FBI Warns of Scuba Diver Terror Attacks

Netscape Newscenter/Reuters ^ | 5.24.02

[mhking]

FBI Warns of Possible Scuba Diver Terror Attacks

5/24/2002

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI on Friday added to a recent string of warnings by citing the possible use of scuba divers by terrorists to conduct an attack.

"Recent information has determined that various terrorist elements have sought to develop an offensive scuba diver capability," the FBI said in an information bulletin issued by its National Infrastructure Protection Center.

"While there is no evidence of operational planning to utilize scuba divers to carry out attacks within the United States, there is a body of information showing the desire to obtain such capability," the FBI said.

It asked the public to report any suspicious activity to local FBI offices.

An FBI spokesman said the scuba diver alert was based on "uncorroborated information" and it also was sent to state and local law enforcement agencies.

"We are sharing this information out of an abundance of caution. It is nothing to get panicked about," the spokesman said.

The scuba diver bulletin came a day after the U.S. Transportation Department warned of possible attacks on rail and transit systems across the country, again based on unconfirmed information.

Earlier this week, the FBI warned of possible general threats against landmarks in New York, including the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge.

Vice President Dick Cheney warned over the weekend about the probability that extremists could launch fresh attacks and FBI Director Robert Mueller said on Monday another attack was inevitable.

The latest warnings come more than eight months after hijacked airplanes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11, killing about 3,000 people.

Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, said on CNN, "I worry that over time with so many warnings with such frequency Americans begin not to take them seriously."

[demsux]

Casino boats?

[Diddle E. Squat]

Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads...

[piasa]

Hey, sounds like someone read my brother's report.

[week 71]

A dam maybe?

[B-A-Grizzley]

Cruise ships?

Some can hold abount the same number of people that died in the WTC.

[Free Trapper]

IIRC after the 911 attack at least one wetsuit was reported to have been found in one of the terrorists apartments.

I don't remember if other dive gear was reported or not.

[MatthewViti]

The FBI really needs to stop with this stupid "alerts" why don't they go out and do something like KICK THE ARABS OUT OF THE US!!! for God sakes!!! Am I the only person that feels this way?

[Jonah Hex]

"Aqualung my friend, don't start away uneasy ..."

[Jennifer in Florida]

Uh oh... I'm going to go jump in the shower and then hide under the bed! OK, so that's landmarks, bridges, subways, trains, small planes and now scuba divers. Am I missing anything? What next?

[TADSLOS]

Where's Loyd Bridges when you need him?

[swarthyguy]

HIzbollah said yesterday no attacks on US soil. I was going to reply about attacks underwater or in the air. NOw i don't have to.

[Jennifer in Florida]

KICK THE ARABS OUT OF THE US!!! for God sakes!!! Am I the only person that feels this way?
I agree with you. Did anybody see Ollie North on Fox and Friends this morning? He was talking about the Japanese kamakazi pilots in WWII, and how they wore headbands similar to what the homicide bombers in Israel wear.. he made some other comparisons. What did we do to stop Japan? We NUKED them.

[Free Trapper]

No,I don't believe you're all alone in having those thoughts.;O)

[Jonah Hex]

It was about this time Lloyd Bridges was running out of air .....

[BlackbirdSST]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water....Blackbird.

[inflorida]

Cruise ships?

I've thought about that too. The new ships hold thousands of people. In fact I was just on one that had 2600 passengers and about 1100 crew.

[TADSLOS]

It was about this time Lloyd Bridges was running out of air .....

I guess he picked a bad day to give up oxygen.

[JennysCool]

[codebreaker]

I loved him in 'Airplane' he was hilarious...