US sniper may be linked to Bin Laden (DC SNIPER ALERT)

The Evening Standard ^ | October 14, 2002 | James Langton

[MadIvan]

Intelligence experts in Washington are increasingly concerned that the gunman known as the "psycho-sniper" could be a terrorist with links to Islamic terror groups.

From the evidence gathered so far, which includes a handwritten note by the gunman, investigators think English may not be his first language.

The shootings, which have left eight dead in fewer than 12 days, coincided with a warning that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network is planning new attacks. The FBI warned last Wednesday that supporters of Bin Laden were "targeting key sectors of the US economy" and has long suspected that a number of "sleeper" cells are still active.

The latest victim, on Friday morning, was father-of-six Kenneth Bridges, gunned down at a petrol station in Fredericksburg.

Investigators are troubled by the gunman's behaviour, in particular his habit of selecting targets at random. Recent reports suggest he may have a female accomplice and drives a large white van.

[Elenya]

By the way, I hate to be rude, but this "Dear Policeman" debate is just downright laughable.

Agreed. For more evidence, see my posts #117 and 163. Some people just don't want to hear anything that goes against their theory. Mine is that they're 2 punks on Ritalin without parental supervision, bored with violent video games, still living with Mom and Dad (but older teens at least) and alternating between being the driver and the shooter.

The best shooter is the one who shoots to the head and fires from inside the truck. All his victims are dead. The weakest link and probably the younger one is the one who shoots to the upper torso and fires from outside the van.

But I'm open to any new evidence that would make me change my mind. For instance if the 36 year old man with sandy hair is actually the killer look alike, I know I'll be wrong.

[js1138]

He wasn't a devout Muslim. A devout Muslim wouldn't kill innocent people.

Islam does not appear to be mololithic. There appear to be regions where drinking alcohol is accepted.

My problem with the religion (and people) as a whole is they have not yet accepted responsibility for their economic backwardness. Many, including Saddam, were raised by card-carrying Nazis, and have perpetuated the anti-Jewish ideology of Hitler. And those who profess to be peaceful nevertheless affiliate themselves with socialists and totalitarians of all stripes. They simply have no concept of individual rights and liberties.

[Polybius]

Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot.

But remember that devout Muslims would have nothing to do with strip joints and there the 9/11 terrorists were: clean shaven and in a strip joint.

As I recall, a captured al Qaeda training manual advised that terrorists had a dispensation from some Muslim laws so that they may blend in better with the local population, avoid capture and thereby have a better chance to fulfill their mission.

The Tarot card may be a piece of disinformation deliberately left behind to throw the investigatoer off the trail.

[KsSunflower]

I don't think people here want it to be a Al Qaeda terrorist. It is just that it seems that it isn't a theory that should be summarily dismissed and that there are certain aspects of what is going on that would suggest this is certainly a possibility that until very recently seemed to be being dismissed by the powers that be.

[poppyseed]

I think the fact that the public has apparently not been much help...it seems the police are grasping at straws...tends to make me begin to lean towards the terrorist angle.

The public hasn't been a lot of help because the police, who it seems ARE grasping at straws, haven't really given us much to work with. A white van? A white box truck? Do you have any idea how many of those there are around here? I can count fifty or more on my forty-five minute commute. And we aren't given a physical description of the suspect. That may well be because no one has a description, because part of being a sniper is remaining hidden as you take your shot.

Just because the sniper is behaving like a sniper doesn't mean that this is a terrorist of the AQ variety. It simply means the sniper is pretty good at doing what snipers do, and so continues to befuddle police, who have little information to give the public.

[Prodigal Son]

Yes, but they weren't the target.....they were unfortunates who were "in the way" of the target. The 13-year-old child was the target here.

What do you mean they weren't the target? Just in the way were they? So who wasn't in the way that day? McVeigh planted a bomb in a building where men, women and children were congregated. You think he gave a damn? He was a callous thug, a cold hearted killer. He didn't give a sh!t who he killed. He did it with a cold heart and was totally callous and unrepentant about it later.

Besides this- there are literally an unknowable number of child killers walking around our country and others as we speak. Some Americans do apparantly get off on killing kids. It is totally preposterous to say an American wouldn't kill a child on purpose- happens all the time.

[Demidog]

And because of this, if the gunman were Serbian, he'd be justified in your view?

Are you a moron? Nothing I said would suggest that I consider the murder of innocent people justified.

[areafiftyone]

Oh I wouldn't say it was the Zodiac killer - he's probably too old right now. But the MO is the same when it comes to terrorizing a community.

[AntiGuv]

Just killed them, I should've typed. The Zodiac Killer was rather out there, however, so it's hard to figure exactly what he was thinking. They also much later connected him to a killing from years earlier where he left a watch that had been stopped with the hands in the same orientation as the geographic layout of his murders (I don't recall now how they were tied). Was strange b/c if the connection is accurate then he either planned the killing spree years in advance or alternately patterned it for whatever reason after the killing of the college girl with which the watch was left. That's one theory, anyhow (about the earlier connection), which I think makes more sense than the others I've read.

[nicmarlo]

There was a reason why he picked the building he picked. I seem to recall there were some offices of govenment there, as well as other "important" types of businesses. This building "happened" to also have a daycare facility. That was irrelevant to him.....in his mind, it matter naught that children would "happen" to die because they were in a building that housed his "real targets." Is this not what he meant by "collateral damage?"

[aristeides]

Don't you get the idea from certain posters on this site that the government is very anxious to discount any theory that the sniper shootings, the anthrax, and various other incidents of late were perpetrated by Moslems?

[Chemnitz]

Your husband is a smart officer. I agree on all your points. I never thought of the oil/gas connection. The journalists report it as just being convenient for a getaway. Terrorist attacks normally have special meaning attached to them. Thus the WTC was attacked not once but twice.

Once it was pointed out how disciplined the attacks were, I suspected a sniper team. Now someone on TV has said they are thinking two sniper teams. I have a lot of trouble imagining a lone nut shooter. It doesn't fit.

[Demidog]

My problem with the religion (and people) as a whole is they have not yet accepted responsibility for their economic backwardness.

Religion and economics are seperate issues. There are poor Christian's as well.

[KsSunflower]

I'm not referring to the vehicle as a major clue. I just think that it is slightly incredible that with the number of attacks in such a short time, coupled with the obvious clues..shooting skills, unaccounted for time, nothing on the weekends, possible vehicle identification, personality and demeanor clues, it would seem that someone would be able to put these together.

[MadIvan]

Are you a moron? Nothing I said would suggest that I consider the murder of innocent people justified.

I see. You come out with a post rationalising this kind of attack if the sniper were Serbian, and we're supposed to say, you're not rationalising it. And anyone who disagrees with you is stupid, which is a typical libertarian attitude on this board.

And you probably wonder why your head gets caved in here on a regular basis.

Ivan

[stlnative]

Yes, but a devout Muslim would have nothing to do with Tarot. I just can't buy this scenario, even though I would prefer to think that we don't have a case of an American killing his fellow Americans.

The oldest playing cards date back to tenth century China, but the four suits of tarot and modern playing cards probably originated with a fourteenth century Muslim deck.[Decker] According to de Givry, in the modern 52-card deck of ordinary playing cards, sticks or wands = clubs (and announce news); swords = spades (and presage unhappiness and death); cups = hearts (and presage happiness); coins = diamonds (and presage money). According to Decker, the Muslim sticks represented polo sticks. As Europeans were not yet familiar with polo, they changed the suit of sticks to that of wands, cudgels or batons.

http://skepdic.com/tarot.html

[Demidog]

That was irrelevant to him.....in his mind, it matter naught that children would "happen" to die because they were in a building that housed his "real targets."

It mattered even less to the BATF who warned off their agents and didn't bother to warn anyone else.

[DB]

It looks like the sniper might be shooting from inside the truck. That would help explain the minimal gunshot sound when he fires.

If there is another person driving they would be very difficult to pin point.

Especially if still moving when the single shot is fired...

[AntiGuv]

Here's some more info on the Zodiac Killer if you're intrigued to read up on this whackjob..

http://www.crimelibrary.com/zodiac/zodiac/zodiacmain.htm

I read this a really long while ago & I'm only half awake right now or else I'd remember more details..

[MadIvan]

It mattered even less to the BATF who warned off their agents and didn't bother to warn anyone else.

This thread is for a discussion about the sniper. You trying to send it off on tangents because of the ideological axe you have to grind is not helpful. Just as you libertarians have been very little help in the war on terror in general.

Ivan