Al Qaeda explosives intercepted

[molson]

The streak of Al Qaeda failures continues.

I'm always kind of surprised this stuff isn't bigger news. I mean, it's getting a lot of media this afternoon, but, I don't think people care that much.

Explosive found in Dubai, part of US terror probe - Boston.com

[Subby]

What qualifies as bigger news? It was all over the teevee today.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Subby

What qualifies as bigger news? It was all over the teevee today.

Not sure. Just an impression. I was just going to post it in the random thread. No discussion about it here, no buzz at work, none of those little links on the sports sites you get when there's a really big non-sports news story. (ESPN I think even linked ABC.com on the front page during the originial balloon boy story).

[lighthousekeeper]

our civ is war weary. it happens if your civ has been at war too long.

[Lathum]

y also have something to do with where you live. This is likely a bigger story in DC then Boise.

[jeff061]

Really? I don't think Americans have even a remote concept of what war is.

This just isn't that big of a deal. Explosive packages were fedexed to a building. Al Queda's role is probably next to nothing. Glad they caught them, but a nuke heading to Boston harbor this is not.

[Galaxy]

I'm not doubting it isn't Al Qaeda, but it hasn't been officially ruled Al Qaeda yet.

To be frank, I'm surprised they haven't tried this sooner. If the packages were shipped to a Jewish organization into Chicago, do they not screen the cargo before the flight? Is it at the point of entrance into the US? Or even when they go onto the trucks? Also, wouldn't they go off during any point of being transported (since it was being shipped right to its target, I'm guessing it was already assembled to go off)?

[molson]

Fair enough. It just seems that there's this general opinion out there that America overstates the terror threat, but then these foiled attempts (of which there's been a handful recently) don't really resonate.

As for the Al Qaeda mention, I felt OK putting that in the title because it apparently came from official white house sources.

[jeff061]

Well these foiled attempts wouldn't even be reported on in the 90's.

[stevew]

october suprise.

[fantom1979]

Al-Qaeda is sending mail bombs now? This is the same group that did extraordinary feats of mass destruction in New York and Madrid? They are now Fed-Exing bombs? I am not trying to trivialize this, but I expect more from them.

Failing at doing something that a guy in a cabin in Montana did successfully for 20 years is not a group that I feel I should be threatened by.

Don't get me wrong, I still think we should go after them and kill them, I am just really confused.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Lathum

y also have something to do with where you live. This is likely a bigger story in DC then Boise.

Wasn't discussed at all in my office either. I got a CNN alert on my phone, but it's also been a very busy day in the office.

[fantom1979]

Just like Bush to release this information right before the restore the sanity rally. Oh wait.....

[EagleFan]

For every one of these that we hear about there are many that never make the news. If this were two years ago there would be several people in this thread screaming that the release of this information (right before elections) was politically motivated...

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by fantom1979

Al-Qaeda is sending mail bombs now? This is the same group that did extraordinary feats of mass destruction in New York and Madrid? They are now Fed-Exing bombs? I am not trying to trivialize this, but I expect more from them.

Failing at doing something that a guy in a cabin in Montana did successfully for 20 years is not a group that I feel I should be threatened by.

Don't get me wrong, I still think we should go after them and kill them, I am just really confused.

This. The warning recently of a Mubia-like attack in the offing for Europe is much more real and scary. It is almost like this kind of thing is just a joke-probe to see if they can get onme through.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

For every one of these that we hear about there are many that never make the news. If this were two years ago there would be several people in this thread screaming that the release of this information (right before elections) was politically motivated...

This. We only hear about a very small portion of the successes for good reason.

[larrymcg421]

I think this proves without a doubt that Brett Favre works for Al Qaeda.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I think this proves without a doubt that Brett Favre works for Al Qaeda.

lol, we have a winner!!!!

[molson]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

This. The warning recently of a Mubia-like attack in the offing for Europe is much more real and scary. It is almost like this kind of thing is just a joke-probe to see if they can get onme through.

I always thought bombing America in suburbia and in the heartland (in the malls, jewish community centers, schools) would be more effective than bombing financial centers. But I guess it's just something we really can't comprehend until it actually happens.

We're assuming this is a unibomber-esque, a bunch of nails in the face of the intended target kind of thing, and maybe it is. The early reports kind of suggest a stronger degree of explosive though.

[Tigercat]

For those saying that this isn't that special, my work over the last 6 months has been in this field, and I can assure you this isn't a one a week or once a month type threat. Tampered items sent to and through our cargo and transportation systems aren't unusual, but these days they are much more benign than what was found this week, and are usually seen as just test runs and don't target a specific person or place.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

I always thought bombing America in suburbia and in the heartland (in the malls, jewish community centers, schools) would be more effective than bombing financial centers. But I guess it's just something we really can't comprehend until it actually happens.

We're assuming this is a unibomber-esque, a bunch of nails in the face of the intended target kind of thing, and maybe it is. The early reports kind of suggest a stronger degree of explosive though.

Sadly, I agree with you. If they wanted to scare everyone, targeting a few malls or coffee shops in random suburbs would cause chaos. When you target high profile areas, you can beef up security accordingly and people can avoid them if they want. When it can happen in anyone's backyard and there is no way to make everything safe, that's what destroys confidence.

Feel sick even talking about it.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Sadly, I agree with you. If they wanted to scare everyone, targeting a few malls or coffee shops in random suburbs would cause chaos. When you target high profile areas, you can beef up security accordingly and people can avoid them if they want. When it can happen in anyone's backyard and there is no way to make everything safe, that's what destroys confidence.

Feel sick even talking about it.

motherfuckers better not fuck with my panera bread

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Wasn't discussed at all in my office either. I got a CNN alert on my phone, but it's also been a very busy day in the office.

Damn, you must be important for the CNN to contact you directly.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by molson

I always thought bombing America in suburbia and in the heartland (in the malls, jewish community centers, schools) would be more effective than bombing financial centers.

+1

Thankfully, there seems to be a significant disconnect between the general U.S. mindset & the understanding of that by our more violent enemies.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by molson

I always thought bombing America in suburbia and in the heartland (in the malls, jewish community centers, schools) would be more effective than bombing financial centers. But I guess it's just something we really can't comprehend until it actually happens.

We're assuming this is a unibomber-esque, a bunch of nails in the face of the intended target kind of thing, and maybe it is. The early reports kind of suggest a stronger degree of explosive though.

That would be more effective if the goal was actual terror. The goal is to kill the highest numbers posible in most cases.

[Rizon]

Scary, one of the packages was addressed to the company my fiance works for.

[Karlifornia]

Wal-Mart in Savannah Georgia on orange alert!