Posted on 09/23/2001 4:31:06 PM PDT by vannrox
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:20 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
"...U.S. government Sunday grounded crop-dusting planes across the country..."
"...It was the second time that agricultural pilots have been told not to fly..."
"in reaction to every bit of information and threats received during the course of this investigation."
"They said it was a national security issue,"
"the intelligence community came to us and encouraged us to shut down the crop dusters."
"Ag Aviators prohibited to fly on Sunday 23!"
"...countries sponsoring terrorism have "very active chemical and biological warfare programs."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
That's okay. Perhaps said countries sponsoring something like this would need a thorough sanitizing program, beginning with the 100 million degree temperatures found in the center of a nuclear blast.
Indeed.
Shucks, AG can't work for your pan Arab Islamic friends now.
This is what I did.
Whoever ordered the shutdown of all airplanes on 911 probably saved lives.
Just let some Arab try to 'rent' a crop duster now.
We're scaring them.
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By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - In a step stemming from the FBI (news - web sites)'s terrorist attack probe, the U.S. government Sunday grounded crop-dusting planes across the country for the day. It was the second time that agricultural pilots have been told not to fly since the Sept. 11 attacks. Responding to questions about the latest grounding, the FBI said that it was one of the steps the bureau has taken out of ``an abundance of caution'' and ``in reaction to every bit of information and threats received during the course of this investigation.'' James Callan, executive director of the National Agricultural Aviation Association, said he got a call from a Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites) official about 8 o'clock Sunday morning. ``They said it was a national security issue,'' said Callan. ``I made some calls and the indication was that there still is no specific threat, but the FBI apparently ordered this and they just want to make sure that everyone in the ag aviation industry is keeping their eyes and ears open.'' FAA spokesman Scott Brenner said ``the intelligence community came to us and encouraged us to shut down the crop dusters.'' A notice on the crop dusters' Internet Web site stated, ``Ag Aviators prohibited to fly on Sunday 23!'' Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld outlined the potential threat on CBC's ``Face The Nation,'' saying that countries sponsoring terrorism have ``very active chemical and biological warfare programs.'' ``We know that they are in close contact with terrorist networks around the world,'' he said. Crop dusters also were grounded Sept. 16 and for the past week have been barred from flying over metropolitan areas, with some exceptions. The crop dusters were grounded along with all other civilian aircraft after the attacks, with flights resuming Sept. 14. Callan said there are probably about 3,500 agricultural aviators and that this is a crucial time of the year for aerial spraying of crops. As the FBI's probe continued, agents in a Dallas suburb arrested a Palestinian whose name turned up in the address book of a former personal secretary to suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden (news - web sites). Ghassan Dahduli is appealing an immigration court deportation ruling for obtaining a work visa through fraud, FBI spokeswoman Lori Bailey said. Dahduli's name surfaced in records introduced at this year's trial of Wadih el Hage, who worked as personal secretary to bin Laden. El Hage and three other bin Laden associates were convicted of conspiring to murder Americans. |
National Agricultural Aviation Association
Message from FBI to the NAAA Membership:
Members should be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same, including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behavior by employees or customers, and unusual contacts with the public. Members should report any suspicious circumstances or information to local FBI offices.
Agricultural Aviators prohibited to fly.
Important Update from FAA: For reasons of national security all Part 137 Operations are prohibited on Sunday, September 23, 2001, effective immediately and until 12:05 AM local September 24, 2001, in each time zone; this notam (1/0392) applies to the 48 contiguous state in U.S. domestic airspace.
God Bless America.
TIME Exclusive: Cropduster Manual Discovered in Suspected Terrorist Hideout
http://freerepublic.com/forum/a3bad0bce055f.htm
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Quotes and a link are not full text articles, so this should be fine, eh?
Great idea. Should be done for ALL OTHER AIRPLANES, too.
Yes. But the problem is the only small pox virus is locked in two safes, on in the USA the other in Russia. Let's hope they aren't cracked.
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