Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Twenty-Five

[ExSoldier]

Sorry if I offended you, but someone did ask the question and I provided a link: the fact that it was EOM was just a click away. Chill out.

I'm not offended. I did check the link (with a single click) but if you'd noted the EOM angle we could have warned you not to get all wrapped up in something useless. Please don't tell me to chill out, okay? You're still pretty new here. An EOM quote might send even less informed newbies into a slight state of panic so we try to ignore him whenever we can. Right Cindy?

[Cindy]

OPINION-SPECULATION:

E.O.M.=

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[wakingup]

Toxic Chemical Spill Forces Evacuation of More Than 6,000 People Near Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A railcar leaking toxic chemicals sent plumes of gas into the air Sunday and forced the evacuation of more than 6,000 people.
Authorities evacuated a half-square mile area downwind from the accident site and closed at least nine roads after the leak was discovered by crews loading chemicals into a parked railcar in South Salt Lake.

"We're speculating that the liner in the railcar must have failed," Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley said.

No injuries were reported.

The chemicals involved - hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid - can cause severe burns if they come into direct contact with skin or eyes.

Cleanup crews were working to transfer the chemicals to tankers.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBY2ONZZ5E.html

[Cindy]

Thanks to wakingup for pointing to this story.
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http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2005/march/03_07_2.html

"ISLAMIC GROUP THREATENS U.S. IN LIBYA"



ARTICLE SNIPPET: "WASHINGTON [MENL] -- An Islamic insurgency group believed supported by Iran has been deemed a major threat to U.S. cooperation with Libya.

U.S. officials said the State Department and intelligence community have warned of the prospect of attacks by an Islamic insurgency group in 2005. They said the group could be planning attacks against U.S. interests or Americans in Libya as well as the regime of Col. Moammar Khaddafy in an effort to prevent a reconciliation between Tripoli and Washington."

[appalachian_dweller]

Evening folks.

Sounds like you had a good day Cindy. Mine was nice too. Church this morning (sermon about the Lords Supper) followed by Bible Study (study about our covenant with God). Most enjoyable fellowship.

Target practice all afternoon. Was beautiful outside today. I don't remember seeing a cloud, just blue sky....and the smell of gun power in the air. LOL! Nothing full-auto today, just the run of the mill SKSs, AR-10s, shotguns (12ga), .357s, .40 cals, and 9mms.

Most enjoyable day indeed and I give thanks to the Lord for allowing me to enjoy such a fine day.

LOL! Seeing has how I have to work next Saturday, I hope I'll be as thankful for that one. :-)

[Domestic Church]

Unfortunately I get the grey box with the "illegal operation" whenever I try to access the little green football site.

[Cindy]

Glad you had a good day too, AD.
Counting our blessings...

[Cindy]

I'm sorry, DC.
I just checked the link.
Works for me.

Anyway, a lot of interesting items regarding the checkpoint there being discussed.

[Indie]

I've been through a lot of FEMA courses and disaster training in my ARES group which used to be a part of the Arlington Fire Department.

The least effective threat is chemical. The next worst is nukes [still localized and detectable.] The worst by far is BIO [You don't know you've been hit until it's too late..massive casualties, no cures, and massive panic.]

Think like a terrorist. Chemical is the least effective, hardest to deliver, and least spectacular.

IOW, think nukes/bio/conventional or a combination of all 4 including chem, but chem alone is no threat IMO. Keep thinking nukes/bio....

[appalachian_dweller]

Bioweapons are by far most capable of wiping out the entire human race. Did you ever see or read Steven King's The Stand? Genetically engineered influenza virus got loose and killed 99% of the planet's human population.

Imagine some type of viral hemorrhagic fever (similar to Ebola) with a 60-90 day incubation period and a 80-90% mortality rate. The stuff of nightmares. The long incubation period ensures rapid spreading on a planetary level. Even a mortality rate of 30% would kill millions.

I heard or read somewhere the the only thing that keeps some of these viral hemorrhagic fevers contained is that they kill too quickly. To me, that is a scary statement.

OPNION AND PURE SPECULATION ON MY PART:
I don't see that level of destruction in scripture until the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation.

[ExSoldier]

Indie, I respectfully disagree. I'm speaking as a graduate of the US Army's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare School. Given the right dispersal techniques and the proper climatic conditions, a nerve agent attack would give the terrorists what they so desperately seek: Near instantaneous mass casualties. It could be persistent for up to three or more days; meaning that anybody who touched contaminated surfaces (anything: flora, man made...anything) and not protected in MOPP 4 will die. Terrorists NEED more than anything that photo op and the sound bite. A Bio attack may come as a follow on attack, but it will take time to spool up and be uncertain enough for authorities to be able to pan it off as a natural occurrence like the Bird Flu or SARS or whatever. This would deny the TANGO'S their moment of glory in striking the Great Satan. I agree that a nuke is the ultimate nightmare I mean a real device not a so called "dirty bomb."

But a chemical attack can be easily rigged (hook up chemical mines in series and plant upwind of a county fair--detonate on command). Chemical mines come with instructions done in pictogram's so that this soviet HORROR can be set up by any uneducated commie pawn anywhere in the world. It is as easy as can be. Or set up an attack via an industrial fire extinguisher from the top of a very tall building. This scenario would require training, and access, and a suicide attacker because as soon as the pressure is released into the atmosphere, the person doing so is the first to die, unless he's in MOPP 4 gear. But given a warm muggy day, and a gentle breeze over downtown and you could generate an effective downwind drift sufficient to cover most of downtown Miami, Florida (my home). We are just now coming into the prime season for such an attack.

Chemical munitions are easy to come by. The former USSR and it's satellites have thousands of the things languishing in almost unguarded warehouses all over the world. They look innocuous, like home plate for a baseball team, just a bit thicker, but still plastic. They are binary in nature so the contents are inert until mixed before dispersal. There has already been such an attack in Baghdad last year. Somebody tried to set off an IED by detonating an artillery shell that was a BINARY SARIN shell, but it failed to properly mix. A dedicated cell with the training and a specific target will have trained to overcome that problem.

Just how are you going to decontaminate a forty story building in the dry season? Even if you get your rain shower, how are you going to prevent the deadliest substances known to man (VX Nerve Agent) from leaking into the ground water and contaminating the aquifer? DECON is easy: Hot soapy water but you still have to contain the runoff of contaminated water so it doesn't soak into the earth. Everything touched must be decontaminated: Personnel, vehicles, aircraft, buildings, everything. There are still spots in FRANCE that hold trace amounts of a BLISTER agent (Mustard Gas) left over from the FIRST World War! A chemical attack, no matter how effective or not would undeniably show the world that another 911 had occurred. But a bio attack can be plausibly denied whether or not it succeeds. Think like a terrorist? You bet!

[ExSoldier]

Did you ever see or read Steven King's The Stand? Genetically engineered influenza virus got loose and killed 99% of the planet's human population. Imagine some type of viral hemorrhagic fever (similar to Ebola)

I loved The Stand the movie but not the book. An Influenza pandemic could still kill 25 million globally just like it did back in 1918. Doesn't take a terrorist to engineer that. Ebola and most other hemorrhagic fevers don't spread that easily (have to come into contact with the bodily fluids) and I think that some guy oozing blood from his eyeballs and very skin is gonna put most folks off! Ebola is about 80% lethal but it still takes a week to die. Oh and plain old bleach will sterilize it right out of existence. So it can be kept from spreading....at least from specific clinics or hospitals. In fact most people who get infected after an outbreak (great movie) are medical workers.

[appalachian_dweller]

Yep. I forgot, the hemorrhagic fevers are spread by body fluid contact, but image some type of VHF that was airborne?

While the terrorists don't have the resources to produce such a nightmare pathogen, if one fell into their hands they would be foolish enough to deploy it.

I think the next attack will a low tech, extremely creative, well timed series of events designed to damage the economy by taking direct aim at the American public.

If the scare enough people into not spending money they can weaken the economy - or so they think.

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.islamselect.com/
http://islammemo.cc/news/one_news.asp?IDNews=58688
http://islammemo.cc/news/newsimages/israel/cry.jpg
http://islammemo.cc/news/one_news.asp?IDNews=58685
http://islammemo.cc/news/newsimages/Palestine/Alaqsa1.jpg

[ExSoldier]

I think the next attack will a low tech, extremely creative, well timed series of events designed to damage the economy by taking direct aim at the American public. If the scare enough people into not spending money they can weaken the economy - or so they think

Sheeeesh imagine that. And within 24 hours the gun dealers will be out of every lock stock and barrel and every round of ammo and all the gun manufacturers will be working triple overtime to keep up with demand. Dillon will be so backordered on reloading machines that he won't catch up until the 22nd century. Come to think of it, maybe that's why the RATS are suddenly intent on pushing more anti-gun legislation?

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is an exact quote:
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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/20050306_97.html

Soldiers Capture Suspected Bomb Maker in Iraq
American Forces Press Service



WASHINGTON, March 6, 2005 – A Task Force Liberty raid was responsible for the capture of a suspected improvised-explosive-device maker in Jisr Naft in Iraq’s Diyala province March 5, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.

The suspect was found with bomb-making materials in his possession and tested positive for plastic explosives following a residue test, officials said. The bomb making materials were confiscated, and coalition forces detained the suspect.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)



Related Site:
Multinational Force Iraq

[Cindy]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20050306-1342-stab.html

"Man stabbed to death in apparent gang fight "


SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES

1:42 p.m. March 6, 2005

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "SAN DIEGO – An apparent gang-related fight between two groups of men in a Paradise Hills parking lot led to the stabbing death of a 20-year-old man early Sunday, a San Diego homicide lieutenant said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, Lt. Kevin Rooney said."

[Cindy]

http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=438323

AP

"Police Officer Hit by Car, Shoots Suspect"
Updated: Sunday, Mar. 6, 2005 - 10:32 AM


ARTICLE SNIPPET: "CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. - The police officer who was hit by a car and then shot the driver is in stable condition at a local hospital.

The driver was hospitalized with his wounds, but police have no information on his condition."

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://members.hostedscripts.com/top.cgi?user=001
meshawir@hotmail.com
http://www.cyberturf.com/meshawir/moga63h.html
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meshawir@hotmail.com
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meshawir@hotmail.com
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meshawir@hotmail.com
http://www.angelfire.com/ms3/meshawir/
ma7jooob@yahoo.com
http://www.angelfire.com/ms3/meshawir/meshawir.gif

[little jeremiah]

It was in a jihadi message of some sort. "North" and "severnya" were mentioned.