Government: Possible terrorist link to LNG stowaways

[MaineDem]

WASHINGTON (AP) The government for the first time said Wednesday that illegal immigrants who slipped into Boston on liquefied natural gas tankers in the 1990s may have had terrorist connections.

The Department of Homeland Security, in a memo made public by Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said preliminary analysis shows the immigrants may have been connected to terrorists indicted in a 1999 plot to blow up Los Angeles International Airport.

''The Homeland Security Department has provided a chilling confirmation that individuals with possible terrorist connections may have entered the U.S. onboard LNG tankers that docked in Everett,'' said Markey, adding that it underscores the need for greater security at the port of Boston.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/119/region/Government_Possible_terrorist_:.shtml

[ze_dscherman]

1. Two questions

- If they intended a terrorist attack, why didn't they just set fires on the tankers?
- With "hundreds of sleepers", and all those terrorists that could train the flights for 9/11 and easily enter the plane, why needed these people to enter the U.S. as stowaways, especially given the much easier controls in the 90ies? Was their no money for ordinary tickets?

[sniffa]

2. vindication for richard cLarke

i'd say it is.

[Justice]

3. Mentioned on Imus this morning too

Imus's newsguy Charles (a RWer) reported on this, and even said it vindicated Clarke.

Interesting that the letter to Rep. Markey does not mention timeframes. The mayor has been harping on this for years, and more particularly since 9/11. Recent reports have highlighted the fact that we wouldn't be able to respond to a diaster occurring as a result of an attack/accident on an LNG tanker.