Another Warning!

[Politically Incorrect]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/30/terror ... index.html


Don't you think that by now people all over the world are well aware of the "threat" of terrorist attacks?
With all the time the Government seems to spend giving useless information to the media, makes you wonder if they are spending any time doing anything else!?
Not to mention the damage these "terror alerts" cause the airline industry. I mean. come on, you here all the politicians, airline companies etc. Telling you don't be scared, flying is safe blah,blah,blah and then they warn of possible attacks!
So what is it? Safe?
Then they tell you just to be aware of your surroundings and report any suspicious activity. First off I always try to be aware of my surroundings, and what do they consider suspicious activity? I was at a store yesterday and there was a man walking around "shopping" wearing sunglasses (inside) it seemed odd to me, should I have notified the FBI?
Why don't they just outright say "It is no longer safe to venture outside of your home, and your home might not be safe also"
It would cover all bases!!!! Then the Government wouldn't have too feel guilty should something happen too you. "They warned you to stay inside!"
My personal opinion is that they make these "terror warnings" every so often to give people the illusion that they are actually doing something!!  >:(

[Craig.]

Doesnt surprise me.
what i am afraid of, is they are spending alot of time on international flights, escorting them checking them and so on. It could come back and bite them in the ass, with an internal flight. The first step is double checking first and business class passengers, from recent news reports its clear that the terrorists were sitting there. Next, they need consistency something clearly lacking right now. And as you pointed out they are spendig time giving out useless info to the media, It doesnt help.
Its just a case of waiting to see if and when it happens, and when it does(god forbid) there are going to be alot of questions. One area i havent heard much about, private business jets, your citations, learjets, its totally possible these people could train to work on these, while not as big as a 767 the damage they could cause would be immense

[Hagar]

[quote]My personal opinion is that they make these "terror warnings" every so often to give people the illusion that they are actually doing something!!

[Corsair Freak]

[quote]My personal opinion is that they make these "terror warnings" every so often to give people the illusion that they are actually doing something!!

[Meinas]

One area i havent heard much about, private business jets, your citations, learjets, its totally possible these people could train to work on these, while not as big as a 767 the damage they could cause would be immense

Biz jets may not do that much damage, but if such an attack happened, what would happen to general aviation.... , the government would probably start laying down security laws for FBOs (deeper background checks), more restrictions, basically the T's would achieve some of their goals by A. killing Americans, and B. taking away some of our freedoms of flight.

[Craig.]

they dont need to try to achieve those goals anymore. The sad reality is, they have achieved it already. Not to be to political, but President Bush's words after sept 11th, were along the lines of "we will not let them win, and we will not give up our freedom for them". or something close to that. I'm sure all those on these watch lists for airlines(ie: the millions of David Smiths) would have to dis-agree.

[Hagar]

Biz jets may not do that much damage, but if such an attack happened, what would happen to general aviation.... , the government would probably start laying down security laws for FBOs (deeper background checks), more restrictions, basically the T's would achieve some of their goals by A. killing Americans, and B. taking away some of our freedoms of flight.

I would just remind you that although Americans are obviously a prime target they are not the only ones.

The problem with anything of this nature is that once it's been done the risk is always there. It can be attempted again without warning - either by organised terrorists or some idiot with a grievance seeing it on TV or reading about it. How many ordinary hijackings have seen reported recently? Very few if any at all.

We cannot allow this to interfere with the lives of ordinary citizens of a free country. If we do they have achieved their main goal. The fear of it is greater than the risk of it actually happening.

[Woodlouse2002]

How many ordinary hijackings have seen reported recently? Very few if any at all.

I for one would hate to see the outcome of the next ordinary hijacking. Especially if it happens on american soil. With everyone as jumpy as they are, I would be suprised if anyone on board the aircraft walked away.

[Hagar]

I remember reading about this incident long before 9/11. It's possible nobody here knows about it & it might give you food for thought.
http://www.tailstrike.com/070494.htm

7 April 1994 Fedex 705

Flight Engineer Auburn Calloway knew his career was about to end. His employer, Federal Express, had recently uncovered a series of irregularities and outright falsifications in both his original employment application and in hundreds of hours of flight records. He was ordered to appear at a disciplinary hearing in the second week of April, 1994. He understood that the likeliest outcome of such a hearing would be his termination, and subsequently the loss of his FAA flight certification.
His solution was as simple as it was horrifying. He would provide for his family financially, end his own life, and in the process he would punish FedEx in the worst way imaginable.

April 7, 1994: FedEx Flight 705 was scheduled to depart the company's home hub of Memphis, Tennessee for a routine flight to San Jose, California at a little after 3:00 in the afternoon. As Captain David Sanders, co-pilot Jim Tucker and engineer Andy Peterson boarded the aircraft, they were somewhat startled to see Auburn Calloway already on board, settled into the flight engineer's station and initiating pre-flight procedures. Although it was not unusual for FedEx employees to hitch rides on regular flights - a practice termed "jumpseating" - it was a pronounced breach of protocol for such deadheaders to interfere with flight operations. They said nothing, though, and Calloway wordlessly gave his seat to Andy Peterson. He strapped himself into a jumpseat aft of the cockpit. At his feet was a guitar case, the only baggage he had brought on board.

Less than thirty minutes into the flight, the bloodbath began.

The weapons that Calloway chose for his attack seem bizarre and indicative of a deranged mind. When one understands the cold calculation of his plan, though, the terrible logic becomes clear. The guitar case contained two claw hammers, two sledge mallets, a knife and a speargun. Calloway could have easily smuggled a gun on board Flight 705, but he wanted to inflict no injuries that were inconsistent with an air crash - for that was at the heart of his plan. Having already purchased thousands of dollars worth of death and dismemberment insurance, he planned to bludgeon to death the crew of Flight 705, then crash the DC-10 into the terminal of the Memphis Superhub. His own death would secure his family's future, while the devastating crash would likely destroy FedEx. But first he had to kill the crew; it was their will to survive that foiled Auburn Calloway's plan.

[Politically Incorrect]

Biz jets may not do that much damage,

I guess that would depend.
Think about it a Lear+1lb C4 explosives+ nuclear power plant= ?

Anything can be destrucive not only a plane and it's size or amount of fuel.
A car, bike (or motorcycle), bus, truck etc.
All depends on what they "load" it with.
Because of the fact that probably the best known terrorist attack was carried out on board of a airliner it seems that is the only thing that the Government is focusing on.
These terrorists are smart! No doubt about it!!!!!
I guarantee (personal opinion)  that they aren't planning the next attack by air but by some other means. A means of which is being overlooked by everyone, something or someway no-one expects!!!
The Government needs to focus more on the less obvious. (I don't know maybe they are? )

[Craig.]

Have heard about that many times. And having also heard the CVR from the incident, the crew of that flight done an amazing job of landing back at Memphis.

[Hagar]

Have heard about that many times. And having also heard the CVR from the incident, the crew of that flight done an amazing job of landing back at Memphis.

The crew suffered terrible injuries & were lucky to survive. I'm not sure if the captain ever flew again. The full transcript of the CVR is published on the page from my link. It's too big to quote here.

[Craig.]

thats why it was so amazing they got it back down. But it does make ya think about how someone with the motive to do this again could cause serious chaos. Memphis being an example, the airport is rather close to downtown memphis, and any fed-ex plane taking off from the super-hub on runway 27 is heading in the general direction of downtown memphis. Not only do you have the buildings themselves you have the Pyramid, which if holding an event has 18,000 people full. Anyone who does their planning could pick a time like this and take out alot of people, and they just wouldnt have a chance. Again though this would require alot of planning but as with Hagars post of this incident, it could be possible.

[Hagar]

As I said earlier, once something has been done there is always the risk of it happening again. The last time they used passenger aircraft on internal flights as the weapons. I'm not convinced anyone with any sense would ever try this again. Whatever you might think of them the people who do this are not stupid. If they wish to use aircraft there are many other types to choose from but who said it has to be an aircraft?

I'm not trying to be alarmist, in fact just the opposite. For pity's sake let's keep this in proportion before the airline industry is completely ruined.

[Politically Incorrect]

As I said earlier, once something has been done there is always the risk of it happening again. The last time they used passenger aircraft on internal flights as the weapons. I'm not convinced anyone with any sense would ever try this again. Whatever you might think of them the people who do this are not stupid. If they wish to use aircraft there are many other types to choose from but who said it has to be an aircraft?

I'm not trying to be alarmist, in fact just the opposite. For pity's sake let's keep this in proportion before the airline industry is completely ruined.

Just about the same thing I was trying to say above!
I think I'll start sending my postings too you for editing!
You can make the point without so many words, whereas I can write for days without making myself clear