Sun, Sep 04, 2011
Despite Studies Suggesting GA Makes For A Poor Weapon System,
DHS and FBI Publish Warnings
OK... let the pre-9/11 anniversary paranoia begin!
A Friday missive credited to both the FBI and the Department of
Homeland Security is warning the nation's security forces to be
alert for a possible threat to the nation via small aircraft. While
admitting that there is no specific or even credible threat yet
defined (or accompanied by any real evidence), that hasn't kept the
Feds from ratcheting up the paranoia factor and implicating a
weapon system that, at best, would make for a pretty poor mode of
attack -- namely small airplanes.
A five page bulletin, released to unnamed sources on Friday,
claims that al Qaida was still considering the use of aviation as a
weapon system with which to launch attacks on the USA.
The Bulletin is reported to note that, "Al-Qaida and its
affiliates have maintained an interest in obtaining aviation
training, particularly on small aircraft, and in recruiting Western
individuals for training in Europe or the United States, although
we do not have current, credible information or intelligence of an
imminent attack being planned."
Media reports also suggest that 'al-Qaida would like to use
sympathetic Westerners to get flight training, then get them to
become flight instructors.'
After stoking the fires of security paranoia, DHS Spokesman
Matthew Chandler, then described the publication as "routine" but
that they went ahead with the warning on the even of 9/11, anyway.
"We shared this information with our partners to highlight the need
for continued awareness and vigilance," Chandler explained.
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