FBI issues terror advisory to Texas refineries...

[southerngale]

Great....I'm surrounded by refineries, and so are many of our members to my west in the Houston area. It's like a refinery-palooza down here.


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Security was tight early Thursday at petrochemical plants along the Gulf of Mexico following a caution issued by the FBI.

An agency official said that the Texas Coastal Regional Advisory System, a shared information and communication system that is part of the Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force, was notified of nonspecific threats gathered from overseas sources.

"Its really uncorroborated, but there was enough there we thought it was best to send something out across TCRAS," said Bob Dogium, the Houston-area spokesman for the FBI.

He said in Thursday's online edition of the Texas City Sun that there was no indication of an immediate or direct threat against any of the facilities that dot the Texas Gulf Coast.

"Really, in the days after 9-11, the best weapon we have is communication," said Dogium. "There is really a good communication link between the various (law enforcement and security) agencies on matters of security."

Jason Hayley, head of security for the Port of Texas City, said he appreciates updates from TCRAS.

"We are always vigilant in our security measures, but its good to know when there is something else to be on the look out for. We've been in touch with the FBI," Hayley said of the latest warning.



source: http://www.kfdm1.com/engine.pl?station=kfdm&id=5116&template=breakoutlocal.html

Another story on it: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1896&u=/nm/20040325/us_nm/security_energy_dc_3&printer=1

[TexasStooge]

Uh-oh! That can't be good!

Thanks for the story.

[GalvestonDuck]

Yup, Kelly...Texas City certainly has its share of refineries and they're just across the causeway on the mainland (north of Galveston). In addition to lives lost (which would be the most devastating part of it), a large-scale incident there could crap up the ship channel and cut off the port to the ships that bring commerce there.

[bfez1]

Heads up, Texas!!!
And as far as that goes, the rest of the country, too.
No one is safe right now.

[vbhoutex]

Unfortunately I feel it is just a matter of time till they hit the refineries, either here or in NJ near NYC. And if the they did it with a big enough dirty bomb it could be a double whammy with the horrendous pollution and its' after-effects as well as the radiation probs, much less the probable thousands of lives that could be lost. I hope I am VERY WRONG, but the ship channel areas of the Hou/Gal Petroplex(thank you OHD)an obvious target.

[Lindaloo]

I figured it would not be long for the refineries to be targeted for threats.

As Bonnie said "Heads up"

[GalvestonDuck]

As Bonnie said "Heads up"

<----head up and on alert

AFLAC!

[southerngale]

As Bonnie said "Heads up"

<----head up and on alert

AFLAC!

lol....your avatar is

[Lindaloo]

ROFL!!

[PTrackerLA]

Keep your eyes open over there in Texas...lot's of refineries around the Baton Rouge area over here so we need to watch out too.

[BEER980]

Yep Houston is a target rich area over there. It would be high on AQ's list to attack.

[southerngale]

New Details About F.B.I. Alert

BAYTOWN, Texas (AP) _ A reported al-Qaida threat to blow up Texas oil refineries and pipelines in advance of the presidential election prompted the heightened security alert this week along the Gulf coast's massive petrochemical complex, the FBI says.

Plant officials in the Houston region, home to four of the nation's 10 largest refining facilities, said Thursday they are taking appropriate measures in response to the FBI advisory that oil refineries in Texas may be targeted for terrorist attacks.

"The FBI has received uncorroborated information that al-Qaida plans to blow up oil pipelines and refineries in Texas in an effort to affect the outcome of the presidential election," said Rick Hagar, a spokesman for the East Harris County Manufacturers Association, a group that represents 125 area petrochemical facilities near the Houston Ship Channel. It is the world's sixth largest port.

Bob Doguim, an FBI Houston office spokesman, told The Baytown Sun that the alleged threat came from a single source and it could take place sometime between now and the election.

Doguim told the Houston Chronicle that the agency's Houston office has been meeting with local law enforcement agencies and oil refineries.

But FBI spokesman Bill Carter in Washington emphasized that the information on Texas is in the same category as an estimated 7,000 alerts sent from the FBI to state and local authorities in the past year.

"We are giving out information that there is a potential threat to oil and gas and pipelines," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez, chief of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council.

He said federal authorities will hold a private meeting Friday with industry officials to give more detailed directions on how to tighten security.

At ExxonMobil's Baytown operations, the company is prepared to face any potential security threats, said Tricia Thompson, public affairs manager.

"ExxonMobil has programs and measures in place to provide security and safeguards as appropriate to protect its people, operations, facilities, business information and other assets," she said.

A bill by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison would strengthen port and container security, a spokesman said Thursday.


http://www.kfdm1.com/engine.pl?station=kfdm&id=5130&template=breakoutlocal.html

[southerngale]

Also, I was watching Neil Cavuto yesterday and they were talking about the symbolism of targeting Texas because it is Bush's home state. hmmm