Cruise ship outbreak sickens 212

CNN ^ | 10 Dec 2002

[nicmarlo]

This *could* be a dry run for something more dastardly."

Who's that American born, Middle Eastern man, FOX news analyst.....very credible......darn, I can't think of his name......he has said that AQ/other terrorists usually "practice" first, on a "small" sample, refining/testing techniques, first; then they go for bigger hits....it's their MO.

[UKCajun]

Yes. And so do British, etc.

Incidentally, Britain got it first case of anthrax this weekend:

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:462155::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,20080

However, they say it is naturally occurring.

[copycat]

And yes, it is economic warfare against the shipping industry. I don´t doubt it for a minute.

Maybe more sinister. How would you guarantee that the maximumnumber of Americans were "in-country" and not abroad for some event you may be planning? Close down international tourism is how.

How would you do that? Attack Americans in cruise ships, and tourist spots abroad to convince them it is not safe to travel. (Bali? Miami?)

[GirlShortstop]

Who's that American born, Middle Eastern man, FOX news analyst.....very credible......darn, I can't think of his name.

Monsoor Ijaz

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Your are correct. I don’t think anybody on this thread is suffering from the ostrich syndrome.

[copycat]

I was thinking it had to be a food-service or kitchen worker, but you're probably right. How easy would it be for a passenger to sprinkle something at the salad bar, undetected and unsuspected?

Then why not sprinkle it at the local China Buffet? Why not all over America? Why only cruise ships?

IMHO, this is related to some facet of the cruise industry...a worker in the port, access to the ships, etc.

[nicmarlo]

Monsoor Ijaz

Yes, that's him; thanks.....he's the one who said the terrorist MO is typically try it out first, on a small scale, see how it works, etc., then go for the main target.

[nicmarlo]

I believe I also remember Monsoor Ijaz saying that in addition to testing the technique, they are also gathering info as to how authorities respond, etc. What they do, don't do; intelligence gathering purposes, sometimes.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

What worries me very much is that these cruise ships have a lot of older folks who have saved for many years for this one dream trip of their lives. It’s a wonder some haven’t been killed due to their not so young immune system.

[GirlShortstop]

Then why not sprinkle it at the local China Buffet? Why not all over America? Why only cruise ships?

Because gauging the your results is easier and newsworthy on a cruise ship. Add to that the fact that "the control group" i.e. victims are contained and can spread the virus further.  It fits the lunatics' MO....

"We must use shock weapons against the enemy, by mounting lightning well-targetted operations against him everywhere in the world so that he feels danger, insecurity and instability on land, at sea and in the air," the al-Qaeda spokesman said.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Or at least, we haven’t been told if anybody has died from their illness. It would be pretty easy to hide since these folks come from all over North America and more. This is terrible.

[cricket]

"Crippling the vacation cruise industry is not so far fetched. That is a piece of the American economy. Check the background of workers on each ship affected and do it ASAP."

. . .agree; you would think would have 'gone there' already.

Believe there are some serious 'carriers' out there. . .might be easier to check first, all those who do not get sick. . .

[DCPatriot]

My take is this...

Cruise ships are perfect vehicles to spread biological-chemical weapons. Especially, if there is a time-clock feature to them...whereby the symptons don't initiate until you get back to your friends and families.

Airplanes and buses don't carry the quantity of humans that cruise ships do.

Does anyone remember Stephen King's novel The Stand?

[GirlShortstop]

oops on #30...

  Because gauging the your results is easier and newsworthy...

[copycat]

Because gauging the your results is easier and newsworthy on a cruise ship. Add to that the fact that "the control group" i.e. victims are contained and can spread the virus further. It fits the lunatics' MO....

I agree that the cruise industry is targeted...I believe that AQ wishes to make Americans feel it is unsafe to travel anywhere outside the country.

I do NOT agree that it is a passenger, however. Why spend thousands over and over for multiple cruise tickets when one could simply infiltrate the food service which provides supplies to the ships?

[The Raven]

You'd think it would be easy to grab a sample of the water, food, etc and see where it originated.

[Z-28]

At least one infected cruise ship ported in San Diego ...

[GirlShortstop]

I do NOT agree that it is a passenger, however. Why spend thousands over and over for multiple cruise tickets when one could simply infiltrate the food service which provides supplies to the ships?

Cost may be a factor, I suspect a cruise ship worker.   Akin to the question never answered for me regarding Flight 587 (Veteran's Day 2001) ... were the airport workers/mechanics checked out and cleared?