(Immigration rights) Protesters targeted with bomb

[mistertrickster]

Last edited Thu Feb 16, 2012, 10:15 AM - Edit history (1)

http://occupyintel.net/2012/02/15/protesters-targeted-with-bomb/

Local OWS activists were part of this protest.

File this under "Holy S***!"

Hundreds of protesters from various groups converged on the state capitol in Topeka, Kansas today. Shortly before the protesters arrived, Capitol Police discovered a truck laden with explosives parked outside the capitol.

KAKE News reports:

“Police say they’ve arrested the owner of a suspicious pickup truck that was found parked near the Kansas Statehouse with several homemade explosives inside and that had specialty license plates issued only to U.S. military paratroopers.

"Capitol Police Spokesman Patrick Saleh says officers arrested the pickup’s owner Wednesday in an underground tunnel that connects the Statehouse to a nearby state office building.

. . . .

"Saleh said the Topeka Police Department’s bomb squad was called to investigate the pickup after an officer saw suspicious objects inside. He says they found explosives made with household materials and designed to spray shrapnel upon detonation.”

[saras]

1. It's class war - they're going to fire the first shot eventually

[sabrina 1]

2. Good thing that cop was smart enough to notice the suspicious objects in the truck.

That could have been a real tragedy. There is immense hatred for this movement. I hope they all remain safe.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. It was an immigrants rights protest, not OWS

Sounds like the guy with the bombs was a minuteman. He had a bumper sticker on his truck that said 'Welcome to America. Speak English.'

[mistertrickster]

16. Okay, thanks for that correction. I got it from an OWS activist who was there

representing that group.

That info makes it even more likely that the target of the bomb threat was the protesters, in my mind.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I didn't know there were any OWS groups in Topeka

There was a small group in KC but they have disbanded.

This rally had been planned for quite awhile by the immigrants rights groups. Perhaps there were some OWS folks there but it was not their event.

[mistertrickster]

20. Wichita sent a contingent of 400 people

mainly Sunflower Action and OWS.

Here's our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Occupyict?bookmark_t=page

[TheWraith]

3. Yeah, this sounds like bullshit.

One, the protesters were not targeted. That's an invention of the blog reprinting this. Second, I have a really hard time believing that there were any ACTUAL "explosives," since the news story they link to talks about one guy getting arrested for THREATENING Governor Brownback. Nothing about explosives charges, etcetera, which they'd be quick on top of if there were any actual explosives. Given the way these stories get exaggerated, "several improvised explosive devices" could mean anything down to a few bundles of firecrackers--or nothing at all, since false reports aren't at all uncommon. Doubly so since they apparently did not even bother to tow the truck, so clearly there wasn't a serious threat.

Translation out of hype-speak: some kook made threatening noises at Brownback and got arrested. The end.

[MADem]

4. A report from a media source

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_19971941

TOPEKA, Kan.—Several homemade bombs were found Wednesday in a pickup truck parked near the Kansas Statehouse that had specialty license plates issued only to U.S. military paratroopers, and police said they arrested the owner inside an underground tunnel connecting the Capitol to an office building.

Capitol Police spokesman Patrick Saleh said the incident was not connected to another arrest Wednesday of a man who allegedly phoned in a threat to Gov. Sam Brownback's office from a Topeka motel.
...

The discovery of the pickup truck led authorities to temporarily block traffic and access to the parking lot. The black Ford with no hood and a beat-up front grill, remained in the Judicial Center parking lot Wednesday afternoon, set off by a police car and orange cones.

...


But Saleh said neither arrest was connected to a coinciding rally at the Statehouse that was protesting policies pursued by Brownback, Kobach and other Republican officials.

[TheWraith]

26. I'm still going to wait a few days before I believe one word of this.

These stories have an amazing ability to morph into absolutely nothing, especially if they're ever forced to comment on what the "homemade bombs" were. I remember far too many stories where the news reported "improvised explosives" only to find out later that it was total bullshit. Even so, the original source is simply false in associating it with Occupy Wall Street or the protesters.

[MADem]

29. I can tell you one thing--it's not a "federal case," at least not yet.

TOPEKA, Kan. — A man detained after homemade bombs were found inside his pickup near the Kansas Statehouse will not face federal charges, a federal law enforcement spokeswoman said Thursday.

Spokeswoman Trista Frederick of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the agency helped with the investigation but that the case is being handled by Topeka authorities. She did not elaborate on why the matter wouldn’t become a federal case.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/no-federal-charges-expected-against-man-with-homemade-bombs-in-truck-near-kansas-statehouse/2012/02/16/gIQAJzWpHR_story.html

[TheWraith]

32. No federal case generally means no explosives.

BATFE is zealous to the point of rabid in involving themselves with anything they can. If they're not, then it's because there's nothing that fall under their jurisdiction.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I live in Kansas and I'm not the least bit surprised.

We have quite an active and violent group of minutemen here in Kansas. And they come to most of the immigrants rights rallies and try to intimidate the attendees. A bomb wouldn't be unbelievable at all for these people.

[cbrer]

5. I call Bull Shit on this one

I want to see proof. We have been hand fed so much scare tactic crap up to this point that this seems another attempt at "Hey, maybe this will scare the pussies off". Next thing will be the police having to protect the protestors from bombs while they pepper spray them. Give me a break.

Real bombers explode things.

[The Doctor.]

7. I know. You don't like the idea of a wingnut asshole trying to kill innocent people.

None of us do.

But let me get this right: Because the bombs didn't kill anyone, there was no threat?

[cbrer]

9. Not about my likes/dislikes

Threat undetermined. Not willing to accept word of reporter. Were there in fact, any bombs at all?

Many more scare tactics around than bombs.

[The Doctor.]

11. So, you just choose whether to believe something or not regardless of substance?

That's kind of a 'wingnut' thing.

Here's the exact quote: "Saleh said the Topeka Police Department’s bomb squad was called to investigate the pickup after an officer saw suspicious objects inside. He says they found explosives made with household materials and designed to spray shrapnel upon detonation.”

Are you saying that the Topeka PD did NOT find what was reported?

I know this might be hard for you to grasp, but in the really real world, you can call the Topeka PD and find out for yourself. Then you can say that you called and they told you they found bombs, and then we can say that you're lying too.

We can play the same 'reality trick' on you that you're playing right now. But then nothing is true, is it?

[SemperEadem]

14. thank you

I have little patience for people who try to insist their little alternate reality is everyone else's reality.

[The Doctor.]

22. Read "The Assault on Reason"

It's happening all over this nation, and here on DU.

Those that employ reason are roundly admonished for being 'arrogant' or 'condescending'. It amazes me how people can just construct any reality they want and then try to impose it on others. I can't let that sort of thing stand, and all I seem to get is derision in response.

[SemperEadem]

31. well, here... let me applaud you for it

I'd rather have reason and be "arrogant/condescending" than to not have reason and live disconnected from reality. Lies kill. A person who willfully lives disconnected from reality will always fail.

[cbrer]

25. Of what

Am I trying to convince you? I'm expressing my own views here. What you believe is of concern only in terms of debate. And possibly adding to my knowledge if I'm convinced there's justification. So far, NOT.

If that article represents the final word on "substance" to you, that's fine with me. I am, and remain skeptical. I'm sure they found something. Hard to make any case at all without something tangible. What it is, who put it there, and why remain, for me, unknown, and also remain deciding factors for me.

Wingnut/Hard for me to grasp. Goodness, disagreeing with you causes personal attacks. Not hard to believe when considering the weakness of your argument.

[TheWraith]

28. Why do you assume that the Topeka PD is accurately representing what was found?

All other motivations aside, it is RIDICULOUSLY easy for an organization like that to want to cover their asses by claiming they found something, or exaggerating, or simply not correcting false initial reports. Particularly when you consider that that quote, including the bit about "spraying shrapnel," is not found ANYWHERE in the actual news story this blogger linked to--it appears to have been completely made up by the blogger.

[The Doctor.]

30. I thought he meant something else.

That theory is entirely plausible.

[The Doctor.]

21. I'm curious, what other 'scare tactic crap' have we 'been fed'?

You're trying to classify this as 'crap' and using the 'justification' that it's another in a long string of 'crap'. So where's all this 'crap'.

[cbrer]

24. Broad heading

For reporting of terrorist activity at levels that justify recent legislation such as the Patriot act. For creating a new intrusive Department of homeland security. For the recent legislation restricting internet activity to fight "piracy". New proposal to fly drones over the US...

1. Assassination of U.S. citizens. 2. Indefinite detention. 3. Arbitrary justice. 4. Warrantless searches. 5. Secret evidence. 6. War crimes. 7. Secret court. 8. Immunity from judicial review. 9. Continual monitoring of citizens. 10. Extraordinary renditions.

I knew something was up when my dad helped me understand what Secretary McNamara was telling Congress about the Gulf of Tonkin. Been skeptical ever since.

[The Doctor.]

27. Ah. It was not clear to me what you meant.

So you are saying that this might have been an intimidation ploy against OWS?

That may have merit.

I took you to mean that there was no plot at all and the story was fake. Now I understand.

[Politicalboi]

6. True or not

One day it could happen. And we still won't know for sure if it was a "lone nut" or set up to scare others from protesting.

[Lasher]

8. Santorum says OWS protesters are intolerant.

After all, some of them shouted at him. He says he needs SS protection.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Santorum and intolerant are synonomous, LOL!

Of COURSE they shouted at him. I would, too. Guy's a fuckin' asshole.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. This wasn't an OWS protest, it was about immigration policies

The headline is misleading.

[progressoid]

15. +1

[mistertrickster]

18. There is some question as to whether

protesters or the Gov. was the putative target of this bomb, but given where the truck was located, it is much more likely they would have been injured had the bombs exploded.

When someone planted a bomb at an MLKing march a few years ago, it wasn't too hard to figure out who it was supposed to intimidate . . .

[GETPLANING]

23. Another "isolated case"

[pampango]

33. Kansas Man With Truck Covered In Anti-Immigrant Stickers Arrested At State Capitol With Explosives

Yesterday, police arrested an unidentified man at the Kansas Capitol after discovering several homemade bombs in his truck close to the Kansas Capitol. The truck had stickers on its back window saying, “Welcome to America. Now speak English” and “Does my American flag offend you? Call 1-800-LEAVE THE USA.’’

This arrest came on the same day that Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), an anti-immigrant official who drafted Arizona’s and Alabama’s harmful immigration laws, urged Kansas lawmakers to pass stricter immigration policies. Hundreds of peaceful protesters also showed up to the capitol to protest Kobach’s arrival.

The protestors argued that the policies are more likely to produce discrimination, worker shortages, and costly lawsuits. “If Mr. Kobach, who is promoting…laws that are separating our families, that are leaving children without their parents, and they’re hurting everyone in our community, we will not stand for that,” Sulma Arias, executive director of Sunflower Community Action, said to the crowd of 300 people who gathered outside of the Kansas Statehouse. They targeted much of their anger at Kobach, but they took their message to Brownback at the end of the day and asked him to distance himself from Kobach.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/02/16/426961/kansas-man-with-truck-covered-in-anti-immigrant-stickers-arrested-at-state-capitol-with-explosives/

This isn't 'proof' that the bombs were intended for the immigration protesters. However, the coincidence of the pro-immigration protest and the fact that the truck loaded with bombs had anti-immigration stickers on it, is worth considering.