Patterico's Pontifications

11/8/2007

Al Qaeda wants to Hit US Where it Hurts: At the Mall

Filed under: Terrorism — DRJ @ 9:44 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

The FBI has issued a warning of possible al Qaeda attacks on Chicago and Los Angeles area malls:

“The FBI confirmed it has issued an “intelligence information report” warning of possible Al Qaeda attacks on Los Angeles and Chicago shopping malls over the holiday season.

The warning states Al Qaeda has been planning the attack for the past two years with the intension to disrupt the U.S. economy, but it notes the latest threats fit a pattern that has emerged every holiday season since the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.”

The threat is uncorroborated and uncertain:

“[T]he threat was obtained through a lengthy chain of acquisition, and was provided to the source by a sub-source who spoke in confidence. The veracity of the information is uncertain but the threat is being reported due to the nature of the information,” the FBI said in a statement.”

I seem to recall warnings like this before. In fact, I think it’s one of the reasons I initially tried online shopping.

— DRJ

13 Responses to “Al Qaeda wants to Hit US Where it Hurts: At the Mall”

  1. DRJ,
    Your post reminded me of this semi-famous photo.

    I will be in Chicago after Thanksgiving, probably shopping. Food for thought.

    driver (faae10)

  2. Hey hey hey driver…. we Americans are just shopping for the war effort like the prezdint told us to do. If he thought we needed to do something more he would let us know right?

    Luckily there are many Americans who are doing more without prompting from the “leadership”.

    Fortunately for businesses Americans tend to ignore the perrenial “something might happen somewhere” warnings which sound more like butt covering than realistic warnings anyway.

    EdWood (c2268a)

  3. Sounds like the Tom Clancy book that had several malls attacked by hit squads at the same time.

    FLBuckeye (c7ed58)

  4. Chicago and Los Angeles? Makes sense: Both places where concealed carry isn’t legal.

    Socratease (64f814)

  5. I’m actually surprised that something like this wasn’t tried earlier.

    Techie (c003f1)

  6. #4 Most malls don’t allow weapons on the premises. Even if they did allow them there is no guarantee that would stop or deter them.

    Voice of Reason (10af7e)

  7. #6: Saying “there is no guarantee” is a straw man argument. And rules against weapons in malls just make my point: such rules don’t seem to be deterring Al Qaeda if the report is true.

    Socratease (64f814)

  8. #7. One of the most overused phrases in the blogosphere is “straw man”. To defend against every conceivable plot that AQ might try changes the US from a free society to a very militaristic, closed society that enjoys far less freedoms than we do now. Maybe desirable for you but not for me.
    AQ has not hit a mall yet. What has deterred them till now? Not concealed carry permits. The Israelis have been living with terror attacks for decades now. Risk comes with the territory. I don’t believe all of their citizens are armed.

    Voice of Reason (10af7e)

  9. i initially tried online shopping because i live out in the boonies and the nearest excuse for a mall is an hour’s drive away, now i wouldn’t do it any other way. i can make ups guy come, just last week he came with a 9.5 inch mauviel heavy-gauge copper casserole. if any of you want fine european cookware, i suggest you order it now before our dollar goes even further into the tank.

    assistant devil's advocate (de0181)

  10. I wonder why the continued Al Qaeda threats on our Office Supply stores doesn’t get more press? We can’t let them get their hands on our Post-It Notes!

    http://www.humblenarrator.com/2007/11/09/fbi-receives-unconfirmed-al-qaeda-threats-against-office-supply-stores/

    Michael Parkatti (3357cf)

  11. The Israelis have been living with terror attacks for decades now. Risk comes with the territory. I don’t believe all of their citizens are armed.

    Not all, of course, but plenty of them are, including all of their reservists and plenty of their teachers.

    Pablo (99243e)

  12. Of course, small arms aren’t going to be much use against a suicide bomber.

    Pablo (99243e)

  13. Pablo, in general no, but there have been times when alert people spotted the suicide bomber and were able to force them to stop short of their ultimate objective.

    There was an incident last year I believe when an off duty police officer used his concealed firearm to stop a shooter in a mall who had begun to open fire.

    SPQR (26be8b)


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