but my smiley guy's still kinda babyshi'ite green ...
Posted on 10/08/2002 11:34:37 AM PDT by SLB
I accede to your point.
Everyone "blends in" in that part of Montgomery County. It has a huge percentage of recent immigrants from all over the world in that area especially.
but my smiley guy's still kinda babyshi'ite green ...
This is the work of one - or more likely two - of our peace-loving religionist immigrants. Although I guess it's possible that a psycho could hold it together this long, the techniques seem too methodical. Of course, the ranges of the shots indicate that not much training is needed to make them, but remember that this area is a target-rich enviroment. Even a trained sniper will only shoot from the minimum distance needed to safely escape. It bothers me that none of the authorities involved in the investigation have even raised the possibility that this is a (muslim) terrorist act, which leads me to my second theory...
The FBI will blame it on WHOEVER THEY WANT - either to keep the public calm, to protect muslims living here from being attacked, or political expediency - take your pick. There will be suspects found, and I don't think any of them will be foreigners. Who will be the next Richard Jewell?
This whole thing will badly hurt the RKBA movement. Since 9-11, gun sales and CCW's have been up, but the anti's will do everything they can to push those numbers back down. The sheeple will be even more suspicious of anyone who owns guns. Expect some very ominous gun laws to come out of this. I've said for years that many hunters didn't worry about that assault weapon ban because it didn't affect them. I'm afraid that's about to change. All I can say is, I'm thankful that I shoot on a very private rural range.
One thing I'd like to ask. It may have been discussed before on related threads, but I missed it. Has anyone raised the possibilty of the FBI using the "shot caller" technology to catch the sniper? It's the microphone system that is set up in urban/suburban areas that triangulates the source of a gunshot. It even displays the trajectory of the bullet on a computer monitor. I understand that several dozen units would have to be in place to cover the area, but surely someone has thought of this. Some of us touched on this on the thread about the "robo-sniper" that the Israelis are fielding. Would this be effective technology, or is it one of those things that probably work in theory, like 'cold fusion'? -Or perhaps it's still in the development stage?
It does not fit the mondus operandi of Al Queda. Such an organization uses tactics that are nebulous, well cordinated, and with an intent of causing mass disruption and localized destruction! Also they are supposed to provide the most bang for the buck. Most of all they are meant to create a major statement ...for example the Khobar bombing and the Africa Embassy bombings saying US military (in the Khobar case) and political installations (embassy) abroad are not safe; the USS Cole being meant as an attritive attack to show the American warmachine is vulnerable( this was directed at the Arabs to show the Americans are 'vulnerable' ...in essence Al Queda propaganda); and 9-11 to show that even targets within the US and that are centers of political (Pentagon and the presumed Whitehouse/congress target that was never hit) and financial (WTC) power are vulnerable. The mark of a terrorist attack is the strive for a statement.
This sniper may have caused disruption (and it is mass disruption) and by killing 6 people caused localized destruction, but the only message inherent in his slayings is the quest for carnage! This is more applicable to some kook who is American and is trying to vent his rage (or madness .....i would say both) on innocents.
If it was Al Queda they would pick a target such as a kindergarten and go and slay all the kids in it! That would be more to their M.O than shooting 7 people last week and a kid this monday! Why do that when taking out a kindergarten would cause even greater disruption and have reverberations that would be felt around the world?
I know most people would rather not think an American could do such a thing but based on what is known right now this is the work of some crazy kook on some bloodthristy vendetta!
Were it Al Queda the carnage would be greater, more organized, more ruthless, better played for the media, with a target that is either of profound social/political/financial importance or would cause great anguish (eg the kindergarten example), and so forth.
Using .223 shots to pick off random people is something that is in the league of those sickos who storm into a Post Office and kill everyone in it with an AR-15, or the dude who got fired who walks into his workplace with two carbines ,pockets full of ammo, and veins full of stimulants. In essence your homebred psycho with a good gun and a bad brain! Al Queda on the other hand would try to get something that would cause more ripples than shooting 8 people.
And as for Al Queda being on a tight budget ....i know a lot of their funds have been frozen but they still have 'dynamic funds' from the Sauds and they definitely have enough funding to ensure they do not have to resort to .223 ammo. And why use such ammo when they could easily get some Frag grenades and lob them in the subway system terminal during rush hour and with 4 grenades take out scores of people?
In essence i highly doubt Al qeuda would waste an operative on a mission of picking off a few people at random. They would try their best to ensure that every operative they have is used to the fullest extent possible. In essence maximizing their minimal resources. Sending off an operative to do what this sicko is doing, even if it is just one operative, would be a total waste of resources.
The muzzle velocity of a .223Rem is 3,240fps. The muzzle velocity of a .308Win is 3,270fps. As you can see, there's very little difference between the two where speed's concerned.
If it matters to you, the speed of sound in Baltimore today was about 1,130 fps.
NOVEMBER 1998 : (FAZUL REHMAN KHALIL, HARAKAT UL-ANSAR, HARAKAT UL-ANSAR) Harakat ul-Ansar and current Harakat ul-Mujahedin leader Fazul Rehman Khalil vowed to kill 100 Americans for each dead Muslim.
1998 : (LASHKAR-I-JHANGVI) The leader of the Lashkar-l-Jhangvi party vowed publicly to kill U.S. citizens and offered his support to Usama Bin Ladin after US strikes on training camps.
However, it is difficult to surmise what the jihadis are planning to do in the coming months. There are rumours that they may launch more strikes to thwart peace initiatives. Intelligence agencies say the unusual silence may be broken by a mighty attack.
Liberal policies of the Musharraf government have reduced the influence of religious organisations, and some people believe Musharraf will be able to erase terrorism from Pakistan. "I can't believe a military man reacting like this," said Fazul Rehman Khalil, a Harkatul Ansar activist. "The coward has left us at the mercy of the Indian forces. But we never forgive people who betray us." - The Week, an Indian news site
He was/is the original leader of Harkat ul Ansar, which was originally a splinter group of Jamait-e-Ulema-Islami. Harkat ul Ansar is now is now defunct; it formed the base for Jaish-e-Muhammad , Harakat ul-Ansar.
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