EST, some two hours after the original story was published on the news forum.

I find it curious that the revision contradicts the original while at the same time removing the original story.

Please explain why your paper is doing this.

I will publish your explanation in the news forum for public scrutiny.

I am sure that WalkinMan will accept your apology.

What I find interesting is that the story at the URL posted by WalkinMan appears to have changed, and changed radically, between the time WalkinMan posted it (and I read it), and the time that you checked the original.

So . . . either the Sun Sentinel is writing stories, then checking them out and changing them, or something else is afoot.

In either case, the Sun Sentinel needs to explain this.

As a matter of course, I always read the original source for articles posted on FR that have a link to the original.

I am sure that I read the original of the article posted by WalkinMan this morning and it was the article that WalkinMan posted and not the article that we now find at this URL: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-1031detainees.story?coll=sfla%2Dhome%2Dheadlines.

In other words, I believe, but cannot 'prove' (since I did not make a copy of the original) that the piece has been re-written since WalkinMan made his post.

That said, note that WalkinMan's post (here) is marked as having been posted on FR 10/31/01 at 8:57 AM Pacific time while the article at the link in WalkinMan's post says it was posted October 31 2001, at 2:16 PM EST.

I believe that 2:16 PM EST is 11:16 AM Pacific time -- over two hours after WalkinMan made his post.

This indicates that the story was "updated" (re-written) since WalkinMan posted it to FR.

Please note that I am not disputing your hypothesis that we may have disinformation worker busy -- but the information I have strongly suggests that it is not WalkinMan.

The story raises more questions than answers. I was wondering about a detail -- "what did the stop look like?"

. . . the FBI is searching for six men stopped by police in the Midwest last weekend . . . The six men ... were traveling in groups of three in two white sedans

How many patrol cars were involved in the stop? Did a single patrol car pull over two vans at once, or was more than one patrol car involved?

If so, what would prompt a stop by multiple cars?

If not, how did the single car stop two vans and why were they stopped?

The latest story (HERE) says (emphasis supplied):

After Renard [the cop] issued the speeding ticket to Eljallad, he crossed the median to head in the opposite direction. But the seven-year-veteran began feeling ill and called his supervisor, who dispatched a helicopter.

Here is an image taken by News 2 in Orlando, shortly after the incident went down:

(click HERE for original News 2 story)

Of interest:

1. The tow truck appears to be in position to load the patrol car
2. The patrol car is pointed in same direction as the traffic (as evidenced by the back end of the vehicle on the roadway shown on the left of the frame.
3. The patrol car is in a location that one would expect for a traffic stop

This image doesn't comport with the latest story that said the officer became ill as "he crossed the median to head in the opposite direction."

However, the image does fit the original story which reported, "He had just finished writing the ticket when he collapsed"

 

The above was also posted on this thread