Another terror alert. Another set of 'in depth analyses' from the news, which consist of wild speculation and repeating the same facts over and over. Still, it is quite worrying that they've deployed troops.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I'm more worried about their baggage retreival system.
Posted by Phoenix (Member # 966) on :
Why do they think terrorists will be stopped by troops in airports?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Why wouldn't they?
Posted by Phoenix (Member # 966) on :
The (hypothetical) terrorists would enter the country as tourists or business travellers. They would then blow things up or set off biological weapons. I don't see how troops in airports would stop that, unless the terrorists get off their flights with signs saying "I AM A TERRORIST" hanging round their necks.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
Maybe the troops are there disguised as limo drivers, holding signs with suspected terrorists' names on them?
(I'm sorry, I know this isn't really a laughing matter. I hope things turn out okay.)
Posted by Grokca (Member # 722) on :
Sounds like Blair is losing public support and needs to say "See I told you". Goes along with fusia alert or whatever the Americans are on this week.
Posted by TheWoozle (Member # 929) on :
troops in airports will cut down in the frothing terrorist waving a machine gun around scenareos. they wouldn't have helped on 9/11. On the other hand,a group of middle eastern men all having box knives might have gotten some attention. The would probobly have been told to put them in their carry on luggage.
I find it interesting that here in the US, when something happens abraod now, instead of being shocked, people tend to feel relieved that it was THEM and not US. That's what terrorists want, it's the first crack in our armor.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
....and there's panic on the streets of Carlisle. Panic on the streets of Bermingham... Posted by Peregrinus (Member # 504) on :
quote:Originally posted by Sol System: I'm more worried about their baggage retreival system.
*groan* Tell me you weren't making a Monty Python reference...
--Jonah
Posted by newark (Member # 888) on :
Though an airport provides advantages for a terrorist, as did the airport in Rome many years ago, Heathrow is not the easiest airport to breach. This airport has a network of defences against attack.
Frankly, I think these alerts are losing their potency. I see a 'boy-who-cried-wolf-many-times-over-until-the- villagers-were-sick-of-the-boy-and-ignored-him- and-he-was-later-eaten-by-a-wolf-and-no-one- came-to-his-aid' story in these alerts. I never ever discount the stupidity of the politicians who run our country or the UK and I pray I am not in the target zone when the alert fails.
[ February 13, 2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: TSN ]
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Most of the troops are at the airport and under the flight path to guard against terrorists with surface to air missles trying to shoot down a plane. Of course, that fact that the deployment plans were originally intended to guard against IRA ground attacks as well might have something to do with it...
Posted by Ultra Magnus (Member # 239) on :
I see a 'boy-who-cried-wolf-many-times-over-until-the- villagers-were-sick-of-the-boy-and-ignored-him- and-he-was-later-eaten-by-a-wolf-and-no-one- came-to-his-aid' story
Just as effective: I see a 'boy who cried wolf' story.
[ February 13, 2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: TSN ]
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Yes, Heathrow is impenetrable. Can you imagine terrorists, like, sitting off to the side and lobbing shells onto the runways? Unthinkable.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
On a slightly more amusing not, it turns out that The Dear Leader signed off on the plans without reading them, but assumed there'd just be foot patrols. So he got a bit of a surprise when the army decided to show off their nice APCs and Armoured reconnaisance vehicles .
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
They just caught some Venezuelan with a hand grenade at some other British airport.. I missed the whole announcement.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Yeah, at Gatwick. Probably just forgot he had it with him. After all, you never know when you might need a hand grenade.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
It does seem they're making a hell of a lot more of this than it is: after all, the guy smuggled a grenade on board a plane, flew all the way here, then gets caught in customs? Just a leetle bit farfetched, methinks.
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
I'm not following. What's farfetched? They say he got on the plane in Columbia. If security on the other side was up to Columbian standards... He could have had grenades, an uzi and 5 kilos of cocaine.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
No, I'm not saying the whole story is farfetched, just I'm surprised he didn't use the grenade to blow up the plane inflight, or as a threat for hijacking purposes. That's why I'm not going to immediately leap to the conclusion that he's an Al Qaeda operative. He still could be one, however, just a very cowardly one. 8)
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
Yeah, he probably isn't but there wouldn't be as much airtime in it if they didn't say Al Qaeda.
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