Terrorists might use Lasers US govt says

OK I am lifting the Rug__________ now lets sweep this under it where it belongs.

Granted Lasers will some day become very powerful weapons, however at this time any laser strong enough to do significant damage would be too large to carry around in a bag or anything small enough to conceal.

Yes someone might be able to point one at a cockpit on landing and perhaps hit the pilots eye, but that would be pure luck and we all know it.

Sure you can hit a wing with a laswer but the beam would not be powerful enough to bring the plane down.

So Sweep Sweep and sweep somemore for the time being atleast.

Originally posted by Hoppinmad1
but I am sure it could cause some damage in a crowded area. Especially after reading about the military weapons being developed to blind people.

Hmmm...interesting...

New thought...

What would happen if the terrorists used the lasers on the troops ?

I think that the only thing we need to realize is that these people are willing to go to any lengths to kill us. To completely eliminate the possibilty that someone might be willing to invest a meager 15 or 20 grand to bring down a plane or two just because YOU think it's stupid is shortsighted and dangerous.

If sentiment against the US continues to fester and recruitment and funding of our enemies continue to increase as a result, I think we need to be prepared to consider the possibility that higher technologies will be employed.

For many people who would hate us, money is no object. And these people who would have malicious intent will never have a problem recruiting any number of somewhat intelligent lackeys to carry out the footwork, considering they're working with a pool possibly in excess of 2 billion people.

My final point is this: If Thorfin Skullsplitter thinks it's stupid, you probably better put it on the list of considerations of attack, and build some kind of contingency to counter or prevent it.

THINK!

Well if Bush and his lackeys continue to push the christian crusade through the middle east terrorists WILL use lasers or whatever they have to fight back against western invasion.

These "islamic fundementalists" are smarter than the average redneck waving his bible and going "WAR WAR WAR"



[edit on 9-12-2004 by RedOctober90]

Delta, I bet you were out buying duct tape and plastic sheeting last year, huh?...

So much for deny ignorance...

Let me guess,you heard it on Fow news...

www.freerepublic.com...

FoxNews obtained an FBI bulletin, which warns law enforcement, that terrorists may use pens, where instead of the cartridge, they have small cannisters filled with poison gas, such as cyanide, ricin, etc.

They found one such weapon on an Islamic terrorist. .....

Originally posted by Thorfinn Skullsplitter
Delta, I bet you were out buying duct tape and plastic sheeting last year, huh?...

So much for deny ignorance...

No, I was remembering every thing I learned as an infantryman in the armed forces. Namely common sense. And yes, some duct tape issues, but not for my windows.

Look, if it is possible for anyone, terrorist or otherwise, to point a low power laser into the cockpit of a commercial airliner with accuracy enough to cause damage to the retina of a pilot, then it is certainly not inconceivable that a higher powered laser could be used with less accuracy to melt an aluminum airframe.

I just find it frankly stupid that you would completely discount a fairly simple attack option for the enemy just because you think its stupid. The operation that attack would entail would be no more complicated than a machine gun team setting up for support by fire operations.

Think again.

It's not like there are laser warehouses, or that lasers are common weapons on any battlefield.

Why would a "terrorist" use a laser, run out onto a runway and point a laser (being a rather large laser to have any chance of causing any damage to anything, it's not like you can use a laser pointer) in the hopes he will be lucky enough to hit the pilot in the face from a considerable distance?...

...when he could get an RPG instead if he even had the chance of running onto the runway in the first place...

This memo is sensational hype to target the less inquisitive of folk...

Originally posted by Thorfinn Skullsplitter
It's not like there are laser warehouses, or that lasers are common weapons on any battlefield.

Sure there may not be laser warehouses but look at this

search.ebay.com...

I'm sure that with a few simple modifications you could take one or a few of these and use them somewhat effectively. If its enough to remove hair or a tattoo it should be enough to burn a sensitive retina.

Add a fast moving mirror like the ones they use in laser shows to make all those impressive looking designs and you could cover a pretty large area, negating the need for pin point accuracy.

Assemble the machine on top of a building somewhere near the airport within distance of incoming flights, program it to sweep an area that the flight path takes numerous planes through and you could probably do some damage.

I'm not saying it will happen and it is highly unlikely that it will. But for the government to dismiss it as absurd could be dangerous. It doesn't bother me that the public laughs about it, but I am glad to see that it is at least being taken with some seriousness where it counts.

While it may seem far fetched, it is possible. When the government totally dismisses something because it seems a little crazy could be disasterous.

Like I said before. I'm sure that 9-11 style attacks were widely dismissed as being improbable and far fetched. Look where that got us. If the government had taken a little closer look at that crazy idea, the world might be a little different than it is today.

Oh my God!!are you guys really believing this ''Fear propaganda''

Next thing they will say is terrorist have back engineerd ufo technology that they will use to destroy the United States.
This alledged technology was made in secret bases in Iran that costed trillions of dollars, funded by muslim states that are out to kill all americans.

Its no wonder why your shodow government gets away with everything since 98% of the americans will believe everything they tell you.
I dont know whats wrong with with you people, you all have been anethesized or something.

A weapon without a person using it is completely harmless that is how is see the Bush and his shadow government, like a WMD.
And you are people using it because ''the WMD'' has been telling you all these and even attacked his own city just for you to use him, this bombs purpose is to destroy!!!!

Originally posted by Skibum
Sure there may not be laser warehouses but look at this

search.ebay.com...

I'm sure that with a few simple modifications you could take one or a few of these and use them somewhat effectively. If its enough to remove hair or a tattoo it should be enough to burn a sensitive retina.

No, you couldn't use something like this effectively on a runway, pointed at a moving plane. Look, I am not saying this idea should be totally discounted, by it should be thought out logically.

Why would a terrorist group spend 38,000 dollars on something, then spend more money to modify it (requiring someone with the know-how as well) and then somehow, devise a plan to get it into an airport and onto the runway, and being able to point it at a moving plane...

...when they could just save thousands and thousands of dollars to buy a friggin' RPG instead. It's ridiculous.

While it may seem far fetched, it is possible. When the government totally dismisses something because it seems a little crazy could be disasterous.

When the government totally wastes time on these memo's and sensational ideas, instead of actually putting some thought into it. You have to wonder where all this tax money goes.

If this memo isn't fear propaganda, I don't know what is. It leaves open too much blame to pass around. Why send a memo out like this depicting just ONE possibility of an attack that is so outlandish? Why? Because if something similar to this did happen, but an RPG was used instead, it could easily be said by the government, "Well, they didn't use a laser as we had anticipated for, however they did use a run-of-the-mill RPG instead, lucky us. We are catching the terrorists at every turn...blah blah blah"

Like I said before. I'm sure that 9-11 style attacks were widely dismissed as being improbable and far fetched. Look where that got us. If the government had taken a little closer look at that crazy idea, the world might be a little different than it is today.

The 9/11 attacks are still undetermined as to who and what caused the buildings to be attacked and to fall. The fact that there is evidence of demolitions charges being used totally throws everything we've been told about 9/11 out of the window. Have you seen closeups of the building falling? It's a spitting image of a planned demolition, I have the video, "9/11, In Plane Site," if you'd like to see...

The 9/11 attacks are still undetermined as to who and what caused the buildings to be attacked and to fall. The fact that there is evidence of demolitions charges being used totally throws everything we've been told about 9/11 out of the window. Have you seen closeups of the building falling? It's a spitting image of a planned demolition, I have the video, "9/11, In Plane Site," if you'd like to see...

HaHaHaHaHaHaHa.....thats even funnier than someone thinking there is any credibility to the use of lasers. I've seen that P.O.S. video, its quite comical. Its even funnier when you start talking about rpgs taking down airplanes, just about as improbable as using a laser to blind a pilot, I would have to say.

This is absolutely stupid IMO,

Come on, lasers? what is this Austin Powers movie and Doctor Evil's freakin laaaaaaaaaser? What's next? Terrorists are planning to clone mini me's?

We've seen the footage on TV and images from across the globe. Terrorists are under funded and rely on AK-47's technology and RPG's from the 80's. The only terrorist who would use a laser would be funded by the CIA in order to further spend tax money on counter laser technology, or by all means to develop bigger better lasers than the so called terrorists.

Remember we're dealing with neo-cons and politics of fear here

No, you couldn't use something like this effectively on a runway, pointed at a moving plane. Look, I am not saying this idea should be totally discounted, by it should be thought out logically. Why would a terrorist group spend 38,000 dollars on something, then spend more money to modify it (requiring someone with the know-how as well) and then somehow, devise a plan to get it into an airport and onto the runway, and being able to point it at a moving plane...

Did I mention anything about a runway. I know of a few buildings in Washington D.C. that would be perfect vantage points for such an attack.

I must concede the point that firing a laser at a plane in order to bring it down is far-fetched. It is not, however, inconceivable, and must be considered and contingency planning must be conducted, even if rudimentary.

My thinking on this particular issue doesn't have to do with terrorist attacks in general, but particularly attacks on commercial airliners. A civilian flight is one of the juiciest targets a terrorist could hope for. Not because of the liklihood of high body count, but because of the economic damage it is already known to inflict on America.

I see it this way: Any attack on America by terrorists is going to be focused on damaging or destroying our economy. Our economy is our lifeblood. The attack on the WTC was not simply a symbolic gesture, with the implied message that western financial systems were a burden on the islamic way of life. No, it was not symbolic, it was strategic. By attacking the heart of the western world's finances, bin Laden was attempting to bring down the economy.

Which brings me to my point, which is that even though the WTC fell, that specific detail was not what damaged the economy. What damaged the economy most, something which I don't believe bin Laden was counting on, was the fact that our air transit system was shut down for three days. This is what caused economic crisis, not the WTC falling.

People generally are already fearful about flying. It is a situation over which they have absolutely no control, and they know it. If suddenly planes start falling out of the sky due to attacks, then people are going to fly much less. The lesson learned by al Queda on September 11th, is that planes are more effective targets than buildings. Or at least they should have.

It is for this reason that I believe that any perceived threat against commercial air transport, no matter how remote the possibility, must be considered seriously. Freakin' laser or otherwise.

And as far as the availability and accessibility of lasers is concerned, I don't understand how one, or many, could discount the fact that these devices are readily available and accessible. Lasers are not just science fiction anymore. Laser technology is pretty much old hat.

Yes, for the most part, terrorists are poor; sporting nothing more dangerous than Kalashnikovs and RPGs. But that truth cannot allow us to automatically believe that small arms and high explosives are the only threats with which we need concern ourselves.

There is a lot of money out there that hates America and western social/political/economic structure. This enemy we face is tenacious and determined. They are willing to protract these battles generations into the future. We can't seem to conduct ourselves rightly even eight years in to the future, much less imagine what could be in the same frame of time.

Finally, I am not afraid of terrorists using lasers to bring down planes. I am not afraid because I know there are men and women greater and smarter than me who have already thought much more deeply and much longer ago on this subject. To prevent this type of attack would be relatively simple as well, so again, I'm not afraid at all.

What scares me is when people completely contradict and dismiss what could be a legitimate threat to our interests, without even the slightest consideration. If it can be imagined, it is a possibility. All things must be considered, if only for long enough to determine their improbabilities.

And duct tape can save your life.

Originally posted by syntaxer
This is absolutely stupid IMO,

Come on, lasers? what is this Austin Powers movie and Doctor Evil's freakin laaaaaaaaaser? What's next? Terrorists are planning to clone mini me's?

That's what I was thinking....Osama is in some cave shaped like his head thinking....


As others such as yourself have mentioned...clearly there's a group of people sitting around a table thinking, what in the hell can we say to the American people that's random as hell and has no bearing on their day to day lives that will freak out the weak minded? Oh! I got it! Let's say something about laser beams!!

From this article on CNN it clealry states to anybody who is capable of reading in between the lines, that this is just fear PR:

"Terrorists may seek to down aircraft by shining powerful lasers into cockpits to blind pilots during landing approaches, U.S. officials warned in a bulletin distributed nationwide."

.....

"There is no specific intelligence indicating al Qaeda or other groups might use lasers in the United States, they added."

The fact remains that individuals have used lasers in some way to compromise the safety of airliners. That there is no intelligence to suggest that al Queda intends to use lasers to compromise airliners does not detract from the fact that someone already has, on numerous occasions.

This is intelligence enough to warrant a look into the possibilities.

Originally posted by DeltaChaos
The fact remains that individuals have used lasers in some way to compromise the safety of airliners. That there is no intelligence to suggest that al Queda intends to use lasers to compromise airliners does not detract from the fact that someone already has, on numerous occasions.

This is intelligence enough to warrant a look into the possibilities.

Well - I agree.....I think its great we've got this figured out already before it's too late and something happens...

But it's hard not to make fun of something like this - Especially in light of the fact that they make this national news like its something that's going to happen tomorrow, and then throw in the fact: but Al Queda shows no signs of being able to use this technology....

That's great....and can the next memo let everyone in the US know when Mrs. Bush is on the rag please?! Cuz I really need to know that....

[edit on 12/10/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
...and then throw in the fact: but Al Queda shows no signs of being able to use this technology....

This is not a fact. Was this quoted from CNN?

To quote Rummy, "...then there unknown unknowns, that is to say things that we don't know we don't know..."

al Queda could be, know, do just about anything at this point, at any location in the world, and we might not even know it. But all this is irrelevant...

Screw al Queda, the name, the idea, the leader. If we were to get caught up chasing a name, trying to gather intelligence on it, we are going to fail miserably. I don't even believe that al Queda is or ever was a significant force. Certainly not significant in numbers. I think bin Laden's al Queda had enough steam for their one attack and on that attack they blew their wad.

There are thousands of groups that want to kill us now, ranging in significance from schoolboys talking about how to get us, to rogue Arab millionaires with a mind for destruction and the will to do it.

I'm seeing a landscape of groups who have no names, or at least names that we should bother concerning ourselves with. One pissed off Arab with a few hundred grand and some connections with people who know the technical aspects of destruction, and have balls, is all that is necessary for a sizeable attack.

We're just a big liferaft in shark infested waters. These sharks are just waiting for us to fall asleep and let our hand dip into the water so they can bite it off.

Nice avatar, Enron. Dimebag is the man. I'm enjoying some Cowboys from Hell right now.

[edit on 10-12-2004 by DeltaChaos]

Damaging the retina is a whole different magnitude laser, than damaging the wings, but both could have the same terminal effect, so yes it could well fit into the terrorist budget....

Do we declare it rubbish and wait until thiey actually crash a plane with it or must some kind of selective filter be put on the cockpit glass...?