Now-doubtful FBI warned of Texas plant terror attack. Named Freeport, Crawford possible targets

WASHINGTON – While FBI officials were dismissing terrorism in the shooting of a security guard at a chemical plant in Texas just hours after they were summoned to investigate, they weren't nearly so skeptical about the possibility last year.

Robbie House, an unarmed security guard at the BASF plant in Freeport says he was shot by a Middle Eastern gunman after confronting him near an ammonia storage facility last week.

Off the record, some law enforcement officials say they believe House's story and think he may have stumbled into a terrorism reconnaissance operation. Local police also said they believe House's story.

While scoffing at House's story now, FBI officials were reportedly thinking of Freeport as a possible target just last year.

A story in the May 26, 2003, issue of Newsweek reported that in March 2001, terrorist scouts came to Texas to "case a major port in Freeport, Texas," as well as look at President Bush’s ranch in Crawford. The information came from the FBI, according to the story.

The port also has received federal grants to enhance its security since the Sept. 11 attacks.

The ammonia tanks were specifically cited by some officials as potentially volatile.

The FBI, Homeland Security, state and local law enforcement are all involved in investigating the incident on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The gunman, described as a dark-complexioned, mustachioed man with dark hair and a thick Middle Eastern accent and a 5 o'clock shadow, was driving a white, club cab, half-ton Chevrolet pickup with black trim at the bottom and dark-tinted windows. The truck had no front license plate.

House said he questioned the driver of the truck about why he was in the vicinity of a large, multi-story ammonia tank. He told police the truck driver explained that he was taking pictures of it. When the guard turned to radio for help, the driver pulled out a handgun and shot House in the shoulder.

Freeport is about 60 miles south of Houston and about the same distance from Texas City, where one of the worst disasters in the history of the United States took place April 16, 1947 when the French ship SS Grandcamp, carrying ammonium nitrate, exploded at the docks. The entire dock area was destroyed, along with the nearby Monsanto Chemical Company, other smaller companies, grain warehouses, and numerous oil and chemical storage tanks.

Smaller explosions and fires were ignited by flying debris, not only along the industrial area, but throughout the city.

Fragments of iron, parts of the ship's cargo, and dock equipment were hurled into businesses, houses, and public buildings. A 15-foot tidal wave caused by the force swept the dock area. The concussion of the explosion, felt as far away as Port Arthur, damaged or destroyed at least 1,000 residences and buildings throughout Texas City. The ship SS High Flyer, in dock for repairs and also carrying ammonium nitrate, was ignited by the first explosion; it was towed 100 feet from the docks before it exploded about 16 hours later, at 1:10 a.m. the next day.

The first explosion had killed 26 Texas City firemen and destroyed all of the city's fire-fighting equipment, including four trucks, leaving the city helpless in the wake of the second explosion. No central disaster organization had been established by the city, but most of the chemical and oil plants had disaster plans that were quickly activated. Although power and water were cut off, hundreds of local volunteers began fighting the fires and doing rescue work. Red Cross personnel and other volunteers from surrounding cities responded with assistance until almost 4,000 workers were operating; temporary hospitals, morgues, and shelters were set up.

Probably the exact number of people killed will never be known, although the ship's anchor monument records 576 persons known dead, 398 of whom were identified, and 178 listed as missing. All records of personnel and payrolls of the Monsanto Company were destroyed, and many of the dock workers were itinerants and thus difficult to identify. Almost all persons in the dock area – firemen, ships' crews, and spectators – were killed, and most of the bodies were never recovered; 63 bodies were buried unidentified. The number of injured ranged in the thousands, and loss of property totaled about $67 million.

The Texas City incident was the result of an accident. Terrorism experts have been examining the tragedy to determine the potential damage in a deliberate attack on a port city by a ship laden with chemicals, explosives – even, perhaps, a nuclear weapon. And that was before this latest, highly suspicious attack.

G2B sources say a mysterious armada of al-Qaida ships has been purchased to target, among other things, civilian ports, cruise ships and oil rigs.

Chemical plants and refineries have tightened security since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for fear they may be targets in a future attack. Ammonia can be explosive when mixed with air. In addition, it should be noted that BASF is the second largest producer in the world of ammonium sulfate, a fertilizer with explosive tendencies.

The Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF is one of the world's largest chemical manufacturers. The Freeport complex includes 16 plants, including an ammonia plant next to the deepwater cargo port. The facility produces adhesives, super absorbers, paints, nylons and plastics.

"We don’t believe we have any kind of a terrorist threat or that there was any way any kind of a terrorist planning or organization was going on with what occurred last night," said Bob Doguim of the FBI's Houston office immediately following the attack.

But other law-enforcement sources say common sense dictates that, in this case, with this extraordinary set of circumstances, "terrorism is everyone's first guess."

One law enforcement source said the signs point to this incident being a "terrorist reconnaissance operation."

"There are no signs of any explosives," he said. "There are no signs of any renegade ships in the area. But there is a strong likelihood this shooter and any companions that may have been with him were scoping out a possible target for terrorism."

"Freeport is about 60 miles south of Houston " ==

I wonder if there could be any connection to that and the canceled flight from DC to Houston.

Terrorist could fly into the Freeport chemical plants any day or night. The plane that was cancelled was due to land during half time of the Super Bowl.

I posted about the Al Qaeda scouts on the 26th of Jan...I am surprised that they are just now picking up on this. The original article is here and is dated May 21, 2003.

All of these plants are quite vunerable. And, thanks to the EPA, a "Worst Case Accident Scenario" is available for anyone who asks that guides the way to the best place to attack.

Before 9/11, the EPA was actually posting these reports on the internet. SHEESH!

I used to walk past that Texas City Monument each day on my way to work. It was difficult to see those names each day and not think about the need to work safely.

We lived in Bellaire when the Texas City blast occurred, I was 7. We felt the blast. My parents had friends there. I remember it well.

Ammonia can be explosive when mixed with air.

While this is true a terrorist would have to somehow release the ammonia to aerosolize it before exploding it. This would not happen in a plane attack or even a car bomb. A more likely scenario would be rupturing the storage tanks to produce a toxic ammonia release.

As an aside if you are caught in an ammonia release it is best to set off the overhead sprinkler system and stand under the spray. Ammonia is water soluble and the water will absorb the ammonia allowing you to breathe. Been there, done that.

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