Look out for suspicious Iraqi cars, FBI says

Reuters/MSNBC ^ | March 19, 2003

[estjohn]

The FBI warned U.S. law enforcement officials on Wednesday to be on the lookout for suspicious activity by vehicles with Iraqi diplomatic license plates.

In its weekly intelligence bulletin distributed to law enforcement officials across the country, the FBI explained how to distinguish the license plates of Iraqi diplomatic personnel in the United States.

[estjohn]

The diplomatic license plate code for Iraq is BZ according to http://www.pl8s.com/diplo.htm.

"NOTE! the 2 letters within the white area of the plates of all types indicates the embassy or consulate to which the diplomat is assigned. Plates are undated dark blue/refl white center portion has embossed serial consisting of 2 letters & 3 numbers with the letters indicating the embassy; refl white/refl blue "DIPLOMAT" top & "D" left - screened; refl white/refl red "ISSUED BY THE" over "UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE" bottom flanked by sticker navels 3 red stripes & 3 white stripes far right edge "

[tractorman]

I didn't know camels had license plates.

[Lil'freeper]

Why haven't we expelled the Iraqi diplomats?

[breakem]

Thanx, I was wondering what a suspicious Iraqi car was.

[job]

Haven't you ever seen the 25 seater Achmed 2002?

[boomop1]

Should I blast them if I see one?

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

It's a common diplomatic courtesy. Until a war starts, there aren't any grounds unless the Iraqi Diplos do something wrong. Once war is declared, we can get them out of here at once.

[Sub-Driver]

UN diplomats I think they mean. I would think they are studying the French Military Handbook anyway to save their own skins......

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Are they driving Peugots?

[lgjhn]

Golly Sarge, can't we just shoot em?

[tractorman]

I guess I never realized Iraq made autos.

However, I did hear about the new Iraqi microwave; it seats 400.

[Newbomb Turk]

ALL IRAQI VEHICLES ARE TO BE CONSIDERED SOVERIGN IRAQI TERRITORY AND AS SUCH ARE NOW CONSIDERED FREE FIRE ZONES TO ALL US MILITARY PERSONEL.

END OF MESSAGE

[syriacus]

Can they use rental cars?

[xJones]

Look out for suspicious Iraqi cars, FBI says

Whoever wrote this headline is my kind of a Reuters reporter.

I did see a suspicious-looking Iraqi car once, it had this big mustache on the front grill, and little beady black headlights....

[kabar]

Interesting that there is a website with these designations in the US. We have agreements with host countries abroad not to publicize these codes for our diplomats overseas. It is for security reasons. I don't think the Department of State would approve of these codes being made public for diplomats assigned here. Of course it is not too difficult to get them. All you have to do is stand outside a diplomatic mission and jot down the codes as cars come and go. In some places, embassies are not given a unique license plate code that could link them to a specific embassy.

[estjohn]

I dunno, I just got it from a google lookup.

[Sender]

I didn't know camels had license plates.

Only the official diplomatic ones do.

[SENTINEL]

I was wondering about this last night.

When we invade Iraq, what do we do with the embassy in the US and the members of Saddam's regime in there ?

I can't believe we would do nothing about them and just let them run around with diplomatic immunity.

[howardl]

Iraq license plates have the letters "BZ".

see http://www.pl8s.com/diplo.htm

[Arkinsaw]

Does anybody think that they would go do anything suspicious WITH their diplomatic plates on? I am guessing that we should also be on the lookout for Iraqis wearing "I'm an Iraqi Spy" t-shirt.