Tunnel Terror Plot Press Conference

Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Kelly, and representatives from the Port Authority and FBI gave a press conference about the tunnel terror plot a few hours ago. This morning, the Daily News revealed that officials had "foiled" a plot to flood the city Katrina-style (no matter how technically unfeasible it would be), sending people into a tailspin, both the "crap, no" and the "the government is making this too big a deal" kinds. From the NY Times:

Mark J. Mershon, the agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York office, said at a news conference this afternoon that Lebanese officials had taken the plot's "mastermind" into custody in Beirut and that he had confessed. Mr. Mershon said that the Lebanese officials had identified the suspect as Assem Hammoud, a 31-year-old Lebanese native, and reported that Mr. Hammoud had sworn allegiance to Al Qaeda.Mr. Mershon said two of the other eight people he described as "principal players" in the plot had been taken into custody in other countries, although none had yet been charged with any crimes. He said that an investigation was continuing, involving six countries on three continents.

...Mr. Mershon said today that the Holland Tunnel was not, in fact, the plot's target. He described it as plot involving "martyrdom, explosives and certain of the tubes connecting New Jersey and Lower Manhattan."

"Yada yada bombs yada yada New York yada yada destruction." And we're sure the power outage in the Lincoln Tunnel earlier today was somewhat freaky to feds as well.

The Mayor took the time to make the point that Homeland Security should step up terror funding to NYC, because the FBI is so not finding Internet chatter about bombing the Heartland. Yet.

Photograph by Julie Jacobson/AP

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By Jen Chung in News on July 7, 2006 5:00 PM

Comments [rss]

S.D.

bofug, bet we see more of these as November approaches. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad this was stoped while in the "Hey! I've Got an Inspiration!" phase, but if this an the "Miami 7" is the only results the Gov't shows, we're screwed...

bofug

Usual media hype for fear-mongering and money ("appropriation") grubbing.

Oh, yeah, all those terrorists spend their time discussing their plans in chat rooms and playing playboy in Lebanon. I think DHS could spend more cost efficient time just cruising around their Myspace & friendster profiles.

Hell, for a mil or two a year, I'll contract with DHS to search those sites, like searching for keyword "terrorist" & "blow up" (Post headline: Inflatable fetishists implicated in terror plot).

For anyone familiar with NYC tunnels, engineering, ordnance, physics etc. (meaning none of the press press conference presenters),

Even a large backpack mass, high-order charge will not take out a NYC tunnel from a transit coach.

Just like those knuckleheads recently bagged for "plotting" to blow up the Sears Tower, etc.

(had no plan, materiel, recon), it's nice to see that our tax-sucking, rights-fooking government finally learned that all they have to do is Advance Search Google for the phrase "Gee, I'd really love to blow up a New York City Tunnel".

Probably only paid some foreign security company (with appropriate kickbacks) a few mil to have their eleven year old kid do it.

Hey, who's at the door?

Oh, they are paying attention.

Well, I hear Gitmo is nice this time of year

S.D.

"It’s easy to see why the twisted left is loosing market share of the voting power in America, as they self-destruct based on emotional stimulation."?

Wow, "marke ting" was so long winded, I can't tell if he's serious or not...

anonymass

I so distrust this left leaning media that I don’t believe anything they say. The seething hatred for Bush has over powered their rational thinking process. Bush is the dumbest idiot that ever lived and at the same time the most devious fascist mastermind of the century, comparable only to Hitler and other horrendous dictators of the past. It’s easy to see why the twisted left is loosing market share of the voting power in America, as they self-destruct based on emotional stimulation.

You had it right the first time: Bush is the dumbest idiot that ever lived.

The second part about the devious fascism is what Cheney, Rove, and his supporting cast bring to the table.

Only a conniving, pandering set of political minds could put together this motley voter base.

It makes absolutely no sense if you look at who typically identifies with the Republican party across the country.

you're stupid

loosing

marke ting

I so distrust this left leaning media that I don’t believe anything they say. The seething hatred for Bush has over powered their rational thinking process. Bush is the dumbest idiot that ever lived and at the same time the most devious fascist mastermind of the century, comparable only to Hitler and other horrendous dictators of the past. It’s easy to see why the twisted left is loosing market share of the voting power in America, as they self-destruct based on emotional stimulation.

daisy

karl rove at it again.

S.D.

Bet this press conf went better than the "Miami 7" one...

Toby

Is it me or do these things seem to be "busted"when "President" Bush's popularity goes down. To me it looks like part of the raise the approval ratings push that they are on, just like the little press event that they staged in Chicago with the shrub.