New threat from Al-Qaeda=Cargo planes

[cycloneye]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/11/07/ca ... index.html

Now a new threat looms out there and this time it is a plot to fly cargo planes into nuclear plants in the US.But IMO it is easy to plan but it will be very difficult to carrie out because of the more intense security now but nothing is impossible to do.

[BEER980]

Just keep an eye out. More and more warnings are making main stream media. I wonder if that missing 727 that was converted to a cargo plane figures into this.

[cycloneye]

Agree 100% Beer.

[stormchazer]

The stories run rampant. We just have to be alert and be prepared.

[Josephine96]

I am not that nervous of an attack for 1 reason. Al Qaeda is waiting for the US to completely let it's guard down before they attack us again. In my humble opinion that's what they are doing.

Even though I do think we are sitting ducks cause we have 100's of targets.

[janswizard]

I wonder how secure our nuclear plants really are. I'm sitting about 2 miles as the crow flies from one in Florida - it's on a strip of land between the beach and the Indian River. We have regular warning tests whereby the test horns go off on most Wednesdays to be sure they are working but in the event of a disaster there, it's way too late for us in our area. Even though these areas are supposed to have restricted air space, I still see small airplanes flying overhead. I don't know how far they are supposed to keep from these areas but with RPG's that can go great distances and all, I would imagine two miles isn't very far.

[BEER980]

Just keep your iodine tablets near by at all times. I would not worry about a RPG hit on any nuke plant. They are not powerful enough to do any substantial damage. Now a fuel tanker truck leaving the port is another story.

[PTrackerLA]

We hear new threats all the time but we just have to hope for the best and trust those in charge of our national security.

[Josephine96]

Sometimes I wonder if they do this just to keep us entertained. Those Al Qaeda wierdos pulled off September 11th and suddenly they are either too chicken to try again or God knows what.

I am very happy we haven't been attacked of course.. but these repeated warnings begin to get kinda silly.

[Stormsfury]

Sometimes I wonder if they do this just to keep us entertained. Those Al Qaeda wierdos pulled off September 11th and suddenly they are either too chicken to try again or God knows what.

I am very happy we haven't been attacked of course.. but these repeated warnings begin to get kinda silly.

Repeated warnings shouldn't be ignored, however. The fact of the matter is with differing circumstances but relatively the same principal ... Warnings issued for a storm that never materializes puts the public in a state of complacency ... (sound familiar with Hurricanes?)

[BEER980]

Look around you Josephine96. This is G4 warfare. You are in the battlespace right now. We all are in it. When you are online you are in the battlespace. When you get on I-4 you are in the battlespace. Even at Burger King you are in the battlespace. Look at the picture below that was found in the last few days and see what we are up against. They will attack us on their terms which could be anything. The eclipse might trigger it or some Sheikh might have a vision from his tea leaves. You can only cry wolf for so long. Some think that the next round of attacks might be all they have. It could be one final blow as the resources might have dried up.

[Josephine96]

You know what Beer that's true about the battlespace. Everytime I go to church I've been a tad bit nervous lately.. and everytime I take the public bus to class in the afternoon I've been a bit apprehensive. So I can't say that I haven't been nervous..

[BEER980]

Well let's call it more aware then nervous ok. You do have an Al Qaeda cell in Orlando. Check the map out.

[ColdFront77]

Now a new threat looms out there and this time it is a plot to fly cargo planes into nuclear plants in the US.But IMO it is easy to plan but it will be very difficult to carrie out because of the more intense security now but nothing is impossible to do.

Cargo plans over the weeks, months and years haven't had any security checks. Perhaps the packages that are getting on these planes will have to be monitored closely.

[nystate]

Checking more packages going on cargo planes is a good idea, but it would be very hard, time consuming, and expensive to search every box and package going onto a cargo plane.

Also, many passenger airlines (American, Delta, United, etc.) earn money by hauling cargo in the cargo holds during regular passenger flights. I think most of the attention should focus on these packages.

[ColdFront77]

I agree, nystate. Searching would make sense, but difficult to do on every package.

[nystate]

Another interesting (and disturbing) fact- cargo aircraft usually fly at night, which is disturbing considering the "moon" theory.

[ColdFront77]

If you are referring to tonight's lunar eclipse... I believe the moon will be "full again" by midnight.

[Stephanie]

Another interesting (and disturbing) fact- cargo aircraft usually fly at night, which is disturbing considering the "moon" theory.

VERY disturbing indeed!

[GalvestonDuck]

OK, I have a question.

Suppose a plane (cargo, passenger, or otherwise) is 1)flying in restricted airspace, 2)determined to be piloted by a terrorist, and 3)bound for either a nuclear target or a populated target. If fighter jets scramble out to intercept it, how do they stop it? If they shoot it down, couldn't it still cause casualties on the ground?

And here's a disturbing thought -- what if they target a sporting event or concert? All those people (usually around 20,000 - 30,000) in one close-knit space. :o