Terrorist plans found to attack US schools and buses within six weeks

Seems that a memo (sent to the Attorney General of each state)has been released that states members on a extemist/terror watch list have sought licenses to drive school buses. The FBI and DHS are stating that there are 'no active' plots, but then again, that is what they said in the months leading up to 9/11. That the people they were shadoing were not a threat.

external link
Suspected members of extremist groups have signed up as school bus drivers in the United States, counterterror officials said yesterday, in a cautionary bulletin to police. An FBI spokesman said, "Parents and children have nothing to fear."

Asked about the alert notice, the FBI's Rich Kolko said, "There are no threats, no plots and no history leading us to believe there is any reason for concern," although law enforcement agencies around the country were asked to watch out for kids' safety.

The bulletin, parts of which were read to The Associated Press, did not say how often foreign extremists have sought to acquire licenses to drive school buses, or where. It was sent yesterday as part of what officials said was a routine FBI and Homeland Security Department advisory to local law enforcement.

It noted "recent suspicious activity" by foreigners who either drive school buses or are licensed to drive them, according to a counterterror official.

Foreigners under recent investigation include "some with ties to extremist groups" who have been able to "purchase buses and acquire licenses," the bulletin says.

The FBI is this article seems to say that there is no threat, just as the people who were training to be pilots were no threat prior to 9/11. This is the exact same mentatlity that led to that. Now, it also seems that after some warrants were served on suspected terrorists, plans, bus routes and information on public school systems were found. This article provided other information that I am trying to confirm.

external link
Bus drivers in several school districts in the US have been advised to "pay particular attention to any unusual activity around school buses; to unusual vehicles; to vehicles repeatedly seen in the vicinity; and, to any vehicles or individuals in unauthorized locations." If any of those situations are observed, bus drivers are advised to "follow your school bus security plan, advising the appropriate authorities."

As written in the Payson Roundup, school bus drivers in Payson, Arizona received a letter from DPS Student Transportation supervisor Vicki Barnett outlining unusual things to look for and how to handle a potential terrorist takeover operation. Also in the letter, Barnett wrote, "the small rural schools should remain vigilant, especially during the next six weeks."

Trainingfor potential terrorist takeover situations? Is this not a little extreme for a person who is making about 10 bucks an hour. Is this the warning that we have been waiting to hear, or is this more hype? It has long been theorized, even on this site, that terrorists will next go after what we love, and that is our family. They attempted to attack our infrastructure on 9/11, and we retaliated with the Gulf war. It is only a matter of time before they retaliate again. With whispers of Osama revealing himself and Pakistan the stage is set. This is exactly like the ramp up to 9/11.

Remember the 2 Saudis, here on student visas, who got on a school bus in Tampa and then lied about where they were from.

external link

If you were a scared student, you would not lie. Was that a reaction test to what would be done if this occured? Would seem like a dry run to me.

Remember the failed attempt at the college football game last year. It is coming soon, but will we be prepared.

Remember the man who rented and drove and SUV into a crowd trying to kill as many as possible.

This post is not for fear mongering, this is active vigilance that we must use before our children are hurt. Contact your local authorities and see if they have recieved any information on these warnings.

[edit on 19-3-2007 by esdad71]

[edit on 19-3-2007 by esdad71]

FEAR MONGERING?

Ersdad, How can one be classed as a suspected member of an extremist group presumably a terrorist group yet have no evidence to back it up. Do the FBI mean that they are innocent till they have have the evidence.

Also if there is no threat whatsoever why tell people to be vigilant, and again it stretches credulity to believe that the would be terrorists would risk trying to obtain licences to drive a school bus. Why take the risk, Schools locations are well known, a would be terrorist would only have to use a car/truck bomb at such sites and would not have to put their intentions at risk by seeking the said licence.

I'm afraid statements such as these are yet more fear mongering by the police state machine.

Originally posted by magicmushroom

Also if there is no threat whatsoever why tell people to be vigilant, and again it stretches credulity to believe that the would be terrorists would risk trying to obtain licences to drive a school bus. Why take the risk, Schools locations are well known, a would be terrorist would only have to use a car/truck bomb at such sites and would not have to put their intentions at risk by seeking the said licence.

If you think that extremists woiuld use a truck bomb, then you believe that they are fully capable of something of this magnitude. If they were to be bus drivers, who is to say that they do not pick up their bus that day, pack it with Nitrate and then drive onto the campus of a school. We did not think much of Saudis getting certifeid as pilots either. That is the point i was trying to make. If a memo was sent, then there is a threat. Why casue panic when not needed to the private sector. I can understand it on Fox news.

I did not see this in our local paper and it makes me want to call them up and tell them to run this article. Is that prudent? Not too much stuff that I read here worries me too much but this, I don't know.

I am not trying to incite panic, only let people know that there are things that the genral public is not told, and things we are spoonfed. This is one of this things that would disappear.


Mr. Hinrichs attempted to detonate an explosives laden vest during a football game at the UNiversity of Oklahoma.


link

Imagine 4 men in the back of a bus during a route, picking up the children and driving where ever they want, it is a school bus. How about if they then use it to drive up to a monument or a field trip type of destination, say a theme park?

Not to speculate (okay, maybe a little), but what about hostages? My first thought, upon hearing about the bus driver license story, was the Belsan incident.

Our schools have stepped up security in the past few years. At least at the grade level, that I know of. I've lived in California, New York, and WI in the past few years; and I know the schools my child attended were like Ft. Knox.

School buses may be the second alternative to taking that what's most precious to us, our children.

That is, if the (future - suspected) terrorists were looking for a negotiation tool.

"This is one of this things that would disappear"

But didnt.

I just think its funny people think domestic terrorism actually exists. I bet you if the american goverment actually believed the threat of terrorism the Mexican border would be hell of a lot harder to cross than it is now.

Originally posted by esdad71
pack it with Nitrate and then drive onto the campus of a school.

If they indeed packed a school bus with nitrate, i could think of a lot better targets for them to bring down, than a school campus.
Hell, but it under a buildings basement aka wtc93
bringing buildings down is a lot better than killing kids at school.

The 911 pilots ( if indeed they were arab terrorists ) didnt NEED a pilots liscence to pull off 911... that was for training.

If they were indeed planning on using a bus, why in the world would they bother getting a liscence?... your driving a bus and exploding it along with your suicide..

scared allah is going to give you a ticket??

Is this mayeb a plan to scare middle class america?
I mean, if your husband/wife/child isnt an official in a government block.. your usually ok..
but now they are plotting on hitting every day american school goers?

thats a lil outside of alqeadas range in my opinion.
why hit school kids? when you can hit government office blocks.

Like I said, if it was fear mongering it would be on Fox. Christ, just trying to pass along some information that i thought was interesting. If there is soeone who works in Education who freques\nts these boards, maybe they could chime in.

Originally posted by Esdad71

I am not trying to incite panic

Maybe not, but clearly you are.
That’s not bad if it’s for a good reason. However I would love to see these terrorist watchlists as ever since 9/11 they have got everything wrong, and nothing right. You look at the number of times they’ve raised and lowered that risk of terrorist threat and you realise they’re either playing politics, or they’re clueless.
It might turn out that a microphone in a Mosque simply overheard someone saying they were planning on getting a job as a school bus driver.

Magicmushroom makes a good point about there being no need to train if your prepared to give your life away (may I add so that the Republican party will do better at the next elections?).
Besides terrorists attacking kids will look bad even in the Muslim world. It’s not impossible as they’ve done it in Russia, but even then it’s always backfired.

P.S If there really are terrorist watch lists, and if people are talking about more than seeking work; then surely the threat must already be foiled?
Or can’t they identify the voice because…
a. It’s in Bush’s head
b. And therefore can’t use our (voice recognition tapped) telephone network?

This just in, I found out that the terror alert has gone to...




No one could've predicted this color, I'm sure Fox news will be talking about it non-stop tomorrow.
I'd suggest investing in bagpipes and kilts ASAP.

Is anyone else as convinced as I am that everything we're told is a farce?

why would they use a school bus for a bomb? Wouldn't it be more likely that if they were terrorists, that they would pick all the children up, then upon arriving at school the "Bus driver" could then just muder the kids then him/herself using a gun or knife. Now have 10-50 bus drivers do this all over the US. That morning news would be far more terrorizing than more bombs.

Originally posted by Starvald

I just think its funny people think domestic terrorism actually exists. I bet you if the american goverment actually believed the threat of terrorism the Mexican border would be hell of a lot harder to cross than it is now.

That would be harder than you think, you have to remember that rich business owners are only getting richer on the cheap labor, regardless of its legality.

FEAR MONGERING?

Nah, thats probably what people said before 9/11. This is the result of people working hard from within the US to undermine the WOT on both sides of the spectrum. Whether your a rich republican who will look the other way at gross security lapses for an extra buck, or your a lefty who believes the world will live in peace if not for america, it doesnt matter.

The point is, the war has been uindermined to the point where the US may soon come under attacks once again.

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

The point is, the war has been uindermined to the point where the US may soon come under attacks once again.

I wonder if these will be surprise attacks against our freedom?
Or retaliation for our illegial acts against Iraq?
Either way im sure your 'generals' will be licking their lips.

Originally posted by Agit8dChop

I wonder if these will be surprise attacks against our freedom?
Or retaliation for our illegial acts against Iraq?
Either way im sure your 'generals' will be licking their lips.

Oh, yes! Im sure they are just craving the lack of funds, equipment, and manpower to fight a threat that most are unwilling to admit exists. .

Did you not think that our "illegal acts" were retailiation for 9/11?

Ah!, thats right! its only justified if its not america doing it right?

pffft....

You know those things states have, but nobody talks about because the media made it a bad word...militias! thats what I was thinking of. Call em up, have em put in a presence at bus stops, hell have them ride along on random buses. Sure some view militias as gun-crazy anti-government rednecks but those militia men have children and I have no doubts that they would gladly volunteer their time to help in the off chance it could save some children's lives because a bunch of tangos wussed out at the last second cause a few VDF or Michigan Militia members were riding along on the bus.

Originally posted by Helig
You know those things states have, but nobody talks about because the media made it a bad word...militias! thats what I was thinking of. Call em up, have em put in a presence at bus stops, hell have them ride along on random buses. Sure some view militias as gun-crazy anti-government rednecks but those militia men have children and I have no doubts that they would gladly volunteer their time to help in the off chance it could save some children's lives because a bunch of tangos wussed out at the last second cause a few VDF or Michigan Militia members were riding along on the bus.

But who is going to fund these millitias? Im sure that guarding bus stops, etc. isnt a paying job.

This would be unneccesary if we didnt have such an undermining of the war in the first #ing place!

I hope all you anti-war people who are fat and happy right now enjoy seeing your neighborhoods turned in to a war zone.

AS far as I am concerned, I have one response to you people....

Go # yourselves....

oh wait, you did.

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

Oh, yes! Im sure they are just craving the lack of funds, equipment, and manpower to fight a threat that most are unwilling to admit exists.

.
Did you not think that our "illegal acts" were retailiation for 9/11?
Ah!, thats right! its only justified if its not america doing it right?
pffft....

Well, you can only blame having a lack of equipment, finds and manpower to fight the 'genuine' problem due to your illegial corporate crusade in Iraq.
Im also happy you can admit that Iraq was an illegial act, purely in retaliation for a 'muslim' act on America.

..
Had you of reacted properly, in Afghanistan.. you'd have the manpower, equipment and funds to tackle Iran.
You've even have IRAQ as a supporting ALLY in that mission.
And with the overwhealming firepower you would of placed in Afghan instead of Iraq, you'd of elmintated the taliban and alqaeda assets too.

Unreal how one illegial act can change the face so drastically on a situation, eh Xphilles?

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

Go # yourselves....

oh wait, you did.

Wow Xphiles...

If your not on the ''murder Iraqi's'' bangwagon, people can go

F-Themselves?... how american of you to turn against your fellow americans like that.

I like the way you actually TYPED the word f**k too..... real decent.

Originally posted by Agit8dChop


Well, you can only blame having a lack of equipment, finds and manpower to fight the 'genuine' problem due to your illegial corporate crusade in Iraq.
Im also happy you can admit that Iraq was an illegial act, purely in retaliation for a 'muslim' act on America.

No, I can blame it on a radical wing of our populace coupled with these idiots in congress who are trying to "stop the war" and thus stop the killing by cutting funds to fight the war in Iraq. Nice, send a bunch of american kids in there and then take all their # away and say, "wish ya luck, dont get killed."

uhm....

yeah....