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more on FBI Issues Alert Against Almanac Carriers
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 10:17:43 -0500
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 10:08:25 -0500 To: Hiawatha Bray <watha () monitortan com> From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net> Subject: RE: [IP] FBI Issues Alert Against Almanac CarriersI do bias toward pointing out stupidity and ineptness. WHY does the FBI publicize such "hints" I assume no self respecting terrorist will carry one in the open or now even check out one from the library.
Also I seem to remember the guilt by reading associated with Marx in the 50's and 60s and would not like that to happen. Maybe the FBI should associate the subscribers to the NRA magazine?
Dave At 09:56 AM 12/30/2003, Hiawatha Bray wrote:
Er...maybe it's just me, but it sometimes seems that this list bends over backwards looking for evidence of a looming police state. Well, this ain't it. No cop's going to arrest somebody merely for carrying an almanac; as the story notes, the feds say it's just one more thing to look out for. Presumably, some Qaeda type gave it up during interrogation, and cops are being warned to watch for it. Makes sense to me. Hiawatha Bray -----Original Message----- From: owner-ip () v2 listbox com [mailto:owner-ip () v2 listbox com]On Behalf Of Dave Farber Sent: Monday, December 29, 2003 8:03 PM To: ip () v2 listbox com Subject: [IP] FBI Issues Alert Against Almanac Carriers FBI Issues Alert Against Almanac Carriers December 29, 2003 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 7:43 p.m. ET WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning. In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs ``to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning.'' It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways. ``The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning,'' the FBI wrote. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the bulletin this week and verified its authenticity. ``For local law enforcement, it's just to help give them one more piece of information to raise their suspicions,'' said David Heyman, a terrorism expert for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. ``It helps make sure one more bad guy doesn't get away from a traffic stop, maybe gives police a little bit more reason to follow up on this.'' The FBI noted that use of almanacs or maps may be innocent, ``the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities.'' But it warned that when combined with suspicious behavior -- such as apparent surveillance -- a person with an almanac ``may point to possible terrorist planning.'' ``I don't think anyone would consider us a harmful entity,'' said Kevin Seabrooke, senior editor of The World Almanac. He said the reference book includes about a dozen pages out of its 1,000 pages total listing the world's tallest buildings and bridges but includes no diagrams or architectural schematics. ``It's stuff that's widely available on the Internet,'' he said. The publisher for The Old Farmers Almanac said Monday terrorists would probably find statistical reference books more useful than the collections of Americana in his famous publication of weather predictions and witticisms. ``While we doubt that our editorial content would be of particular interest to people who would wish to do us harm, we will certainly cooperate to the fullest with national authorities at any level they deem appropriate,'' publisher John Pierce said. The FBI said information typically found in almanacs that could be useful for terrorists includes profiles of cities and states and information about waterways, bridges, dams, reservoirs, tunnels, buildings and landmarks. It said this information is often accompanied by photographs and maps. The FBI urged police to report such discoveries to the local U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-FBI-Almanacs.html?ex=1073745956& ei=1&en=04d038b602802322 --------------------------------- Get Home Delivery of The New York Times Newspaper. Imagine reading The New York Times any time & anywhere you like! Leisurely catch up on events & expand your horizons. Enjoy now for 50% off Home Delivery! Click here: http://www.nytimes.com/ads/nytcirc/index.html HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales () nytimes com or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help () nytimes com. Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as watha () monitortan com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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