Terrorists attempt fresh wave of US hijackings ("MUST READ" describes recent attempts)

Scotsman ^ | July 23, 2004 | JAMES HALL

[EGPWS]

That, sir, is one passenger's take on their behavior. I would give it very little credit. It puts the passenger in the position of a mind reader, a talent I doubt she had.

Leave it to the pro's, after all it's not her life at risk, for it takes a professional to understand personal concerns.

Right?

There must have been a psychiatrist on board flight 93 who gave his all in giving free sessions which generated the well known cry "Let's Roll".

[sweneop]

the 14 guys thing seems obviously to be nothing. i cant imagine the enemy wasting 14 terrorists (their identities are now blown) on such an obvious and clumsy operation. i think people are underestimating them if they think these crazy stories are the 'dry runs'.

my main issue is not that we be PC about this, its that we need to ensure we arent so blinded by these stories that we miss all the real ones. i think the real terrorists are going to be very good at what they do.

[jaykay]

A spokesman for the federal air marshal service confirmed the basics of Jacobsen's story for Daily News syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin. The feds say the men were Syrian musicians en route to a gig and were interrogated in L.A. (Which doesn't explain why they would have mentally terrorized those on the flight.)

Meanwhile, Jacobsen is receiving anecdotal evidence from airline insiders suggesting that her flight was no isolated incident: "One airline pilot told me that what I wrote about is the airlines' dirty little secret. And it's a pretty horrifying dirty little secret because if you say that these are dry runs, one day the dry runs are going to have all been run. And then what?"

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/columnists/9212319.htm?1c

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

[FairOpinion]

Richard Reid's shoebomb attempt was also considered "clumsy", but it could have blown up the plane, if the flight attendant and the passengers hadn't subdued him.

Do you think they should have just ignored his suspicious behavior?

[jaykay]

At the very least, those 14 filthy greaseballs were playing a very cruel hoax on the passengers of an airplane in flight. If that isn't a violation of a law, it should be - that's worse than shouting fire in a crowded theater. They were terrorizing the passengers one way or another.

[FairOpinion]

Now this news story is starting to be picked up by other news outlets:

Report: Terrorists scouting flights

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040722-114036-9201r.htm

Washington, DC, Jul. 22 (UPI) -- Middle Eastern men are increasingly conducting test runs and probing security aboard U.S. flights, air marshals told Thursday's Washington Times.

[Orlando]

It seem that the religion of peace is about to attack soon ?

[John Valentine]

There is no need for sarcasm. This is a very serious subject I mean my points to be taken seriously.

[FairOpinion]

Another article with more info:

Scouting jetliners for new attacks

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040721-101403-1508r.htm

[Mitchell]

On one flight an air marshal reportedly broke into an onboard toilet to find that a mirror had been removed and that a Middle Eastern man was trying to break through a wall to the cockpit.

Was this guy arrested? Unlike the (supposed) musicians, surely what he did was illegal.

Maybe I missed it, but I've seen no story about this person being arrested and charged. If he was arrested, the authorities have kept his case very quiet. (It reminds me of the way the authorities kept quiet about the B. cereus fatalities before it was known that the cases weren't anthrax.)

[FairOpinion]

If the FAA had taken "one person's opinion" -- James Wood's -- seriously, 9-11 could have been prevented.

You keep ignoring facts.

As I said, read my posts 14 & 22 and read the James Wood interview, for which I gave the link.

[jaykay]

It's about time they started spreading the word. I hadn't heard about the guy trying to bust into the cockpit through the restroom wall before reading it here. There should be an official warning from Homeland Security about this.

[Brad’s Gramma]

My husband and I were in Vegas today and flew out of there this afternoon. On all of the monitors where you check for the arrivals and departures was a notice that said "Heightened Airport Security" (or something like that). There was a short blurb to be aware of your surroundings while in the airport and to pick up a white security phone to report any suspicious behavior. Two American Flags flying on the bottom of the screen.

There was NOT the same notice at JWA when we got here...

Just thought I'd let you all know. Gramps travels quite a bit and said he's never seen that thing up there before..

[John Valentine]

I'm fully aware of this content. And I don't dispute any fact as described. It may even be that these Syrian musicians were doing a "dry run" with excellent cover.

But there is no real evidence that this is the case.

The guys James Woods saw have been pretty well established as being among the 9/11 murderers.

[Orlando]

Thanks for the infromation .
I wonder what they plan to attack ?
I am thinking the G.O.P. Conv in N.Y. ???
Just Guessing

[EGPWS]

There is no need for sarcasm.

I know.

That would be followed with a "/s".

[FairOpinion]

The point is that Woods noticed their suspicious behavior when they were doing dry runs.

I guess you think we should wait until some of these suspicious characters do turn out to be terrorists?

I thought the point was to PREVENT attacks.

You don't KNOW that the currently discussed suspicious men are NOT terrorists. By the time you are sure, thousands are dead. Why is that so hard to comprehend?

[John Valentine]

I'm not ignoring any facts.

And your assertion that 9/11 could have been prevented if James Woods opinion had been taken seriously is profoundly flawed.

He never made the connection between these guys and the 9/11 hijackers until AFTER the harm had been done.

If he had told anyone about his experience immediately, what do you think could have happened as a result that would have prevented the events of 9/11? Keep in mind that this is James Woods, and that he didn't witness any crime or offense.

[FairOpinion]

Just because there is "no NEED" for sarcasm, doesn't mean that sarcasm isn't warranted. ;)

[EGPWS]

On all of the monitors where you check for the arrivals and departures was a notice that said "Heightened Airport Security" (or something like that).

That is normal procedure when the "bar code" is raised.

Perhaps in this case it was just a discretionary option chosen by this airport's administrator.