Flights Cut on Fear of al Qaeda Attacks (NEW info: WMD use on planes planned by AQ)

Washington Post ^ | FEb. 1, 2004 | Sara Kehaulani Goo and Dana Priest

[xjcsa]

I had something interesting happen a couple days ago...an airline pilot I know was flying home the other night as a passenger on a short commuter flight. He was asked by the Captain flying the plane to sit behind and watch a passenger on the flight; seems that Air Marshals had been assigned to watch him on the previous flight (out of New York) and had followed him through the airport during his connection. They did not board the connecting flight, but warned the Captain to be careful. Apparently this passenger (with an Arabic-sounding name) had been taking repeated one-night trips to New York with no checked or carry-on luggage. Not so remarkable in itself, but apparently he drew Federal attention somehow. This story was confirmed to me in person a couple days later by the captain of the involved flight. Maybe nothing, but seemed quite curious.

[oceanview]

and what exactly was Richard Reid doing? why didn't he fly to mexico first, the board a flight there and blow that one up?

[Ethyl]

I am trying to figure out why on earth the public has not had access to the smallpox vaccine that few health care providers volunteered for? [Probably threat of legal action for bad reactions concerns the guvmint more than the lives of my family

Not Until there are tort reforms, by such trial lawyers as john edwards, running for president little screaming weanie lawyer.............Yes the Government is concerned, because of the lawsuits. When we stop the outrageous lawsuits, then we can get back to the business of taking care of our citizens. Your family as well.

[Peach]

Good response, oceanview.

Dog - Washington Post article on why these flights are being cancelled.

[sweetliberty]

"Get with the program before we encode a retrovirus to remove you idiots from the planetary genome and erase any memory of your "culture"."

LOL! Dreamer. That's what you would call a serious ZOT!

[Kozak]

One of my pet issues is that the government refuses to make smallpox vaccine available, so at least those who want to, can make a personal decision to get the vaccine.

Here's the problem. Only those who are already vaccinated can give the vaccine to others. There are a relatively small number of us in that group ( I got mine last year in the spring ). The plan to vaccinate emergency workers flopped. Some of it was because of some safety issues with the vaccine ( which I thnk were overblown by some for political reasons ). Some of it was legal, ie demands for workmans comp etc for anyone who got the vaccine and had any reaction at all.

All I know is God forbid Smallpox gets loose, because the lines are gonna be really long to get vaccinated.

[CyberAnt]

Fox reported earlier today that Homeland Security was not going to raise the threat level.

And .. if Iraq didn't have WMD, where do people suppose these terrorists got the stuff ..?? I mean the UK already found ricin on some of the people they arrested. I would suspect that is the substance .. they found an active program in Iraq.

[1066AD]

There was an article a few weeks ago describing a study that had concluded that, once vaccinated, resistsnce to smallpox lasts much longer than thought so maybe those who have been vaccinated at least once still have some protection.

[FairOpinion]

"Apparently this passenger (with an Arabic-sounding name) had been taking repeated one-night trips to New York with no checked or carry-on luggage."

==

I am glad they are paying attention. If someone had taken actor James Wood's report seriously, we may have prevented 9-11. He noticed several of the 9-11 terrorists, was suspicious, that they were hijackers and reported them, but since THAT plane didn't get hijacked, they didn't pay attention. Apparently he saw the hijackers doing a practice run.

here is a transcript of the interview, in case you didn't see it.

http://propagandamatrix.com/transcript_actor_james_woods.html

[Dolphy]

I know someone in the midwest that contracted Tularemia a few years ago. All of the circumstances surrounding it have always been suspicious to me. He nearly died and is now permanently disabled. He never came in contact with rabbits. He was a landscaper, but only worked on established lawns. The family never filed a workers' compensation claim (which they certainly should have tried if they believe it was contracted on the job).

[cyncooper]

Yes, the all powerful manipulative Bush administration has far reaching powers to stop flights even from other countries.

Get real, Richard. It takes more than a political plot to stop air traffic.

[FairOpinion]

It makes sense, but doesn't exactly cheer me up.

Thanks -- I didn't check NEIN today yet, until you pointed this out.

[blackbart.223]

"I think the threat is MUCH MUCH more serious, than most people think."

It may or may not be. But I'm certain of one thing. If these turds pull off another large attack the gloves will come off.

Americans are getting pissed off at a rate these rag headed idiots won't believe. They might want to ask The Japanese and Germans about that.

[Ethyl]

I wonder why they have'nt raised the alert status?
When they lowered the alert level for most areas a few weeks ago, I believe the airports remained at level orange.


Why they haven't raised the alert to orange?? Because all the nay sayers (aka demoncrapitic party goers) and news organisations complain that they raise it too much and are "crying wolf" the Homeland Security gets lamblasted for raising it and for not raising it. Make up our minds!

[BiffWondercat]

Have pulled many a all-nighter, I've seen plenty of critters out in the yard. While not dismissing this, tularemia is a poor pathogen for warfare. Unmodified smallpox, while hideous, would not be the end of us.

While I am quite concerned about the multiple strains of drug and vaccine resistant, poly-saccaride coated (quite robust and survivable) strains of smallpox that are safely stored in some pad-locked 'fridge somewhere in the "old soviet union" - mother nature herself has more nasty suprises in store for us.

Bacteria will adapt to our drugs and virues will do so even faster. With our 'global economy' and 'open borders',
pathogens will be given travel opportunies that plague rats could not dream of.

(Blank) we have Chagas disease showing up in the blood supply. I see more positve TB tests each day. Strains change so damn quickly, it is humbling.

I wish us all luck....

[1066AD]

Anyone know how today's standards of hygiene, less crowded living etc would affect the spread of smallpox virus? I'd think it would spread much slower than in the old days but maybe I'm wrong :)
I agree it's one of the more likely terrorist attack agents.

[cyncooper]

Thanks Ethyl. I wasn't asking, though...someone else did and I pointed out that I think airports have stayed at orange. I agree about the naysayers, too.

But I do think the airlines have remained at orange since before Christmas.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Agreed. Just doesn't seem to be al Queda's MO. Not to say that they woudn't do it. Such a plan would be more likely Iraqi (Saddam).

[FairOpinion]

They keep coming up with various studies, some said, you lose immunity in 10 years, others say it lasts longer, other say, that you may have some immunity, so if you get it, it won't kill you, but not enough to avoid getting it.

Considering that even if it doesn't kill you, it can blind you and cause other nasty things, getting it and surviving it is not all it's cracked up to be.

I also have a theory, that they are releasing these reassuring studies, to put the minds of people at ease, and give themselves a justification for innoculating the young people first, and let the older ones die, while they think they have immunity.

All this could be avoided, if they would just allow people to take the vaccine voluntarily, after consulting with their physicians, because now we actually have sufficient number of vaccines.