Local psychologist believes sniper kills done by terrorists

Knoxnews.com ^ | Oct. 15, 2002 | J.J. Stambaugh

[philetus]

"If this is Islamic terrorism, perhaps there's some garage doors open for them"

There would be a lot of garage doors open to him.And houses, and help.

There is no way this guy can do all these shootings in metro areas, most in broad daylight,get away clean every time and not be getting help.
After all the shootings, the police and the public are on high alert for anything out of the ordinary and still he is able to slip in, shoot a woman and slip away.

I may be proved wrong, but I don't believe this is a nut. I think it is a highly organized terrorist operation.I think they are trying to see how long they can get away with it. I think soon they will start the same thing in other cities.
Terrorism's main goal is not to kill,but to disrupt and terrorize and they have to be encouraged at the affect they are having, because they are doing just that.

Just one mans opinion.

[twntaipan]

Now its personal (for the FBI). Wonder if this one was payback or just random.

[Kerberos]

"But is it coincidence?"

Probably is a coincidence since the victims are being selected at random.

However I think that the point of these attacks is to affect the workings of the Federal government. If that is true the sniper hit the jackpot with this victim.

[aristeides]

Wonder if this one was payback or just random.

I think that may depend on whether she was working the sniper case. I wonder if we'll ever find out.

[MHGinTN]

Sound reasoning. And yes, this will be spreading to other metro areas since it has been so damn successful in the DC area due to massive 24/7 media hype.

[aristeides]

Pity Montgomery County has capped its reward at $500,000. Maybe VA can set up its own separate reward fund. For, say, $5 million, somebody might be willing to rat these guys out.

[js1138]

Just imagine if the "offical" word gets out that there are professional terrorists among the population who are acting with near-impunity. That would result in some serious problems for civil and social order.

That's right. Citizens might actually take some action to protect themselves.

I know what you are thinking, but that's not what would happen.

First, people would organize the mall equivalent of neighborhood watches, carry video cameras, audio recorders. A simple four-track audio recording could pinpoint the exact location of any shot, and be coordinated with video. We're talking about a few hundred dollars per location.

[aristeides]

Fire at Union Station Metro station now put out, according to WMAL.

[js1138]

Just one man's opinion.

Make that two.

[Talldocs1]

Someone knows something....do you recall the story of the muslim boy in New York telling his teacher, as he pointed ou the window that in a few days " that building over there" will no longer be there.....

[HoosierFather]

The recent "hits" are not confined to Virginia, as you claimed. They have been documented in Washington, DC, suburban Maryland, as well as suburban Virgina. But, they are all localised around the Washington metropolitan area.

Let's suppose that this sniper or sniper team is in reality an islamic terrorist cell. If they wanted to achieve the maximum terror effect and the maximum national media coverage with their sniper operation, what would be a logical place to start? Memphis? Toledo? Omaha?

Washington, D.C. is the symbol of American freedom and strength around the world and was a target for the Bin Laden bunch on 9/11. Launching an organized sniper attack in the suburban Washington area would likely be their first choice.

Randomly shooting innocent Americans of diverse ages, gender, and race fits with a person or persons whose single-minded goal is terror. Just because similar sniper shootings are not occuring in other cities and locations in the US should not lead us to conclude that these events are not related to Islamic terror.

This sniper (or snipers) is very well trained. He is a good shot (one bullet, one kill in 9 out of 11 shootings), and has carefully planned out the locations and the escape routes for each hit. This guy (or team) is extremely skilled in blending in with his environment before making his kills and in evading law enforcement after the event. Thus, one may conclude that this guy (or team) has had some organized sniper training. But, how can we rule out that such training occurred in one of Bin Laden's camp around the world? We cannot!

And, since the DC sniper killings do not seem to fit any logical pattern that would overlay with a "normal" profile for either serial or spree killers, it seems logical to at least consider the possibility that these events could be organized by a foreign terrorist cell.

[mondonico]

Especially if a citizen in CCW Virginia ends up popping the guy.

My thought exactly. Then Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's shameless exploitation of these deaths would blow up in her ugly face.

[angkor]

The people doing this are enormously familiar with the area roads.

Excellent point. Your mention of a cabbie also answers some questions.

Since there are probably two, its likely the driver is very knowledgeable about DC Metro roads, and not just the highways. He knows traffic patterns and methods of escape and how to plan a shooting for both impact and easy egress.

He knows how the traffic flows in different parts of the area, maybe even a few shortcuts around traffic "chokepoints." Obviously quite an experienced driver, not some newbie to the area (his whole pattern seems almost diabolically knowledgeable).

And it wouldn't be merely a local DC or Virginia cabbie, but someone who drives all around the metro area, for example an airport cabbie. If he serviced National DCA, he'd be in just about every suburban area so far targeted by the shooter: Manassas, Bowie, Falls Church, Kensington. The Fredericksburg shootings don't add up, but I suppose its possible someone might take an airport cab to/from there.

On the other hand the shooter is probably the al Qaeda import, probably not at all familiar with the roads, but experienced with killing.

I've been wondering from the outset how these guys knew so much about the roads and traffic. Airport cabbie make a great deal of sense.

I suppose its obvious, but most DC airport cabbies are not white male ex-Marine sharpshooters with NRA memberships.

[sweetliberty]

"My personal belief is that this is the latest form of terrorism, but we just don't want to admit it."

I am inclined to agree. I have thought this for some time. I just hope that when they do eventually get cornered, it isn't planned and they don't go out in suicide bomber fashion taking more innocent people with them.

[sweetliberty]

"there is more value in not claiming reasonability at this point in that it is more deceptive to watch us run around and try and claim that it is everything under the sun except what it is, terrorism."

Exactly!

[Deguello]

This was never released but it appears to be spook stuff. Maybe a Jack Ryan type of analyst that they wanted removed?

[Kerberos]

"Wonder if this one was payback or just random."

I would think that the fact she worked for the FBI is just coincidence as the victims are pretty clearly being selected at random and have nothing in common.

However I think there are two things that are pertinent here.

1. That the point of these attacks is not make all of the people in the metro DC are feel they are not secure. In addition, I think it is pertinent that this is happening in DC and have to ask the question as to how many people who live in this area work for the Federal government. I would assume quite a few. What happens if many of these people stop going to work out of fear.

2. I also find it interesting that giving the choice of targets in this instance, i.e., male or female, which were pretty clearly husband and wife, why did the shooter choose the female. Could it be to demonstrate that we cannot protect our wife's and families? The fact that this particular female worked for the government is just a bonus.

[sweetliberty]

"Last night's shooting is a leisurely 10 to 15 minutes drive from Northern VA's largest Muslim neighborhood (actually closer to 10 than to 15 minutes)."

Do you think the cops are checking the place out?

[sweetliberty]

Wasn't there one at a post office?

[mondonico]

I wonder if the police have been searching the underground parking lots in the Skyline area.

If not, they should be fired. I dearly hope PC has not destroyed our ability to see our enemies.