3 Texas men terror plot foiled.
- Thread starter ccwolff
- Start date
Qwiks draw
Moderator
Folks. Some of the phones were bought here in wisconsin in the town of Antigo. Little out of the way place compared to our Milwaukee,Madison,or Fox Valley areas. Consider this. Places in the midwest or remote locations these terrorists can buy stuff,plan,have safe houses,and hide in general offer a lot of possibilities.A few months ago someone brought down a major electric power pole which had power to the international airport. Never caught them.Not yet.But I hope they do.What's the answer to finding these guys. I don't know, but they will make mistakes.The loose border problem north and south of here makes me wonder what and who is getting thru.The phones could be(opinion coming on} used for targets in this area.possibly a co-ordinated attack on just about anything to disrupt or cause as many causalties as possible. Home security people will need our help.
Thats it, mandatory 35$ background check on all phone purchases.
NO "high capacity" batteries, they are "For law enforcement use only."
Concealed phone carry by permit only, not allowed near, planes, bridges, or other places "where the public congregates."
Phones with any two of these features are considered "terrorist devices" and subject to registration and/or confiscation.
1) camera
2) detachable battery
3) memory storage components
4) Internet access
Phones that can dial more than one digit per the push of a button, and/or have any "silent feature" fall under the regulation of the B.T.I.T.s.
Bureau of Telecommunications, Internet, and Telephoto.(B.T.I.T.s)
Works for other stuff...
:barf:
NO "high capacity" batteries, they are "For law enforcement use only."
Concealed phone carry by permit only, not allowed near, planes, bridges, or other places "where the public congregates."
Phones with any two of these features are considered "terrorist devices" and subject to registration and/or confiscation.
1) camera
2) detachable battery
3) memory storage components
4) Internet access
Phones that can dial more than one digit per the push of a button, and/or have any "silent feature" fall under the regulation of the B.T.I.T.s.
Bureau of Telecommunications, Internet, and Telephoto.(B.T.I.T.s)
Works for other stuff...
:barf:
Okay, yeah, I'm gonna get jumped on for being prejudiced and all, but put the fact that suspicious behavior has been alleged together with these names, and tell me that the authorities are off-the-mark in wanting to examine possibilities of terrorist activity.
Oh, but we shouldn't be profiling! It might hurt some islamic people's feelings! :barf:
It's funny -- if it were so easy to buy 1000 cellular phones and then sell them for a sure profit to be put toward a college education, I wonder why no one named "Jim Smith" or "Pete Simpson" have been arrested for it...
-azurefly
Oh, please.
I guess that the most sinister-appearing muslim male between 17-35 should just be treated no differently from a 49-year-old mother of three from Dubuque, even when doing something that, um, no one else around is doing?
And certainly not when it is known that components from cellular phones are currently used for IED detonation by people of that exact same ethnic pursuasion!
Nope, makes no sense to profile. It just results in hurt feelings.
-azurefly
I guess that the most sinister-appearing muslim male between 17-35 should just be treated no differently from a 49-year-old mother of three from Dubuque, even when doing something that, um, no one else around is doing?
And certainly not when it is known that components from cellular phones are currently used for IED detonation by people of that exact same ethnic pursuasion!
Nope, makes no sense to profile. It just results in hurt feelings.
-azurefly
ccwolff[/i said:
My point was, why does it seem to keep happening that when someone is suspected of putting together a terrorist conspiracey, the names keep coming up as Abdul Al Hasswanibad and that kind of stuff?
MY take on it is that we DO HAVE A GROWING PROBLEM WITH TERRORISTS RIGHT HERE UNDER OUR NOSE CONDUCTING THEIR PLANS TO ATTACK US.
Simply, I have no trouble believing that, and that we have a desperate need to start "profiling" in earnest.
It is LUDICROUS that we are confiscating sealed, packaged bottles of expensive perfume, and tubes of toothpaste, from Mr. and Mrs. America, and claiming that it is making flying safer! When this idiocy, too, fails to prevent another attack, will it THEN be time to see if profiling helps out? Why is the U.S. the only country that should self-prohibit from profiling as a tool to stop terrorists?
-azurefly
Middle Eastern guys in the Midwest stick out, at least in the country side, so the safe house idea doesn't work out so well.
The Mackinac bridge is out of the way too. I mean, if you want to point out that the phones were bought in an out of the way place. Certainly not one I would target for casualties.
Then again, terrorism isn't about body count. The deaths are tragic. Family and friends will be devastated and the country will mourn. But the number of people killed won't slow the economy or weaken the country in any real way.
The reaction - both in terms of dubious security measures and the fear - will slow the economy though. And we will once again spend a few hundred billion dollars as a result of a low cost attack.
Also in pointing out that the phones were bought in out of the way places - the thing is this isn't a rare item. You can buy it anywhere. If you find a serial number or some other identifying part that lets you trace it to the point of purchase, those guys who bought out the inventory (oh, and buy the way Arabs) would stick out. So there is no use in that.
The other shady market for these cell phones is drug dealers and other criminals. They perhaps don't want a phone that is associated with their area, though I don't know how much tracking is possible.
The Mackinac bridge is out of the way too. I mean, if you want to point out that the phones were bought in an out of the way place. Certainly not one I would target for casualties.
Then again, terrorism isn't about body count. The deaths are tragic. Family and friends will be devastated and the country will mourn. But the number of people killed won't slow the economy or weaken the country in any real way.
The reaction - both in terms of dubious security measures and the fear - will slow the economy though. And we will once again spend a few hundred billion dollars as a result of a low cost attack.
Also in pointing out that the phones were bought in out of the way places - the thing is this isn't a rare item. You can buy it anywhere. If you find a serial number or some other identifying part that lets you trace it to the point of purchase, those guys who bought out the inventory (oh, and buy the way Arabs) would stick out. So there is no use in that.
The other shady market for these cell phones is drug dealers and other criminals. They perhaps don't want a phone that is associated with their area, though I don't know how much tracking is possible.
Sinister appearing? Tell me, how exactly do you know what these men look like and what about them makes them appear sinister? Pencil thin mustache? Beady eyes? Dark complexion?
Something that no one else is doing? Guess you've never visited ebay and seen the numerous gadgets you can buy - including cell phones - at ridiculously low prices because people are willing to be entrepreneurs and spend their time and money trying to make a living off this capitalist society that the rest of us love so much.
Well, gunpowder can be used in IED's as well...guess they should be looking into anyone that happens to have thousands of rounds of ammunition lying around because it's far more likely it'll be used to kill our boys in Iraq, right?
It's not about hurt feelings, it's about the concept of freedom that some of you pretend to care about. If there was some other form of evidence to suggest that these guys were genuinely planning something dangerous, that's one thing. But if the only cause for arrest was a cache of goddamn cell phones for anyone to think that it's probable cause for **** is utter lunacy and certainly wouldn't be the case if these guys didn't have mid east names.
Something that no one else is doing? Guess you've never visited ebay and seen the numerous gadgets you can buy - including cell phones - at ridiculously low prices because people are willing to be entrepreneurs and spend their time and money trying to make a living off this capitalist society that the rest of us love so much.
Well, gunpowder can be used in IED's as well...guess they should be looking into anyone that happens to have thousands of rounds of ammunition lying around because it's far more likely it'll be used to kill our boys in Iraq, right?
It's not about hurt feelings, it's about the concept of freedom that some of you pretend to care about. If there was some other form of evidence to suggest that these guys were genuinely planning something dangerous, that's one thing. But if the only cause for arrest was a cache of goddamn cell phones for anyone to think that it's probable cause for **** is utter lunacy and certainly wouldn't be the case if these guys didn't have mid east names.
I guess to some people Mr and Mrs America can't be Achmed and Fareeza America.
Maybe we should all just wait and hold our tongues until we see what possible connections to terrorist activities these men have or don't have.
Yes, I will admit to having become VERY jaded about the presence of "islamic-lookin'" folk in America, because well, show me dedicated enemies of America who are NOT islamic, lately.
I don't give a crap whether they are 1/1000 of 1% of the total population of arab muslims, but the ones who are engaged in terrorism are making THE ENTIRE WORLD UNLIVABLE AS NORMAL at this point.
They are like a plantar's wart on the foot that is the world. Tendrils of them have sunk into every country, and are growing like, well, a virus, and causing disease everywhere they appear.
So whether they are a tiny percentage of islam is immaterial to me. That tiny percentage is nearly 100% of the world's terrorist problem at this date.
-azurefly
Yes, I will admit to having become VERY jaded about the presence of "islamic-lookin'" folk in America, because well, show me dedicated enemies of America who are NOT islamic, lately.
I don't give a crap whether they are 1/1000 of 1% of the total population of arab muslims, but the ones who are engaged in terrorism are making THE ENTIRE WORLD UNLIVABLE AS NORMAL at this point.
They are like a plantar's wart on the foot that is the world. Tendrils of them have sunk into every country, and are growing like, well, a virus, and causing disease everywhere they appear.
So whether they are a tiny percentage of islam is immaterial to me. That tiny percentage is nearly 100% of the world's terrorist problem at this date.
-azurefly
LOL.... I like that part.
Sure here you go.Enjoy.
http://www.crimelibrary.com/index.html
http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_murder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_groups
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_killer
http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/
Just for starters...
Nope, no white people with common names there.
And there it is. Anyone here care to revisit their statements about profiling?
I mean, honestly! If I wanted to blow up a bridge I certainly wouldn't need a thousand cell phones to do it! I would, however, need explosives and blasting caps (which these boys were missing).
They were arrested for being Arabs in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I mean, honestly! If I wanted to blow up a bridge I certainly wouldn't need a thousand cell phones to do it! I would, however, need explosives and blasting caps (which these boys were missing).
They were arrested for being Arabs in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Double Naught Spy
New member
I don't know, assuming they were involved in terrorism and not really stupid business folks trying to skirt the IRS by buying retail at full price and paying sales tax, but not paying income tax on the profits for an inventory for which there is no bookwork paper trail.
If they were going to use the phones for bad things, why would they limit themselves to bridges? If they didn't concentrate on bridges, they would cripple much of the country. Of course, the groovy thing for bombers to do is set a bomb, it blows, wait for responders, blow another with the intent being on the responders.
As for your original query about how many bridges I thought they might be planning to blow, I don't know. The North Hollywood bank robbers only fired a fraction of the ammo they had with them. The Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor did not use all of their resources in the attack. tyme, you personally probably have a goodly stash of ammo for future fun and SHTF (if you are into SHTF planning) events.
The point is, the number of phones and their buying strategy seems very suspect given the business sales explanation is a very poor business strategy for folks working too darned hard with too much money.
How much are disposible cell phones, $20, 30, 40? Multiply by 1000. That is a huge investment, and don't forget there is sales tax on top of that.
Other salient queries to parallel the bridge query would be...
Just how many planes were they going to crash into places on 9/11.
Just how many planes were they going to blow up flying over the Atlantic this week (as I recall, the tickets for flights were on Aug 16, but I may be off on the date).
Sure, that makes sense. That is why 11 Egyptian students signed up to come to the US on education visas, went AWOL, and three were found with 600 phones and a map of Wal-Marts. It must be a craze where you go to America part way around the world, and buy cell phones. If Sam Walton only could have imagined...
JuanCarlos
New member
Double Naught Spy said:
Then Wikipedia is your friend. Feel free to do additional research if you need more information or don't trust Wiki. Basically, Tracfones are one of the many products that are subsidized in some way by the company selling them in order to hook customers on repeated purchases (in this case, minutes). Basically the charger, battery, minutes, and handset (if you unlock it) are worth a helluva lot more than the retail on the Tracfone...so you can quite literally make large profits by buying them in bulk, stripping them, and reselling them.
So it is entirely possible, even likely, that these guys were trying to make a quick buck in a way that is at most marginally shady and just happen to be Arab.
Sure, there is the chance that these 1,000 phones were going to be used as detonators for IED's in Iraq, or as throwaway phones for terrorist cells, or whatever. But there is actually a much more likely possibility that they were going to be resold piece by piece to white suburbanites...GASP!
Of course, then I'm sure many of those who didn't bother to look up how a phone can be bought at retail and resold for a profit would just claim that they must be doing this to raise money for terrorism...you know, because they're all Arab and all. Welcome to America, I guess.
The really scarry part of this whole thing is now that the statement has been made that these guys are not doing anything wrong, there will be another bunch that will do the same thing, under the same excuse, and then send them to a terrorist group, and come back to haunt us. Guilty or not and just doing a business of reselling the phones, may be just what these guys say it is, but I would not give a free pass to anyone doing the same thing, as it is just to easy now to commit a crime of selling, or making straw purchases of these phones for a terrorist group.
Sounds like the terrorist are learning how to get their hands on legal phones for illeagle intent, I would if I were in the Law enforcement community, keep Very Close eyes on this sort of thing, and not pass it off as "oh well they are just conducting buisness" remember that the Terrorist take a long time to study and set up their attacks, don't let this one be a part of the next wave of attacks on us here, or any place else in the world.
Sounds like the terrorist are learning how to get their hands on legal phones for illeagle intent, I would if I were in the Law enforcement community, keep Very Close eyes on this sort of thing, and not pass it off as "oh well they are just conducting buisness" remember that the Terrorist take a long time to study and set up their attacks, don't let this one be a part of the next wave of attacks on us here, or any place else in the world.