Government skeptical of threat against NFL stadiums

[Ian David]

Government skeptical of threat against NFL stadiums
LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - A Web site is claiming that seven NFL football stadiums will be hit with radiological dirty bombs this weekend, but the government on Wednesday expressed doubts about the threat.

The warning, posted Oct. 12, was part of an ongoing Internet conversation titled "New Attack on America Be Afraid." It mentioned NFL stadiums in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, where games are scheduled for this weekend.

The Homeland Security Department alerted authorities and stadium owners in those cities, as well as the NFL, of the Web message but said the threat was being viewed "with strong skepticism." Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said there was no intelligence that indicated such an attack was imminent, and that the alert was "out of an abundance of caution."

"The department strongly encourages the public to continue to go about their plans, including attending events that involve large public gatherings such as football games," Knocke said.

The FBI also expressed doubt about the threat.

More:
http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/sports/football/15790124.htm

October Surprise?

Or will we hear, "No one could have anticipated the bombing of the stadiums?"

In any case, at least it's just nuclear bombs, and not a nipple.

That would be much worse.

That's why the government fines you more money for "dropping the f-bomb" on TV than for releasing radioactive material.

[OhioChick]

1. Midterms are coming........

expect "terror threats" 24/7 until then. :eyes:

[dbonds]

2. If there is an attack before the elections I have to question the timing.

It really would raise SERIOUS questions about the real director of the attack.

[aquart]

3. What would it take to blow up an entire stadium?

Those things ain't small.

Suddenly I had a picture of a clusterbomb going off in the parking lot......and thousands of SUVs biting the dust.

Really. The logistics are just ridiculous. If al qaeda or anyone else could have figured out a way to bomb a full stadium, they woulda done it. It's pretty much the only thing that would actually top 9/11. Anything else they try would just look like they were off their game. Victims of their own success.

And a dirty bomb won't kill anyone for YEARS. Which makes it pretty much a dud for political impact. It can scare in advance. Once it goes off, everyone will just go, "Poo! That's all you got?"

[Ian David]

4. Maybe they're gonna fill The Goodyear Blimp full of needle-weapons!

Plot Summary for Black Sunday (1977)

Terrorist organization Black September is planning an attack on the United States. A woman called Dahlia is the one overseeing the operation. She was in the Middle East with the other members of the organization, discussing the operation when some Israelis came in; the leader, Major Kobakov had his gun on her but didn't shoot her. Kobakov then informed the US what they found. Though they don't know what their operation is, Kobakov assures them that it will be devastating. So, with FBI man, Corley, they try to find out what it is before it's too late. But they both have different ways of doing things, and since Kobakov is the visitor, he is warned to watch it. Dahlia's "partner in crime" is Michael Lander, a Vietnam P.O.W., who is psychologically scarred by that experience, thus making him very susceptible to her machinations.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075765/

[seriousstan]

9. A radiological dirty bombs, even if not effective, would produce panic

Probably enough to get a few dozen people killed in the exit stampede and then actual/perceived radiation damage for years.

[Bigmack]

17. Shhhhhh.... don't tell the "terra-ists"...

but I've wondered for years now how effective a smoke grenade.... maybe that sickly green color... would be in killing hundreds in a stampede at a big event.

I just don't think the terrorists are all that fucking clever.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. I'm safe. the last place I would go would be a football game in a stadium

Maybe the second to the last place, last would probably be a bush political rally.

[aquart]

7. See? Me, too.

[hedgehog]

6. If they're skeptical about it, why'd they bring it up in the first place?

and is anyone certain they just weren't reading the movie listings?

[LisaM]

8. Let's see if public officials avoid those stadia this weekend

then we can tell how credible this threat really is.

[sugapablo]

10. Bad mistake on the part of "terrorists!"

They mentioned Atlanta? This weekend? Where the Steelers are playing?

If the Steelers were taken out by a terrorist attack.....

What happened to Japan after attacking Pearl Harbor would be nothing compared to what would happen if someone was dumb enough to attack the Steeler Nation.

I don't know if it's happened since the founding of this nation, but the City of Pittsburgh would probably be the first US CITY to ever formally declare war.

[Phredicles]

12. Don't worry: If the Steelers are targeted, the refs will

make sure the bomb is moved to the other team's locker room.

[sugapablo]

14. Oh, nooo!

Bitter Seattle fans survived their own hysteria! :rofl:

Perhaps you didn't hear:
http://www.sugapablo.com/ext/sugapablo-one_for_the_middle_finger.mp3

[daleo]

15. Yikes

Terrible towels!

[HereSince1628]

11. Well, that qualifies as a surprise and it is October

Congratulations, KARL!

Unfortunately, no one believes it. Oops.

[CatholicEdHead]

13. They need to stop lifitng plots from Tom Clancy novels

[Divernan]

16. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, the Twins, Laura, Jeb -1 to each stadium

If they're so confident to tell the public to go to the games as usual, they should set the example and show up themselves. Like the Queen of England staying in London during the blitz.

[dapper]

18. Well, scheduling will be tough

NY Jets play in NJ so that leaves Buffalo right? Both the Jets and Buffalo play at 1pm
Miami plays at 1pm
Houston at 1pm
Atlanta 1pm
Cleveland 4pm
Oak 4pm
Seattle 4pm

All times are based on the Eastern Time zone.

The website appears to be down but you can get the google cache still.

This website:
http://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/paul-williams091606.htm
has some early information about it. It is from Mid September.

All I can say is BUSHIT!

Dap

[Anakin Skywalker]

19. Sounds Like a Rethug Scare-Tactic.

God damn it, why do they hate America?

[davekriss]

20. Abundance of caution?

Sure wish the Bush administration exercised just a modicum of caution on September 10, 2001. Like maybe alert the airlines, FAA, and NORAD that Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.? Or something akin to the personal caution Ashcroft took when he ceased flying commercial aircraft? Or, for that matter, the prescient caution the White House took when they pre-emptively began taking Cipro?

[Phredicles]

21. "pre-emptively taking Cipro"?

I missed this before. Did they start taking Cipro before or after the anthrax scare started. Tell, tell!

[davekriss]

22. My understanding is before

I'll find/post some links later (this evening), as I'm off to work.

[davekriss]

25. Here you go

White House started taking Cipro on 9/11 even though the Anthrax attacks didn't happen until well into October:

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government abuse and corruption, said today that the Bush administration has failed to provide a complete and accurate response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request concerning the decision to place White House staff on a regimen of the powerful antibiotic, Cipro, the same day as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. By contrast, U.S. Postal Service workers from Washington, DC’s Brentwood Postal Facility – Judicial Watch clients – were denied antibiotic treatment, even after it became apparent that the Brentwood facility had been contaminated. Judicial Watch represents the Brentwood Postal workers in various legal proceedings against government officials who put their lives in jeopardy. So far, 8 postal workers have died and hundreds remain harmed by the lethal exposure.
-- source:judicialwatch.org

Asked if he was tested for the germ that has killed three people already this month, or if he was taking precautionary antibiotics, Bush replied simply: ``I don't have anthrax.''

At least some White House personnel were given Cipro six weeks ago. White House officials won't discuss that, or who might be receiving the anthrax-treating antibiotic now.

``If the White House were to start to reveal the security measures including health protections that are in place for the president ... people who would want to do harm to the president would know what protections are in place and therefore they could shift their tactics,'' Fleischer said.

On the night of the Sept. 11 attacks, the White House Medical Office dispensed Cipro to staff accompanying Vice President Dick Cheney as he was secreted off to the safety of Camp David, and told them it was a precaution, according to one person directly involved.

At that time, nobody could guess the dimensions of the terrorists' plot.
-- "White House Mail Sorters Anthrax-Free," By SANDRA SOBIERAJ, Associated Press Writer, OCTOBER 24, 10:32 EDT

You can google up more references if you'd like. The point is (and now established) that what was good enough for the White House was apparently too good for the American people.

[Phredicles]

26. Thanks. As with Ashcroft suddenly deciding not to travel on

commercial flights after the July 10 '01 brief, it sure looks fishy, like they knew what was coming.

[KansDem]

23. In the mean time, this "story" will be front & center on all news reports

...as the corporate media whores debate each other over the validity of this report. Front and center right up to and including Election Day.

"Well, it appears to lack credibility, but..."
"The government has expressed doubts about this threat, however..."
"I'm almost certain this is a false report, but..."

SOP :eyes:

[truthisfreedom]

24. Milwaukee resident may have posted stadium scare (headline)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/10/19/threat.games.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

it's over. some idiot from Wisconsin posted it... a hoax, obviously. no slight on Wisconsinites...