Earl Evleth

So now it is a different story. Las Vegas remains in it, Air
France and Paris have retreated.

Earl

****


U.S. officials have new information on terrorism threat

O'Hare Airport on high alert
December 27, 2003 ‹There is new information about the terror threat that led
to the cancellation of overseas flights. U.S. officials now say the plot may
have been involved in the hijacking of a foreign plane. The plane would have
been crashed into the heart of Las Vegas. Airports across the world are on
high alert.

In Chicago there are more and more signs of stepped-up security and it is
greeting passengers before they ever reach the terminal. Chicago Police
surveillance teams are apparently videotaping every vehicle that approaches
O'Hare.

On Friday, an American Airlines flight from Chicago to Indianapolis was
evacuated after landing. A flight attendant saw what she thought was a
suspicious item aboard the flight. The 60 passengers and crewmembers went
out on escape slides, but no explosives were found.

In Los Angeles, Air France resumed its service from Paris after six flights
were cancelled, amidst fears that they may be hijacked.

French authorities questioned and released 13 passengers but some passengers
never showed up at the airport. There is concern that one of the no-shows
was a trained pilot. U.S. officials believe several passengers had plans to
take charge of a plane and bring it down in an American city along its
flight path, possibly Las Vegas.

"If we have that kind of intelligence, we really need to follow it through,"
said Jerry Hauer, government terrorism adviser.

Another possible sign al-Qaida may gearing up for an attack -- intelligence
officials tell ABC News that recent attempts to assassinate Pakistan's
President, Pervez Musharraf, may be similar to al-Qaida strikes that
preceded September 11. That's when Osama bin Laden allegedly orchestrated
the killing of leaders that would help the U.S. track terrorists.

With all that as a backdrop, at O'Hare Wheaton residents Connie and Dave
Sommer are confidently flying Air France to Paris.

"It's a cause for concern but you have to trust the Department of Homeland
Security and the Transportation Security folks to do their jobs," said Dave
Sommer, Wheaton.

This is an incredibly busy travel time, especially for international travel.
O'Hare Airport welcomes flights from more than 20 foreign carriers. It's
obvious the federal government is taking a close look at those foreign
flights headed for the U.S.

Miles

Earl Evleth wrote:

    > So now it is a different story. Las Vegas remains in it, Air
    > France and Paris have retreated.

So what? Stories change as intellegence gathering changes. You think
our enemies stay the course?

Also what makes it to the public are twisted, misinterpreted rambles
that change by the minute, even between different media sources.

I for one still plan to travel. Hope most do the same and allow for
some inconviences along the way.

Sjoerd

"Miles" <> schreef in bericht
news:xYnHb.24432$J77.1406@fed1read07...
    > I for one still plan to travel. Hope most do the same and allow for
    > some inconviences along the way.

I also will travel, but not to the US for the moment. We had some vague
plans to go to New York in the spring, but New York will still be there
after the Bush era when all these ridiculous "security" measures will all
have gone.

Sjoerd

Miles

Sjoerd wrote:

    > I also will travel, but not to the US for the moment. We had some vague
    > plans to go to New York in the spring, but New York will still be there
    > after the Bush era when all these ridiculous "security" measures will all
    > have gone.

Thats too bad. However, I have flown many times this past year and have
not had any 'ridiculous security' measures to go through. I have heard
of a few that seem odd but none have effected me at all. In fact, on
every trip I have made in the USA I have never been inconvenienced by
security measures nor delayed any longer than prior to 9/11. I agree
that some measures are a bit absurd and useless but tougher security is
required at airports almost worldwide. Could it be the media hype has
overstated whats actually occurring at USA airports to the extent your
beliefs are unwarranted? The media is good at doing that.

I have not traveled to NY city airports, so I can't comment on just what
those 3 major airports are doing security wise if different than other
USA airports. NY city is not on my must visit list. Too many other
great cities to see.

Hatunen

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 01:23:14 +0100, "Sjoerd"
<> wrote:

    >"Miles" <> schreef in bericht
    >news:xYnHb.24432$J77.1406@fed1read07...
    >> I for one still plan to travel. Hope most do the same and allow for
    >> some inconviences along the way.
    >I also will travel, but not to the US for the moment. We had some vague
    >plans to go to New York in the spring, but New York will still be there
    >after the Bush era when all these ridiculous "security" measures will all
    >have gone.

Bush may very well be in office for five more years. When you're
my age you can expect New York to be there in five years, but one
can only hope oneself will be there in five years.

************* DAVE HATUNEN () *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

Casey

    > Bush may very well be in office for five more years. When you're
    > my age you can expect New York to be there in five years, but
    > one can only hope oneself will be there in five years.

That's true at any age. Yes, Bush will probably be in office for
five more years. His policies will almost certainly become more
restrictive over that time. Also, his successor will not simply
reverse all of Bush's policies on his first day in office, so it may
be a lot longer than five years to see pre-Bush policies, if ever.


Casey

Earl Evleth

On 27/12/03 23:48, in article xYnHb.24432$J77.1406@fed1read07, "Miles"
<> wrote:
>
    >
    > Earl Evleth wrote:
    >
    >> So now it is a different story. Las Vegas remains in it, Air
    >> France and Paris have retreated.
    >
    > So what? Stories change as intellegence gathering changes. You think
    > our enemies stay the course?

Yes, pretty well in fact.


    >
    > I for one still plan to travel. Hope most do the same and allow for
    > some inconviences along the way.
    >


Us too, we take the same AA flight to Miami on the 23rd of January, the
famous flight that Reid was on.

I personally am not worried about physical hijacking any more, the
passengers have learned to defend themselves as they did on the Reid flight.
I am more worried about a Lockerbie type bomb. But at 72 I don`t worry
much about unlikely scenarios.

Earl

Earl Evleth

On 28/12/03 1:23, in article 3fee21d8$0$325$,
"Sjoerd" <> wrote:

    >
    > "Miles" <> schreef in bericht
    > news:xYnHb.24432$J77.1406@fed1read07...
    >> I for one still plan to travel. Hope most do the same and allow for
    >> some inconviences along the way.
    >>
    >
    > I also will travel, but not to the US for the moment. We had some vague
    > plans to go to New York in the spring, but New York will still be there
    > after the Bush era when all these ridiculous "security" measures will all
    > have gone.
    >

No, they will be getting worse. The EU has agreed to go along with the
security information check on all passengers which requires a ton of
information on each individual, some 35 items. Not just home address and
telephone number but health information, credit card numbers, ---- you name
it.

It will be very intrusive.

Earl

Earl Evleth

On 28/12/03 5:01, in article
XAsHb.8680$, "Casey"
<> wrote:

    > That's true at any age. Yes, Bush will probably be in office for
    > five more years. His policies will almost certainly become more
    > restrictive over that time. Also, his successor will not simply
    > reverse all of Bush's policies on his first day in office, so it may
    > be a lot longer than five years to see pre-Bush policies, if ever.


Anti-terrorist polices, one installed get looked into police behavior
and the behavior of the general public.

Paris has had numerous bombs in the time we have been here. So you
get army personnel marching around in groups of 2 and 3 with
machine guns in the train station and airports during increased
warning periods (Vigipirate).

Usually high security practices last for a while and are not sustainable.
When BHV had a bomb or two years ago, they stationed people to search
bags at each entrance for a couple of years, then backed off.

In our own neigbhorhood, in the 1980s we had a right wing book store a block
away. About once a years it would get bombed. A small bomb which took out
the front windows of the place. The bomb away went off about 5 AM, once I
went down right after to see the flames licking from the debris. The
propritaire had installed a concrete wall about a foot inside the place
so that any explosion would not start a fire in the book area;

Of course, afterwards the police would roar up and investigate and for
about 6 months after each bombing they police would periodically patrol
the area in their "panier Ã* salade". After 6 months they would drop
the patrols and a few months later the bombers would strike again.
I`d say we had around 6-8 bombins in the 80s.

The lesson here for me is that all these patrols are reassurance for the
general public. They are displays by the authorities which they have
to make to give the appearance of "doing something".

Air port controls face-to-face controls are largely the same thing. One has
to find questioning some people intensely a bit absurd, a 70 yr old couple
are not prime candidates to hijack a plane. Some body search techniques
are essential however. Putting in hitech explosive detectors is essential,
xraying hand bags absolutely necessary and even looking at shoe heels now.
Put parading around soldiers does have an absurd air to it.

As a dog lover I do appreciate encountering the beagles used in the US
airports. They wag their tails, sniff at my leg and recognized the
I too know dogs. That brings a smile, at least, to this whole sorry
business.

Earl

Jim Ley

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 09:12:23 +0100, Earl Evleth <>
wrote:

    >No, they will be getting worse. The EU has agreed to go along with the
    >security information check on all passengers which requires a ton of
    >information on each individual, some 35 items. Not just home address and
    >telephone number but health information, credit card numbers, ---- you name
    >it.

So the Data Protection laws are being changed to allow this?

Jim.