As I alluded to, anyone who is willing to quote Ann Coulter... Well, do the math.

Well this sure is timely:
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CNN

<font size = 4 >Al Qaeda could try to recruit non-Arabs, FBI warns</font>

Bulletin: Terror group might also seek out women

Saturday, July 17, 2004 Posted: 4:10 PM EDT (2010 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI's weekly alert bulletin, sent to 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide, focused this week on the possibility of al Qaeda recruiting non-Arabs to carry out attacks in the United States.

"Finding operatives with U.S. [citizenship or legal residency] status would greatly facilitate al Qaeda's ability to carry out an attack within the United States," the bulletin said.

The Department of Homeland Security first mentioned the possibility of such recruitment in December, when it raised the terror alert level from yellow to orange, saying there was intelligence that terrorists could be planning to use chemical, nuclear, biological or radiological weapons.

The new warning comes amid what the administration says is a continuous stream of intelligence indicating that al-Qaeda is determined to strike the United States in the summer or fall.

Neither the FBI bulletin nor intelligence officials have offered any indication of a possible time, place or method of attack, and some officials have said they see no significant increase in so-called "chatter" in the intelligence lines of communication.

Because of its hardline interpretation of Islam, al Qaeda favors using male operatives between 18 and 35, the FBI said.

But women could also be recruited, especially from areas considered more liberal on the subject, such as North and East Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, the FBI notice said.

Despite its warning about recruits from outside the Middle East, the bulletin said police and security personnel should not discount the possibility that Arabs could still be used in a U.S. attack, particularly if they are already in the United States.

Of particular concern are people with ties to Islamic extremist groups in North Africa and parts of Asia outside the Middle East.

Still, the FBI said, almost all al Qaeda operatives in the past have traveled at least once to Asia, particularly Afghanistan and Pakistan, for "consultation and training."

An old saying circulated by paranoid people to justify paranoid actions [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Black Baron lives in Israel, yes, I agree with you on that one. But a question I have for you is who exactly are 'they' that are 'out to get' him?

Well, I can't speak for anyone here but myself, so I'll say that I personally view paranoia regarding 'terrorist' threats to be understandable given past events, but not justifiable, nor acceptable.

Perhaps Donut can field a couple of questions for us: Mr Donut, would you panic or be terribly afraid if you knew you were sharing an airliner with 14 Irishmen, given the history of 'Irish' terrorist bombings on your home city? If so, why so? If not, why not? Do you feel that you have no choice but to be afraid of potential 'threats', and view all 'Irish' strangers with suspicion and thinly-veiled dread?

I travel by air about five times a year. I usually fly out of Logan in Boston because it is only 20 minutes away from me, but I also travel out of Providence on occassion. I have been on airplanes with groups arab-looking men- who traveled together but were seated seperate and who moved around the cabin and used the bathroom. Not once did I find myself in a state of near-panic, nor did I contemplate that any of those Arabs-looking folks were potential terrorists planning the worst.

I also travel by subway around Boston alot, not as much now as when I worked in the city, but often enough. Frequently during rush hour arab-looking men would get on the 'crammed to the brim with commuters' train, ladden with backpacks and other packages. Never once did I think I was about to die at the hands of terrorists, nor did I call 9-11 to say that suspicious looking men with backpacks were on the train becasue just about anyday I would see such a site.

Now am I concerned and aware in situations like this? You bet- I am mister observant. But being cautious and aware does not equal becoming panicked or jumping to the worst possible scenario based on insufficient information. The store I ran in Boston sat directly above a redline subway station. On several occassions I reported unattended packages/bags in and around the subway.

My point? I walk in shoes like those quite often enough and can understand why people are fearful and think the worst- but this doesnt make it okay nor excuse it. I have a small hope that offering the perspective "being fearful is not the only way, there are other ways to reach the same end" that perhaps people will reflect on their own perspectives and consider alternatives.

Living in fear is exactly what the terrorist want out of us and responding with fearful paranoina to percieved threats plays right into their hand.

Break it down, stack it up it all leads this military mind to one single conclusion.

A perfectly planned, executed, and drawn out full gear rehearsal!

Break down one more factor. Air Marshals! I don't recall what the stewardess said, but I recall a plural form. Hmm, more than one? Possible, there are a few. But to calm the fear, she may have intentionaly made it out to be plural. Or, there were other law enforcement officers on the plane.
However, like any other under cover operation, one would not chance his cover for a practical exercise. He would wait until the threat is clear and imminent!

So, in conclusion. A perfect rehearshal, with law enforcement on board.

The media is not privy to all!

actually if you read the part after they landed there were six air marshalls.


http://www.washtimes.com/national/20...1403-1508r.htm

anyway here's some more info.

A second pilot said that, on one of his recent flights, an air marshal forced his way into the lavatory at the front of his plane after a man of Middle Eastern descent locked himself in for a long period.
The marshal found the mirror had been removed and the man was attempting to break through the wall. The cockpit was on the other side.
The second pilot said terrorists are "absolutely" testing security.
"There is a great degree of concern in the airline industry that not only are these dry runs for a terrorist attack, but that there is absolutely no defense capabilities on a vast majority of airlines," the second pilot said.
Dawn Deeks, spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants, said there is no "central clearinghouse" for them to learn of suspicious incidents, and flight crews are not told how issues are resolved.

I would pretty much echo Promtheius' points here. They must have been through security before their first flight, just like everyone else, and really, I just think this woman is too racist for her own good, she doesn't really bring up any good points out of this whole article, and she just really makes her self out as a bit of a nosy egoist.

As said in the first article, current screening practices prevent them from pulling more than 2 people of middle eastern appearance for closer inspection, there have also been cases reported where a more thorough inspection caught people engaged in suspicious activities that weren't on "any known government terror list".

Whatever you think of the first article, at least look at the second, it has many more documented accounts of people testing the in place security measures, such as the bit I posted above Your post RoSs

yeh but doesn't everyone get screened though? Here in Europe everyone does.