Posted on 09/22/2001 3:08:14 PM PDT by Reagan Man
Sources tell TIME that U.S. officials suspect that bin Laden conspirators may have been planning to disperse biological or chemical agents from cropdusting planes
Saturday, Sep. 22, 2001
New York -- U.S. law enforcement officials have found a manual on the operation of cropdusting equipment while searching suspected terrorist hideouts, government sources tell TIME magazine in an issue out on Monday, Sept. 24th.
The discovery has added to concerns among government counterterrorism experts that the bin Laden conspirators may have been planning — or may still be planning —to disperse biological or chemical agents from a cropdusting plane normally used for agricultural purposes.
Among the belongings of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, sources tell TIME, were manuals showing how to operate cropdusting equipment that could be used to spray fast-killing toxins into the air.
The discovery resulted in the grounding of all cropdusters nationwide on Sunday Sept. 16th. The dusters have been allowed back up, but are not allowed to take off or land from what traffic controllers refer to as Class B airspace, or the skies around major cities.
One senior official cautions that because corroborative evidence is lacking the FBI does not place "high credibility" in the notion that the hijackers were in fact exploring the idea of stealing or renting cropdusters. However, the FBI is advising members of a crop-dusters' group to report any suspicious buys of dangerous chemicals in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks.
Last week, the National Agricultural Aviation Association, a crop dusters trade group, posted a message from the FBI to its membership: "Members should be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behavior by employees or customers, and unusual contacts with the public. Members should report any suspicious circumstances or information to local FBI offices."
Travis as you are well aware there are crop dusting planes based on small fields and in many cases on farms in the United states.
The fly well below radar. Many take off and land on private grass strips. There is no way the air traffic control system could even see them. They don't even know where they are.
They all fly VFR (visual flight rules) and there are zero records as where they are at the moment. We grounded them, then let them resume flying. I think there is a reason.
You will notice that Bush, Powel,and Rumsfeld have not ruled out nuclear weapons. I think there is a strong possibility that Bush has notified all nations that if we are hit with biological weapons we will counter attack with both biological and nuclear weapons.
I suspect they have been told that all people in and around a nation that fostered the people or allowed such an attack to occur would die. They would get insant creametorium.
I think we gounded the planes until all nations were notified. I have litle doubt that Bush sent such messages and that the Arabs are certain that he would do it.
Some people here seem to forget that we had pretty good relations with the mujahiden in Afghanistan in the 1980s. After the U.S. withdrew (as the Soviets were faltering) a battle royale ensued amongst the various factions and the anti-Western Taliban prevailed being that they were the most militant. The opposition leader assassinated in northern Afghanistan on Setptember 9th was also a "freedom fighter" who did not share the anti-Western extremism of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda.
If you don't view your own comments as ugly prejudice will you at least take note that Muslims were GOP voters in the last election and many Muslim groups including the AMPCC-PAC. A surefire way to harm Republican interests is for us to apply a blanket definition of evil and suspicion to a people who are not evil and not supportive of terrorist networks who seek harm against the U.S.
If you don't believe me will you listen to Grover Norquist?
We thus far have treated Arabs and Muslims as we treated Germans in the 1940s. Some were questioned, some were harassed by bigots in this country, but most lived without facing the kind of hostility a couple people on this thread wish now to impose on Muslims.
Had this been the NRA attacking us for supporting Britain I certainly hope the hate posts here would not be advocating the roundup of Irish civilians.
``At face value, it is suspect,'' she said. ``It is rare to have 100 kilos (220 pounds) of sulfur and acetone at home, especially in a snack bar.'' }}
ROFLMCO... WHO writes this stuff?
For a graphic nonfiction book (written like a novel) on viruses, nothing beats THE HOT ZONE by Preston about the Ebola virus.
For biological warfare, there was a frightening book out called BIO-HAZARD by one of the former heads of the Soviet Unions biological weapons program. The Soviet's had worked out many of the kinks for using biological weapons and unfortunately much of their workproduct can't be accounted for.
How do you know? The guys in the little boat that came up to the USS Cole before exploding it to smithereens had huge smiles on their faces and were waving.
They ALL smile real big.
How do you tell a genuine, heartfelt smile from one of those "I'm-about-to-blast-your-evil-American-a$$!!!" smile? By the way, has Carl Cameron reported this yet? Who believes Time, anyway? I won't believe it until I hear Carl say it with my own ears.
Are we having fun yet?!
I don't believe Islam per se is peace loving, I believe their may be some Muslims who are tired of the killing and the constant wars they seem to find themselves in. If they are we need and want them on our side but he did make it clear----they are either with us or against us. Here on the US border they keep finding Muslims trying to get in the US, some have been picked up by the Mexican government trying to use the routes the illegal Mexicans use, which is not through US customs.
No one yet has told me how I can tell when I see an Arab looking person walking over toward my neighbor's crop dusting plane if they have good or bad intentions. I know calling the FBI on them just because they have a towel on their head or otherwise appear to be Arab nationals is going to be too biased and bigoted.
The big question is would the local operatives STILL operate if their home countries were turned into a cinder. If so it would prove nasty trying to catch them all.
For a guy who has not particularly been a militia-head, I am beginning to see why we do need our citizen militias back, double time. According to the first clause of the 2nd Amendment the militias will have to be answerable to their home states. (They'll have to coordinate with the office of homeland defense anyhow, or the state liaisons.) But get them going! I wonder why scenarios like this were not discussed on the zillions of 2nd Amendment threads here???
He won't need it the 2nd time around LOL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.