N.Y. Suitcase Scares Spur Terror 'Dry Run' Fear (Terrorists probing defenses?)

NY Post ^ | 5/2/05 | Al Guart

[jimbo123]

Police fear five empty suitcases left at Penn Station, New York FBI headquarters and other security hot spots in early April were a test by terrorists bent on a Madrid-type attack on commuter rails, The Post has learned.

A confidential Metropolitan Transit Authority police bulletin, titled "Possible Surveillance Testing Tactics," reveals K-9 cops are on edge over a "suspicious packages pattern" they encountered between the last week of March and the first week of April.

[SheLion]

That's an older map too. Remember a year or so ago they arrested the brothers in Buffalo, NY? And Buffalo isn't even highlighted on this map for sheltering terrorists. I wonder how many MORE have moved in since???

[SunnyUsa]

So... somebody left a beat-up empty suitcase in a train waiting room.
Most suitcases that are of no longer use are usually emptied before discarding or even abandoning. No?

What's odd is that they found 5 of them - in very prominent places.

" Police fear five empty suitcases left at Penn Station, New York FBI headquarters and other security hot spots in early April were a test by terrorists bent on a Madrid-type attack on commuter rails"

Also, what the police thought was odd that ALL of them were empty - usually a misplaced/lost/discarded suitcase has something in it. Local news reports that it was unnerving even for veteran NY police.

[SunnyUsa]

your post reminded me -

In NJ there are signs along the highways (the electronic type) that say "REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY" - with a phone number, it's terror related

They are fairly new, and I've not yet seen these signs in neighboring states - I think they are unnerving because it's obvious we all need to be watching out.

[verity]

I tend to agree with you!
A "dry run" with suitcases would seem to be to much of a tip-off!

[VOA]

Seems silly for a terrorist to do so anyway, why wouldn't you put something in it.

Just testing to see if the cops will jump right on a "ownerless" suitcase.
And if they are vigilant enough to arrest the person who abandons it.
As well as how much time the person dropping off the case would have to get away
(if they are the sort of Islamic who would like to do more than one mission).

This was a nice little probing test...the only liability was they could
be stopped by a cop and "play dumb" and say they were coming back for the bag
and "didn't understand the problem".

[NYC GOP Chick]

Any of you notice anything unusual lately?

[sauropod]

Oh man!

[sauropod]

Nothin' more than the usual - press excusing Koppel.

[SheLion]

Oh man!

I know it! They are everywhere. Aren't borders wonderful? not!

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks for the ping, Tonk.

[lavrenti]

Things unusual?

How about cops getting on and riding city buses during rush hour?

[NYC GOP Chick]

Yep, I've noticed an increased NYPD presence throughout the entire subway system these days. Also, more patrol cars from the FRB cruise right down my street...

[lavrenti]

Did they bring SWAT with the subs and kelvar into the A stations this weekend?

Uniform had a big presence on the most-used buses.

[NYC GOP Chick]

This weekend, I mostly noticed a *major* presence at the Chambers Street station and throughout Penn Station (I was in and out of Lawnguyland all weekend!).

I don't ride the buses, so I don't know what's going on with them...

[oceanview]

good, let them do something other then writing traffic tickets. I went to the car show at the javits, security was terrible, the tickets said no backpacks, it wasn't being enforced at all.

[doug from upland]

Thanks for the heads up. This is incredibly disturbing.

[ColoradoSlim]

The good folks up to Maine need to make sure that SOB of a governor never gets reelected. He ain't fit to work as a dang toilet attendant.

[lavrenti]

Whenever they bring in the guys with the kelvar and the submachine guns, you know we're in red.

[Ciexyz]

Pretty scary stuff.