NationStates Jolt Archive

Damn, its a good thing they foiled this plot, can you imagine being trapped in the Holland tunnel while the roof is collapsing, fire is all around you, and seawater is rushing in? That would be a nasty way to go.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5158518.stm

"US authorities say they have disrupted the early stages of a plot to blow up road tunnels around New York city.
The alleged plot was discovered during routine monitoring of internet chatrooms used by extremist groups.

Reports say one man has been arrested in Lebanon over the plot, but the FBI said it had no indication of imminent threats to New York's transport system.

Plotters are thought to have discussed targets including the Holland Tunnel which links Manhattan and New Jersey.

FBI agents said plotters had discussed driving vehicles laden with explosives into several tunnels around Manhattan and then blowing them up.

Information gleaned from the internet suggests the former al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had agreed to give his financial support, the FBI says.

But there is no evidence that any money was sent or explosives bought.

'Flood plan'

The BBC's Jeremy Cooke, in New York, says that this alleged bomb plot seems more ambitious than practical, but that the authorities are clearly taking it as a serious threat and acting accordingly.

A report in the city's Daily News tabloid - which broke the story - says that the plan was to flood parts of the city, including the financial district.

Intelligence was on top of its game and discovered the plot when it was just in the talking phase

Charles Schumer
Democratic Senator

Many New Yorkers though have been quick to point out that as Lower Manhattan is above the level of the river, the plan could never have actually worked, our correspondent adds.

Reports quoting Lebanese security sources said a suspect in the plot - named as Amir Andalousi - had been arrested a month ago.

Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York said this was one instance "where intelligence was on top of its game and discovered the plot when it was just in the talking phase".

A number of plots targeting subways, tunnels and other New York City landmarks have come to light since the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center."
"

Wasn't that a Stallone film?

Meh. Not remotely plausible. :rolleyes:

I will give the police some credit when they stop in more advanced stages something less ambitious, and more likely to actually work. For example, arresting a truck bomber in the process of buying ammonium nitrate from a legitimate supplier and not a sting operation, and intending to do something a bit less Hollywood summer movie.

Until then, keep arresting the noob wannabes - it doesn't make anyone involved 'pro'.

You can tell its an election year.

You can tell its an election year.

Yup. "We caught a guy who was talking on the internet about blowing something up but had no money or equipment! Look at how good we're doing!"

If the Feds arrested everyone from these forums who ever said "nuke the middle east into the stone age", this would be a very lonely place indeed.

I higly doubt that this is true

It's easy to bust the terrorists - when they have their own chat rooms :)

You can tell its an election year.

You hit the nail on the head. Its funny how these things conveniently happen then...isn't it?

_e30

There was a probably a plan, but more like some fanciful idea which never got executed.

If the Feds arrested everyone from these forums who ever said "nuke the middle east into the stone age", this would be a very lonely place indeed.
I never said that!

But I wish I had. :D

You'd think the users would realise that they only reason the extremist chatrooms stay open is so the US gov can monitor them.

There was a probably a plan, but more like some fanciful idea which never got executed.
Haha, which reminds me, some guy in the UK got charged today with "possessing material likely to be of use to a terrorist" on a USB drive. :rolleyes:

Better not visit any more bus and train timetable websites. :rolleyes:

But I wish I had. :D

zOmg! Terrorizt! AEEIIIII!!!

You'd think the users would realise that they only reason the extremist chatrooms stay open is so the US gov can monitor them.

Or the real terrorists distract the US government with wannabes while the real bad guys plan the real thing in secret.

You'd think the users would realise that they only reason the extremist chatrooms stay open is so the US gov can monitor them.
They are monitoring wannabe noobs.

Anything important, everyone always says in person, and does not leave a physical record if deniability is required.

Haha, which reminds me, some guy in the UK got charged today with "possessing material likely to be of use to a terrorist" on a USB drive. :rolleyes:

Better not visit any more bus and train timetable websites. :rolleyes:

The bus timetables are kinda freely available where I live and there's only one train track.

zOmg! Terrorizt! AEEIIIII!!!
[ nukes yer underwear! ] Mwahahahahahaha! :D

There was a probably a plan, but more like some fanciful idea which never got executed.
Oh please, I doubt I could count on one hand the number times people have been joking about this kind of shit in random IRC channels. Oh no, people are talknig about blowing shit up, it's an "extremist chatroom" frequented by "terrorists."
When they actually manage to foil something, call me.

Oh please, I doubt I could count on one hand the number times people have been joking about this kind of shit in random IRC channels. Oh no, people are talknig about blowing shit up, it's an "extremist chatroom" frequented by "terrorists."
When they actually manage to foil something, call me.

I think there's geniune Islamic people who want to do this "terrorism" stuff but are too incompetent so all they do is chat about it. The real terrorists are probably having good laugh at the intelligence people.

Of course, then there's the jokers who get caught for saying stupid things.

The bus timetables are kinda freely available where I live and there's only one train track.
AHA! So you admit to performing reconnaissance! :D

Probably just wannabe BSers talking. People say, and "plan," all kinds of crap online with no intentions of *really* doing it.

But as for it seeming like a summer movie, that's how some of OBL's stuff really looks. So I wouldn't discount it just based on it sounding movie-like. The most infamous, Sept. 11th, was so movie-like that some bystanders in the street initially thought it was just special effects!

And I'm sure that at some point, I saw a movie where someone did similar to what AQ did to the USS Cole, too.

AHA! So you admit to performing reconnaissance! :D
Call the spec ops so they can storm his house.

Meh. Not remotely plausible. :rolleyes:

I will give the police some credit when they stop in more advanced stages something less ambitious, and more likely to actually work. For example, arresting a truck bomber in the process of buying ammonium nitrate from a legitimate supplier and not a sting operation, and intending to do something a bit less Hollywood summer movie.

Until then, keep arresting the noob wannabes - it doesn't make anyone involved 'pro'.

Tim McVeigh was a n00b, and so were the 19 hijackers on 9-11. So was Reid, the Shoe Bomber.

All that it takes is for a n00b to get lucky. The first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 was a n00b job.

I think that when they catch n00bs, the penalty should be something less (to go with their less than professional stature). Something like leucotomy so that they have to be spoon fed by an attendant for the rest of their lives.

Prevents them from being martyrs, too.

...the penalty should be something less (to go with their less than professional stature). Something like leucotomy so that they have to be spoon fed by an attendant for the rest of their lives.

That actually made me feel physically sick... :(

Haha, which reminds me, some guy in the UK got charged today with "possessing material likely to be of use to a terrorist" on a USB drive. :rolleyes:

Better not visit any more bus and train timetable websites. :rolleyes:


Or have a backpack. Or a camera. Or be a tourist. Or visit tourist spots. Remember that 'how to spot a communist' manifesto they had back during the red scare?

Or have a backpack. Or a camera. Or be a tourist. Or visit tourist spots. Remember that 'how to spot a communist' manifesto they had back during the red scare?Or the "how to spot a kid that will come to school with the intent of killing as many people as possible" after Columbine...

Or the "how to spot a kid that will come to school with the intent of killing as many people as possible" after Columbine...

The gun is a dead giveaway.

Meh. Not remotely plausible. :rolleyes:

I will give the police some credit when they stop in more advanced stages something less ambitious, and more likely to actually work. For example, arresting a truck bomber in the process of buying ammonium nitrate from a legitimate supplier and not a sting operation, and intending to do something a bit less Hollywood summer movie.

Until then, keep arresting the noob wannabes - it doesn't make anyone involved 'pro'.


Nope. I'd rather they keep nailing shitheads in the infant stages of their plans.

That actually made me feel physically sick... :(

Hey, it's not the death penalty, and it isn't life imprisonment in a Supermax.

Besides, the poor guy won't even know the difference once it's done. Sure, there's those moments of sheer horror before the leucotomy, but it's done under general anesthesia, so they won't feel a thing.

Or know a thing, either.