Reason for Al-Shabbab Mall Attack Threats?

CBC Link

As most of us have heard, cheap, made in China goods that proliferate malls and bigger stores are facing shortages, as dock workers struggle to unload back logged shipments of products from overseas.

This is just a wild thought, but why not; could the recent threats we've seen from Al Shabbab outlining plans to carry out terrorist attacks on huge malls in the US and Canada really be a way to deter customers from seeing business with empty shelves?

CBC Link

There has been so much research on consumer habits showing that shoppers will quickly stop shopping at a store that seems under stocked, and the recent occurrence of Targets bankruptcy here in Canada has been partly blamed on this. Is this terrorist threat just a move by the malls to ensure customers stay away long enough for them to restock, the loss of business in the meantime a small price to pay for the lifetime loss of some customers?

Just a wild theory, but you never know. I didn't think Al-Shabab was a global terror threat, but I realize anyone has the ability to say anything in a video and release it to the public to spark fear.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Interesting proposition. Very interesting.

Wow, very interesting theory.

Not sure I buy it, ha ha

But I have noticed a lot of empty shelves lately
and shelves with items rearranged to make them look full when they are not

Thought it was just me.
Guess it is happening.

Especially at the military commissary where I mostly shop.

Occasionally the shelves get bare, but lately they are always bare compared to normal.

Noticed it in the Walmarts too, yes I admit to be a Walmart shopper, so go ahead and make fun of me.

You just really never know what's actually going on in the world.

a reply to: nullafides

Im definitely not pushing this as true, it's just something that occurred to me.

a reply to: grandmakdw

a reply to: Atsbhct

I would argue its simply a natural progression of crime and terrorism. Why wouldnt a terrorist strive to kill more people, more quickly, in a more spectacular and fear propagating manner?

Honestly, I am shocked this hasnt happened yet.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Or simply a way of directing consumers to online shopping giving a much needed bump to the drone delivery prospect.
or simply to boost online shopping forcing highstreets, malls, shopping centers to struggle because by planting that specific seed of "terrorist threat" would be all it would take for many to avoid it.

Like your thread though.

originally posted by: Atsbhct
Im definitely not pushing this as true, it's just something that occurred to me.

a reply to: grandmakdw

Sometimes, something that "occurs to" someone is a truth breakthrough.

Good out of the box, genius level thinking.

Even if it is not true in the end, your creative analysis is excellent

So true. I suppose as a conspiracy theorist, I'm more focused on consumerist conspiracies, than any other, so my brain can create links like this pretty easily. I still like this theory, as I said you just never know. Police have said there is no imminent threat from the terrorist group, who are as so far stationed in Africa.

Al Shabab on the surface seems like a poor terrorist outfit, even with its links to Al Qaeda. Why threaten acts that you will never see through. Does this weaken you as a terrorist group, or is their goal to spread only unfounded fear in the West?

a reply to: FlyersFan

a reply to: Atsbhct

outlining plans to carry out terrorist attacks on huge malls in the US and Canada really be a way to deter customers from seeing business with empty shelves?

Not many stores in West Edmonton mall that have empty shelves.....it's a really busy mall, with lots of stores.
All of the stores I've been to over the last month or so have been well stocked.

West Edmonton Mall is obscenely huge and very busy, yes. And can it continue to have well stocked shelves through a period where shipments aren't regular? Who knows? Thanks for the report!a reply to: snowspirit

originally posted by: Atsbhct

There has been so much research on consumer habits showing that shoppers will quickly stop shopping at a store that seems under stocked, and the recent occurrence of Targets bankruptcy here in Canada has been partly blamed on this. Is this terrorist threat just a move by the malls to ensure customers stay away long enough for them to restock, the loss of business in the meantime a small price to pay for the lifetime loss of some customers?

So, retailers are having problems with customers not shopping at their stores and their solution includes spreading a story about a terrorist attack at their stores?!?!

Are you serious?

If they need time to restock wouldn't the solution be to, I don't know, just say they're closing to restock? As opposed to forever associating their businesses with the suggestion that you might die a horrible death by going there?

The main reason for the Al-Shabaab threats is Al-Qaeda trying to prove they're just as tough as ISIS.

Im not all that serious about, no. I think I made that clear. It's still an interesting correlation to me.

a reply to: DelMarvel

a reply to: Atsbhct

There is no empty shelves in Westfield.


So I doubt it.

I think Walmart has hired new PR people to scare customers away from big malls and into Walmart.

They have to get extra business to pay for the employee raises.

Ohhhh, good catch.

a reply to: xuenchen