Patterico's Pontifications

10/29/2010

Open Thread: Suspicious Packages

Filed under: General — Aaron Worthing @ 2:01 pm



[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; send your tips here.]

I am going to open the floor here, because frankly I can’t keep track of all the stories flying around.

I just got a breaking news email from Cnn that says, “President Obama: Initial analysis of two U.S.-bound packages examined abroad indicate they contain explosive material.”

That seems to be referring to the story found here.

Hot Air has also been keeping track of the story.  There appears to be some printer ink cartridges containing no explosives, but made to look like they are.  But with that breaking news email I think maybe at least one real bomb has been found.

So if you got a clear idea what is happening, I want to hear it in the comments, preferably with links.

And maybe the answer is, no one knows, except hopefully for our President and the people on the ground.

Exit question: this comes on the heels of a story about a man planning to bomb the D.C. Metro and another man shooting up Marine Corps-related facilities.  Is this all a coincidence?

[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]

70 Responses to “Open Thread: Suspicious Packages”

  1. According to CNN:

    An initial examination of the two suspicious packages examined abroad indicate they contain explosive material, U.S. President Obama said Friday.

    Unless there are other packages being investigated abroad, I assume this refers to US-bound packages that originated in Yemen and were found on plane(s) stopping over in Britain.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  2. As noted at Aaron’s link, one package was found in England, one in Dubai, and both were sent from the same Yemeni address.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  3. Answer to Aaron’s question: Yes.

    Icy Texan (f09c5d)

  4. This is a nice get for Obama, actually a bunch of them.

    It makes me feel good, like he has a handle on this terrorism thing, and is willing to protect Israel in the face of violence./sarc off

    TimesDisliker (c6083b)

  5. Times

    Let’s not politicize this. And for the record, I think Bush was a great terror warrior, but he didn’t catch everyone, either. I mean there was the shoe bomber, just off the top of my head, defeated by… foot sweat. But not defeated by the government, but regular people.

    Aaron Worthing (e7d72e)

  6. It sounds like the Dubai authorities discovered the plot, possibly from a tip, and the worldwide alert was triggered after they found explosive materials. If so, it’s good to have friends in foreign places.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  7. As a FedEx pilot, my guess is it was a test. Fortunately, we (the US) passed. This time. Needless to say, the company and ALPA (the pilot union) is taking this seriously.

    MADDOG (3a4be2)

  8. The difference is we weren’t tipped off by the shoe bomber’s father, weeks before, a meeting wasn’t held
    by the Principals committee, before the Christmas holiday,

    ian cormac (6709ab)

  9. One report said the Philadelphia Fire Department was investigating a “possible radiological incident.” Anyone hear if there was a follow-up on that?

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  10. THE SYSTEM WORKED!!!!!!!

    It’s a good thing people of an undetermined religion are not trying to harm people in this country and there is nothing to fear.

    daleyrocks (940075)

  11. George Bush has a few thousand successful planned terrorist reductions in Iraq and Afghanistan to go along with the fortuitous shoe bomber catch, though.

    Birdbath (8501d4)

  12. re:#5 Aaron Worthing, I will put my cynicism aside and respect your wish. I like your Guest Posts, they are great and make me think. Cheers.

    TimesDisliker (c6083b)

  13. NPR said Juan Williams could not be reached for comment.

    daleyrocks (940075)

  14. It seems apparent that all of these suspicious packages both inside and outside of the states are bombs.
    Why at this point would the O administration not just say it, even take credit for stopping the attacks(if they found all of the bombs).He could make a speech on how he and our intell follks are on the job protecting us and such.

    Sadly, the O actually made a speech/address in under 4 minutes, was very vague and didn’t even mention the people that we pretty much know as the culprits.Are the only people that he will openly and freely say are his enemies, Republicans……Americans?Is he afraid the American people are going to publicly demand action and feel put on the spot or what?

    Drider (5ef5c6)

  15. Oh, last thing that worries me.Both the Pilot in Philly and an un-named government guy mentioned that the package on the Philly flight had a radiological signature, if they are going to fudge about the rest of the bombs being fakes then what else are they fudging us on.I can see the point in not causing a public panic but if it’s true then it SCREAMS retribution in a big way that simply doesn’t fit the current administrations game plan, I suspect.

    Drider (5ef5c6)

  16. I seem to remember a while back a few smart(kooks) said once(every election cycle) hmm… I question the timing. Now all I hear from said kooks is what super smart sexy counter terrorism policy we have now. Just sayin.

    D-lo (8c474e)

  17. “Exit question: this comes on the heels of a story about a man planning to bomb the D.C. Metro and another man shooting up Marine Corps-related facilities. Is this all a coincidence?”

    Actually the FBI planned to bomb the DC metro. The guy went along with that.

    imdw (8bb588)

  18. Geez- it made me realize they could use UPS or FEDex tracking to know when to call the package and detonate it.

    MayBee (a3efe7)

  19. For those attuned to the continuing economic debate, here’s a link to the Financial Times commentary from Nouriel Roubini that has drawn a lot of buzz today.

    Angeleno (193c25)

  20. “Thankfully the Jewish people can still count on America as a stalwart friend.”

    It’s almost as if they were americans.

    imdw (e01005)

  21. It’s almost as if they were americans.

    Comment by imdw — 10/29/2010 @ 4:02 pm

    Your sarc is duly noted. I don’t think I need to explain to most here the point I was making.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  22. Yemen must be a Catholic enclave in the Mid-East.

    Torquemada (a8a9b2)

  23. “Your sarc is duly noted. I don’t think I need to explain to most here the point I was making.”

    Oh I think you were quite clear.

    imdw (0899fc)

  24. _________________________________

    Thankfully the Jewish people can still count on America as a stalwart friend.

    No thanks to the peculiar mix of leftists throughout America (Hi, Obama & Company!) who perceive Israel as too Western, too wealthy, too bourgeois, too capitalistic, too imperialistic, and a smattering of rightists who think Jews killed Christ.

    Mark (3e3a7c)

  25. Is it a coincidence that the target was announced by a field office of the FBI (Chicago) and not DOJ in DC?

    BHO downplaying an Islamic threat? Pshaw.

    Absolutely no politics whatsoever, Aaron. None. Nothing to see here. Move on.

    Ed from SFV (c16c43)

  26. ____________________________________

    Exit question: this comes on the heels of a story about a man planning to bomb the D.C. Metro and another man shooting up Marine Corps-related facilities. Is this all a coincidence?

    I’m actually surprised how, on one hand, some of the Islamofascist fanatics are willing to kill or maim themselves in the name of Allah, and yet, on the other hand — as in the case of the attempted bombing of Times Square — can’t enact the type of terrorism I’d have expected by now. IOW, I’d think a devious plot to create panic, chaos and death would be less difficult to pull off if the planners are into a “go for broke” (or pro-suicidal) mentality.

    Mark (3e3a7c)

  27. It sounds like Saudi intelligence exposed this plot.

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  28. Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I thought the Muslims abroad were supposed to like us better now that “Bowing” Obama was president.

    What went wrong?

    NEW POST:

    AMERICA THE LAWLESS: WHY OBAMA ORDERED A “HIT” ON ARIZONA
    http://heir2freedom.blogspot.com/2010/10/america-lawless-why-obama-ordered-hit.html

    heir2freedom (d9456e)

  29. One is reminded the Prince Nayef was debriefed by Brennan re the underwear bomb attempt that he had suffered, that was AQ’s new signature move

    ian cormac (6709ab)

  30. Comment by MayBee — 10/29/2010 @ 3:59 pm

    Don’t know how effective that would be, since tracking data only tells you that a package has cleared a certain way-point towards its destination, not where it exactly is.

    AD-RtR/OS! (1808fa)

  31. AD–In theory that would not be a problem–the tracking system is set up so you tell that a package will be delivered the next day. Put a scout out to establish the usual time of day FedEx/USPS makes it deliveries to the target, and then proceed to detonate based on that information.

    In practice, however, I’ve found that FedEx can regularly screw up this sort of prediction: it has a habit of saying a parcel will be delivered on (for example) the 23rd, but the package will actually be delivered on the 21st or 22nd. The system will update afterwards with the correct delivery date, but it makes the predictive value slightly unreliable.

    One comforting fact here: Al Qaeda is currently reduced to imitating the Unabomber, and irrationally thinks that synagogue staff won’t be immediately suspicious of a package coming from the Arabian peninsula.

    kishnevi (07cf78)

  32. “Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I thought the Muslims abroad were supposed to like us better now that “Bowing” Obama was president.”

    When you posted that, had you read that DRJ had posted this:

    “It sounds like Saudi intelligence exposed this plot.”

    ?

    imdw (16090e)

  33. Some things never change – imadouchebag still hates her some Jooos.

    Dmac (ad2c6a)

  34. Oh I think you were quite clear.

    Comment by imdw — 10/29/2010 @ 4:27 pm

    imdw, what is your problem? Do you have issues with the Jews or what? I feel like I’m missing something here.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  35. Dana, my electronic friend, you are so kind and patient. To be honest, I think that calling that individual an anti-Semite gives him too much credit for a reflective and consistent world view.

    But it might not be him. After all, other people who do bad things appear to post under his name, right? Not him, you understand.

    Eric Blair (dcced2)

  36. AD-RtR/OS!- it tells you when it’s been delivered. And if it has to be signed for, it tells you when delivery has been accepted (and who signed for it).

    Not sure how real time it is, but it’s fairly close.

    MayBee (a3efe7)

  37. I feel like I’m missing something here.

    Take it from those of us who’ve had to tolerate the anti – Semite for too many posts to mention: you’re not missing anything.

    Dmac (ad2c6a)

  38. Comment by kishnevi — 10/29/2010 @ 5:36 pm

    To reinforce the uncertainty of it, I ordered an item from Amazon, and specified two-day delivery.
    This was yesterday – it arrived today, and they only charged me for 2-day, not overnight.

    AD-RtR/OS! (1808fa)

  39. It is actually quite simple Whoopie. Muslim + Mass-Murderer = Islamic Terrorist. They are terrorists who are also muslims. Islamic Terrorists are never any other religion. That is how we know and say that Islamic terrorists are muslims. Only a very stupid person could think that Islamic terrorists might not be muslims, but could be a follower of some other religion. Whoopie, do you understand now?

    For our next lesson, we will examine why disagreeing with President Obama is not always racist. We will examine how only an imbecile could think that.

    1773inBoston (d4485e)

  40. this is our October Surprise?

    GrogNerd (f5dd55)

  41. A paycheck with voting instructions.

    Angeleno (193c25)

  42. Angeleno – What do you think you get with a union paycheck?

    daleyrocks (940075)

  43. BBC’s North America editor, Mark Mardell, wrote the following last night:

    Mr Obama was the first to say that the devices contained “explosive materials”, though off-the-record briefings in Britain suggested the one at East Midlands Airport didn’t.

    PETN has still not been confirmed by British authorities, though the Home Secretary just gave a vaguely worded statement saying that the package could have exploded.

    Meanwhile, US officials have been leaking to CNN and the US media that PETN was found in the British device, while BBC and New York Times have been doing circular sourcing with Jane Harman.

    BBC and New York Times claim Jane Harman has stated that PETN was found in the British device, yet to Wolf Blitzer on CNN she said that she had NOT been told this by any official, rather that she had heard this on CNN.

    What in the fark is going on here?

    Seixon (ee9f62)

  44. No one pays attention to CNN anymore, then again there is no straightforward confirmation of Harman’s claims, so it’s anybody’s guess

    ian cormac (6709ab)

  45. suspicious package
    will be set on fire and left
    on Boxer’s doorstep

    ColonelHaiku (beb613)

  46. So, we were supposed to have a disaster just before the election. What was the point of the timing, besides making us afraid every time an event like Christmas and elections occur?

    Were these intended to influence the election and in which direction?

    Wondering (8cd496)

  47. Seixon – Good to see you! Any plans to restart your blog?

    daleyrocks (940075)

  48. ian,

    Let me reiterate: Harman has never made that claim. Yet BBC and New York Times are sourcing it to her. The claim actually comes from CNN’s anonymous “US official”, which Wolf Blitzer tried to hang around Harman’s neck, apparently successfully…

    daley,

    Yo! I have a plan to set up an American blog again, on Tumblr, just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

    Seixon (ee9f62)

  49. Daley, paychecks come from the employer, not the union.

    Angeleno (2774d5)

  50. “Some things never change – imadouchebag still hates her some Jooos.”

    By pointing out they are american, rather than traditional right wing othering. Or in this case, casual use of pejoratives.

    “Angeleno – What do you think you get with a union paycheck?”

    A raise.

    imdw (ec7c03)

  51. “Some things never change – imadouchebag still hates her some Jooos.”

    By pointing out they are american, rather than traditional right wing othering. Or in this case, casual use of pejoratives.

    “Angeleno – What do you think you get with a union paycheck?”

    A raise. And a ballot.

    imdw (ec7c03)

  52. “Daley, paychecks come from the employer, not the union.”

    Angeleno – Do you think the unions never insist HR includes any stuffers in the pay envelopes with voting instructions or are those communicated separately?

    daleyrocks (940075)

  53. By pointing out they are american

    Pretty sure it 3was imdw who again ‘othered’ them.

    Pathetic, imdw. Jews don’t need progressives to prove they are normal people. We take that for granted. You brought it up because of your long standing personal anger with the Jewish. You may have read that into Dana’s comment, but it’s not there. We don’t hate women or blacks of jews or whites or dogs or cats.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  54. “A raise.”

    imdw – Plus you get to General Motors and contribute to the bankruptcy of thousands of municipalities around the country! Is America a great country or what!

    daleyrocks (940075)

  55. get to own General Motors

    daleyrocks (940075)

  56. “Jews don’t need progressives to prove they are normal people.”

    Nobody does. But that still don’t stop the othering.

    “We take that for granted. You brought it up because of your long standing personal anger with the Jewish. ”

    You need this, don’t you?

    imdw (1de172)

  57. Pathetic, imdw. Jews don’t need progressives to prove they are normal people. We take that for granted. You brought it up because of your long standing personal anger with the Jewish. You may have read that into Dana’s comment, but it’s not there. We don’t hate women or blacks of jews or whites or dogs or cats.

    Thanks Dustin. I was quite sure I didn’t need to explain. In his/her strident attempts at cleverness, imdw seems to inevitably end up caught in his/her own trap. Amusing, if nothing else.

    Dana (8ba2fb)

  58. Daley, in our house, the union stuff comes in the mail only.

    Angeleno (193c25)

  59. “Thanks Dustin. I was quite sure I didn’t need to explain. ”

    But think of the story you get to tell at next year’s Seder! Sure to liven it up if you end up with a boring Haggadah.

    imdw (7b0243)

  60. “Daley, in our house, the union stuff comes in the mail only.”

    Angeleno – Thanks for letting me know how it’s done for you.

    daleyrocks (940075)

  61. imd douchebag
    have a nice ring to it and
    sticks to wall when thrown

    ColonelHaiku (beb613)

  62. Via the Houston Chronicle, the AP reports British police missed the explosive-laden package at first and only found it after a second search following a specific warning that the explosive was hidden in a printer cartridge. The article describes the al-Qaida bomb as “sophisticated enough to escape notice.” And in a reprint at the Denver Post, a New York Times article described the bombs as “unusually sophisticated.”

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  63. Compare and contrast the leftist response to this as opposed to when they did not occupy the White House.

    JD (c8c1d2)

  64. It sounds like the bombs were only found after the Saudis told Western intelligence exactly what to look for. How many times will we get lucky?

    DRJ (d43dcd)

  65. Ted Sorensen has died.

    Angeleno (193c25)

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