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Shootings to spread to other cities? Expert thinks Washington-area killer doing 'market research
World Net Daily ^ | 10/17/02 | Jon E. Dougherty

Posted on 10/17/2002 7:37:22 PM PDT by GOP_Lady


WND Exclusive
D.C. SNIPER TERROR
Shootings to spread to other cities?
Expert thinks Washington-area killer doing 'market research'

Posted: October 17, 2002
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Jon Dougherty
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com

A former Green Beret and combat veteran who is an expert in Middle East-based Islamic terrorism believes the sniper killings in the Washington, D.C., area may be the opening shots of a wider, national effort directed against the United States.

John Moore, a former Missouri homicide detective and veteran of more than 57 combat missions in Vietnam, told WorldNetDaily in a wide-ranging interview that he believes the recent sniper attacks are just the beginning of a larger campaign.

"What's going on is what I like to call 'marketing research,'" said Moore, who is also the author of several Special Forces classified studies on Islamic terrorism. "It may just be a test tactic for future use."

He said if the shootings are the work of a terrorist cell – and he believes they are – they "may want to learn just how much shooting they have to do in order to get the desired effect."

A desired effect of the attacks, he said, is "a percentage reduction in productivity," as well as the creation of gridlock in and around the nation's capital. Also, such an operation would seek to damage the local economy while sowing fear and confusion.

The Sept. 11 attacks resulted in substantial losses to the U.S. economy, analysts have determined.

"If you want to create terror while expending a minimal amount of resources, they're certainly doing an excellent job of that," he said, adding the Washington-area attacks "could simply be a matter of fine-tuning this particular tactic" to achieve maximum results.

Moore said the leadership of many of the terrorist organizations aligned against the U.S. are led by well-educated men who have studied American society and culture. He also said they are well-positioned to predict how American leaders will react to certain threats.

"The people in charge of these various organizations – al-Qaida being one of about a dozen – have advanced degrees in the 'hard subjects' such as engineering and mathematics," he said. "They also know they have a finite amount of resources. So they are going to want to know how much of those resources they are going to have to use to get the desired effect."

Once they figure out what works, it's likely they'll apply the formula to other American cities, he said.

Moore's theories coincide with other evidence first disclosed by WorldNetDaily last month. An al-Qaida training videotape, captured in Afghanistan, shows Osama bin Laden's terrorists are not only planning attacks with weapons of mass destruction, but are preparing to kill Americans with drive-by shootings and home break-ins, through ambushes of law-enforcement officers and targeted assassinations on golf courses.

Analysts were surprised by some of what they saw in the latest video and believe they employ terrorist tactics and techniques meant for export to America and other nations, WND reported.

Moore said he believes the "main event" to what's happening in D.C. "will come when we attack Iraq."

"When the war begins in earnest, that would be the time to proceed with whatever [terrorist groups] intend to do [in the U.S.], expending a lot of resources in a lot of cities at the same time to get the maximum impact," said Moore. "That would be the smartest thing."

Yesterday, President Bush – joined by 100 lawmakers in an East Room ceremony – signed a congressional resolution authorizing him to use force against Iraq if Baghdad refuses to disarm and get rid of any weapons of mass destruction.

The resolution "symbolizes the united purpose of our nation, expresses the considered judgment of the Congress and marks an important event in the life of America," he said. "The 107th Congress is one of the few called by history to authorize military action to defend our nation in the cause of peace."

Moore, who says he's done more than 17,500 hours of urban, suburban and rural surveillance, also praised the sniper's choice of vehicle, and indicated that it added yet another air of professionalism to his attacks.

"Most people, most of the time, in any business area won't pay much attention to any given vehicle," he said. "The choice of vehicles was a very smart move. The color white is by far and away the most used color for work and delivery vans in the U.S."

That fact may be why the sniper – or, some believe, snipers – has eluded capture thus far.

Also, police have been unable to release a composite sketch of alleged sniper suspects. Though a number of witnesses reported seeing a sniper in action Monday night when FBI analyst Linda Franklin was shot and killed in Falls Church, Va., police said Wednesday too many factors – such as distance and darkness – have prevented them from reporting enough similarities for a drawing, Fox News reported yesterday.

Franklin is the sniper's 11th victim and the ninth to die. Each have been felled with a single gunshot.

The only common denominator, said Capt. Nancy Demme of the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department yesterday, is that the alleged shooter "is male."

"We don't have a refined description to go by. I know that's not what the public wants to hear," she told reporters.

Should the sniper attacks spread to more communities and cities, Moore believes one of the first things to be sacrificed will be personal liberties.

In fact, he says martial law in some cities or states is a real possibility if attacks get out of hand. And he believes most Americans will accept it in exchange for a promise of security – though he says that kind of dramatic response would be used as a last resort because it would hamper business and commerce, making the fragile U.S. economy even more volatile.

"First and foremost, the business of America is business," he said.

Click here to read WND's coverage of the Washington-area shootings



Jon E. Dougherty is a staff reporter and columnist for WorldNetDaily, and author of the special report, "Election 2000: How the Military Vote Was Suppressed."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: sniper; terrorism; terrorist
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To: Pitchfork
Folks, we in VA are a ccw state and, we believe the death penalty is a proper sentence for an unforgivable crime. It doesn't stop anyone hellbent on murder. If someone breaks into your home and you are amed, you have a good chaance of surviving. This cowardly move however, leaves us defenseless because, you don't know that you are the target until you're hit. Then it's too late.

I don't have an answer yet as to how to stay safe, I do know he/they haven't hit the same place twice. Let's not let he/them ruin our economy more than has been done. This person(s) is/are not in charge of our country and wat of life.
81 posted on 10/17/2002 8:46:42 PM PDT by Thisiswhoweare
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To: Shooter 2.5
I used to shoot with the local constabulary at the local range - most of them couldn't hit the sillouette at 50 feet but half of the time
82 posted on 10/17/2002 8:47:30 PM PDT by Ford Fairlane
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To: mrustow
Bumoing for morning reading. Goodnight.
83 posted on 10/17/2002 8:48:16 PM PDT by Betty Jane
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To: CIB-173RDABN
Good question,I have no answer,but I'm wondering if police would have been able to return fire,althought I am aware one victim was shot directly across the street from a police officer and still got away.
84 posted on 10/17/2002 8:48:24 PM PDT by Rocksalt
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To: Route66; Peach; Bella; Pete; areafiftyone; brigette; harpseal; Merovingian; Miss Marple; ...
Ping
85 posted on 10/17/2002 8:49:21 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Mulder
Re #65

Point well taken

86 posted on 10/17/2002 8:49:46 PM PDT by Michael Barnes
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To: Mulder
I disagree. If an armed American sees the murderer setting up, or leaving the scene, a handgun can be very effective. (I've read where one of the eye witnesses was only 40 feet away, which is an easy shot with a pistol).

I, personally, would not relish going up against someone in less than perfect lighting when he has a rifle and I only a pistol. I don't think most could guarantee a kill shot before being splattered with .223 rounds. Particularly if his partner might be similarly armed.

87 posted on 10/17/2002 8:49:47 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Ford Fairlane
I'm going to say that I agree with you in the fact that most people couldn't hit a barn if they were inside it.

I am one of only a few people who actually carry my pistol wherever I go and that includes the members of the IDPA club I belong to.

If anyone is carrying for the reason of stopping this killer, rest assured they will have a higher degree of experience and/or some sort of plan. If they don't, they're wasting their time.

88 posted on 10/17/2002 8:51:51 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5
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To: Ford Fairlane
"a pistol against a sniper is useless."

How about a scoped .223 caliber hunting pistol?

Caliber Options: .22 Hornet MB22H MB22HMC .223 Rem. MB223 MB223MC .22/250 Rem. MB22250 MB22250MC .243 Win. MB243 MB243MC 7mm-08 Rem. MB708 MB708MC 7mm B.R. MB7BR MB7BRMC .30-30 Win. MB3030 MB3030MC 7.62 x 39 MB762 MB762MC .308 Win. MB308 MB308MC .30-06 Sprfld MB3006 MB3006MC .357 Maximum MB357 MB357MC .358 Win. MB358 MB358MC .35 Rem. MB35 MB35MC .44 Magnum MB44 MB44MC .444 Marlin
"One Shot. One Chance. Many Choices."
89 posted on 10/17/2002 8:52:41 PM PDT by Asmodeus
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To: cinFLA
I, personally, would not relish going up against someone in less than perfect lighting when he has a rifle and I only a pistol. I don't think most could guarantee a kill shot before being splattered with .223 rounds. Particularly if his partner might be similarly armed.

The point is that it should be your choice, instead of pre-emptively restricted by the state. That's what Freedom is all about.

Lighting, range, available cover, your skill, and the weapon (bolt-action or semiauto) that the murderer is using, are all considerations that must be weighed before taking defensive action.

90 posted on 10/17/2002 8:55:14 PM PDT by Mulder
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To: RLK
At 100 feet I will make a lethal hole in a person EVERY time. Even with my age and eyesight I won't miss a person's head at 75. In my younger years I wouldn't get a less that fatal shot at 75 YARDS.

I think your memory is failing you in your old age.

91 posted on 10/17/2002 8:58:22 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Asmodeus
I forgot that I had my T/C in .44 mag. If Dallas ever has problems, I could always keep that in the car and keep my CCW on me.
92 posted on 10/17/2002 8:58:31 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5
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To: Asmodeus
Those are nice - very nice - i've shot one and I was impressed, but I prefer this:

Of course I built mine myself

93 posted on 10/17/2002 8:59:59 PM PDT by Ford Fairlane
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To: unix
But common sense and the Corps has taught me that returning fire is better than doing nothing. Using the right ammo, quite a bit of damage can be done to surrounding area's resulting in secondary "shrapenel"(sp?). Just 'cause I use a .357, .44 or 9mm does not mean that I cannot do some damage and keep the assholes head down.

This guys mo is one shot and leave. If you interrupt his exit you risk a lot of return fire from one or more .223's. I would not want to attract that kind of fire!

94 posted on 10/17/2002 9:00:36 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Pitchfork
"When did that latest message from OBL get aired?"

I think OBL's dead as a doornail. Maybe the phony OBL message was a activation signal though.
95 posted on 10/17/2002 9:03:08 PM PDT by Rocksalt
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To: cinFLA
I have a friend that puts clay birds on a bank at 60 yards away and he destroys them with a .454 Casull. I understand the ground splatter breaks the clays as much as his bullets do, but it's still far away. After he's done with breaking them, he tries for the pieces.
96 posted on 10/17/2002 9:04:40 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5
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To: Brett66
"The numbers don't look good. If there were say 200 snipers spread out through the nation and each could take out 20 people, then that would be 4,000 people dead in about a month. The police would be overwhelmed, they couldn't handle that level of activity. It could lead to a general breakdown of law and order where people don't think the police can protect them."

There is a chance that this scenario could occur. But I think that before the situation got that bad there would be a massive round-up of all illegals, resident aliens, those here on "student visas" etc. from the Middle East; refusal of entry to the US for those from Islamic countries. A shut down of all mosques and massive deportations or internment of all illegals in the US would occur. We would close embassies from Moslem countries and cut all of those "cultural" contacts. I believe the government would have to do it to keep the American public from going "postal" on the muslims and Arabs in general.

97 posted on 10/17/2002 9:05:18 PM PDT by StormEye
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To: cinFLA
After hearing about the increased gun sales and carry permit apps in Virginia it appears there may be a lot of newly armed (likely inexperience shooters) out there. I sincerely hope that a few of them don't get all gung-ho and try to face these guys down. If they are AQ trained and carrying semi-auto .223s all that will result is an increased body count.

Your best weapon is always your wits.
98 posted on 10/17/2002 9:07:43 PM PDT by Pitchfork
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To: Shooter 2.5
I have a friend that puts clay birds on a bank at 60 yards away and he destroys them with a .454 Casull. I understand the ground splatter breaks the clays as much as his bullets do, but it's still far away. After he's done with breaking them, he tries for the pieces.

I have made some great shots at long range with my Ruger .357 Blackhawk but it is no a carry weapon. Also it was under ideal conditions. Much different with a typical carry weapon whose bench accuracy alone at long range would dampen the chance of a kill shot. Given a moving target, obstables and "deer fever" it would be almost suicide for most to attempt to get the sniper armed with his carry weapon. Now, given any of my deer rifles, and it would be another story!

99 posted on 10/17/2002 9:09:49 PM PDT by cinFLA
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To: Pitchfork
I just read another thread that detailed how the FBI director just told Connie Chung on CNN that they are 50% sure this is the work of Al Queda.
100 posted on 10/17/2002 9:14:16 PM PDT by Rocksalt
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