Man taking photos of I-80 bridge found to be on terror watch list

Philly.com ^

[hipaatwo]

STROUDSBURG, Pa. - The Monroe County district attorney says a man on a terrorism watch list was discovered taking photos of the Interstate 80 bridge crossing the Delaware River.

District Attorney E. David Christine tells The Morning Call of Allentown that police talked with the man Monday, but didn't detain him. Christine says the man told police he was taking pictures for fun while on vacation. Christine says authorities didn't learn that the man was on the FBI watch list until later.

The man's name wasn't immediately released.

The man was taking pictures from the New Jersey side of the bridge.

[Publius6961]

Ummm... because some of them are citizens of this country. And, believe it or not, many of the people on the watch lists are not terrorists, even if they may look like it or have suggestive names. That's why it's called a 'watch list' and not a 'deport list' or an 'arrest list.'

An apparent thorough, but useless response.

What, pray tell then, would be the reason (or other justification) to put him on a "watch list?"

[Publius6961]

Wonder if he’d be caught using Google Earth maps of the bridge? < /s >

Another MENSA graduate heard from...

Because skippy, Google maps never display, in detail, the critical supporting substructure of bridges.

That's why.
D'OH!

[Smokin' Joe]

The question is a structural engineering one, actually.

As I understand it, non-redundant structures rely on all of the structural elements remaining intact.

(The engineers here can correct me if I am wrong).

The failures which led to the collapse of the I-35 bridge occurred in one area of the structure, and the rest of the bridge went down when that connection/element failed.

Without going into detail, such structures on major thoroughfares should be identified by engineers, and the local police informed that someone taking pictures of the structure might be taking them for engineering analysis to determine which structural element(s) would need to have failure induced in order to destroy the structure.

It would give LEOs an opportunity to 'profile' based on the possibility that the structure was a target, rather than get snarled up in the usual ACLU crap.

[Lijahsbubbe]

The unidentified man, of Middle Eastern descent,

And just what "descent" is it?

[Publius6961]

The building was nothing special.

If it ever blows up, I'll be sure and remember that.

Whats the address?

[green iguana]

What ... would be the reason ... to put him on a "watch list?"

I direct you to post 52.

[Califreak]

The building was nothing special.

I meant that it wasn’t really architecturally interesting enough to warrant picture taking.

[SoldierDad]

Hmmm. I bought a car not all that long ago and the dealer did not submit my name to any agency to determine if I was on any terror watch list. Perhaps this is not being done everywhere?

[fishtank]

I forget: were big ol’ whitewalls like that still cool in the 1980s? They look retro to at least the 1950s... to me anyway....

[syriacus]

The food’s great, if you like hotdogs. It gets very crowded in the summer time.

Thanks for the review, NeverEVERKerry.

[Solitar]

I was trying to take a picture of a train in Winterhaven, CA last year when a CHPie rolled up and asked what I was doing. I got kind of mad, since it is a hobby of mine, and he only wrote down my California Drivers License, but didnt run me and took off.

How do you know he didn't run you? As a dispatcher I used to run the plates and names the officers called in. Usually they would call in the tag before they even stopped. We could have the tag run AND the registered owner run and report back on both before the officer got out of the car to make contact. If your name matched the registered owner, then there was no need to run you -- cuz it was already done.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

True about I 80 not being able to handle its own traffic. I guess you are from around here. I go 80 East every morning to work and sit in 4 lanes of parking lot to get to work, and the same going home.

That is what I was referring to about 611 as far as tractor trailers. Um...doesn't the Belvidere free Bridge have a weight/height restrictions?

I know Rieglesville, Milford, and Frenchtown do.

[Publius6961]

I direct you to post 52.

I direct you to the original question.
Why him, and not you?
Not why put him on the list, but why choose him to list in the first instance?

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

AMEN!

[Leatherneck_MT]

Hauling them into court won’t do you a bit of good.

We’ve reached the point in this country that the only way to fix the problem is through force.

Either that or say hello to sharia law and your new overlords and masters.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I think you are right. If you take out one support the whole thing will go.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Damned PA Dutch!

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Hey...How are you?

This is close to home for me. Scary stuff.

[Cementjungle]

I forget: were big ol’ whitewalls like that still cool in the 1980s? They look retro to at least the 1950s... to me anyway....

It could have been some monument for all I know.

[the OlLine Rebel]

No.

Unfortunately. We were reduced to some cars having thin strips of white, if any.