Terror Attack at the Moscow International Airport

[Thunder]

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/24/ex...siest-airport/

With all the securities in place, terrorists are forced to do it within the airport instead of on the plane. Now we will be seeing widespread terror alerts.

[Kerry]

Apparently it happened in baggage claim which leads me to believe that it was supposed to explode in the air, but when it didn't the suicide bomber blew it up manually in baggage claim.

[PennyQuilts]

Apparently it happened in baggage claim which leads me to believe that it was supposed to explode in the air, but when it didn't the suicide bomber blew it up manually in baggage claim.

You are speculating that the bomber was waiting for it when it came off the plane? Hmm. Dunno. I'd think having it go off in baggage would be the plan all along - look how much devastation and death it caused. I guess we'll find out soon enough if the guy was on the plane or if he was just someone waiting for it to arrive and get close enough to it. Or if he carried in a bomb, himself. You'd think they could step back far enough so they wouldn't get blown up, too, if it was in baggage.

[kevinpate]

Certainly it's still possible to send a boom through checked baggage, but where's about the only place left in an airport you can just wander on in sans security points anymore? Baggage and checkin lines.

Doesn't seem real complex to me to wheel in, or wear in, a big boom device right into the midst of everyone who is focused not on their surroundings or others nearby, but are narrow beamed for their luggage and getting out of there. If you're a suicide bomber, why run the risk of getting caught checking a bomb wheny ou can just show up like it's time to pick up Uncle Krackov

[PennyQuilts]

There are so many awful ways to create panic and terror. I'm amazed we haven't seen more of it. My fear, for years, has been that they will simultaneously go after a lot of our governors who have next to no protection - snipers or something. Talk about spreading terror. What makes people do this sort of thing? I hear the theories but can't imagine the switch actually getting thrown. Of course, it does but still...

[kevinpate]

There are so many awful ways to create panic and terror. I'm amazed we haven't seen more of it. My fear, for years, has been that they will simultaneously go after a lot of our governors who have next to no protection - snipers or something. Talk about spreading terror. What makes people do this sort of thing? I hear the theories but can't imagine the switch actually getting thrown. Of course, it does but still...

True. Messin' with the WH itself or Congress, at State of the Union or otherwise, would be some major undertaking by well funded and disciplined people. An annual governor's conference or a State of the State address, not a cakewalk, but I can't imagine that near as much effort would be necessary.

Coordinating something at all major hubs baggage areas for the same day and time, even if some airports are low volume at the time, the corresponding shutdown, perhaps running multiple days, would have far reaching impacts that stoked fear well beyond the airpark perimeters.

[PennyQuilts]

True. Messin' with the WH itself or Congress, at State of the Union or otherwise, would be some major undertaking by well funded and disciplined people. An annual governor's conference or a State of the State address, not a cakewalk, but I can't imagine that near as much effort would be necessary.

Coordinating something at all major hubs baggage areas for the same day and time, even if some airports are low volume at the time, the corresponding shutdown, perhaps running multiple days, would have far reaching impacts that stoked fear well beyond the airpark perimeters.

Exactly. Soft targets in a variety of places not expected would be unnerving. Hitting places that a lot of people only visit on vacations, plus airplanes - that a lot of people avoid - is the kind of "terror" that doesn't really hit most people who figure they can just stay home or avoid certain areas. It is a little like crime on the bad side of town or done by gangbangers. Most people ignore it because they figure it will never impact them.

[dismayed]

Did this remind anyone else of the airport level in Modern Warfare 2? In that game a group of ultranationalist terrorists attacks a baggage claim area of a Moscow airport. I just watched some footage of the real aftermath this week on YouTube and it is so eerily similar looking to the game. There have been several things from that game that have sort of happened in real life since. I often think that our government should employ writers to dream up these nightmare scenarios because it is scary how often reality imitates art.

[HewenttoJared]

Thats exactly what i was thinking.

[Achilleslastand]

The religion of peace at work again........

[Kerry]

A Congresswoman was shot at a Safeway - is anyone afraid to go to the grocery store? No, I didn't think so. However, a guy shoots people pumping gas in DC and everyone is afraid to stop and get gas. If you don't consider yourself part of the target group your fear level goes way down. That is why terrorist don't usually target government officials. You aren't effective unless you scare the crap out of the civilians.

[PennyQuilts]

A Congresswoman was shot at a Safeway - is anyone afraid to go to the grocery store? No, I didn't think so. However, a guy shoots people pumping gas in DC and everyone is afraid to stop and get gas. If you don't consider yourself part of the target group your fear level goes way down. That is why terrorist don't usually target government officials. You aren't effective unless you scare the crap out of the civilians.

Truth to this. When I posted I almost mentioned the Beltway Sniper. I was there during that time and let me tell you, it was scary as hell, particularly since we were still reeling from 911 and the anthrax stuff. You thought about whether someone was going to shoot you when you stood at the sink washing dishes. The randomness affected everyone.

[PennyQuilts]

Did this remind anyone else of the airport level in Modern Warfare 2? In that game a group of ultranationalist terrorists attacks a baggage claim area of a Moscow airport. I just watched some footage of the real aftermath this week on YouTube and it is so eerily similar looking to the game. There have been several things from that game that have sort of happened in real life since. I often think that our government should employ writers to dream up these nightmare scenarios because it is scary how often reality imitates art.

I was just reading an article about some noted thriller writer (for the life of me, can't think of the name) who said the government HAS paid him to come up with scenarios. That was last week.

ETA: http://usahitman.com/brad-meltzer-%E...lots%E2%80%9D/

[Kerry]

When I posted I almost mentioned the Beltway Sniper. I was there during that time and let me tell you, it was scary as hell, particularly since we were still reeling from 911 and the anthrax stuff.

I remember seeing videos of people in DC getting gas practically lying on the ground and reaching up to pump to get the gas, and then crawling back to the drivers door. Other gas station put up giant tarps to shield people getting gas from view. My wife went to Publix today to get milk and no one crawled on their belly to the front door.

[kevinpate]

I remember seeing videos of people in DC getting gas practically lying on the ground and reaching up to pump to get the gas, and then crawling back to the drivers door. Other gas station put up giant tarps to shield people getting gas from view. My wife went to Publix today to get milk and no one crawled on their belly to the front door.

You can find shoppers on their bellys at Super Wal-marts, but usually at 3:00 am. Snipers aren't involved, but shots likely existed a wee bit earlier.

[PennyQuilts]

I remember seeing videos of people in DC getting gas practically lying on the ground and reaching up to pump to get the gas, and then crawling back to the drivers door. Other gas station put up giant tarps to shield people getting gas from view. My wife went to Publix today to get milk and no one crawled on their belly to the front door.

Yup. All that happened. It was crazy. The Guardian Angels stood outside some service stations to encourage people to not be afraid (not sure how that would have held back a sniper) but I thought they were being darn gutsy. They had policeofficers standing on overpasses over I95 looking for the "white van" (turns out that was a mistake). I thought those guys were darn gutsy, too - sitting ducks if someone wanted to shoot.

[MikeOKC]

I'm one of those who sweat out the State Of The Union address every year (it's tonight, btw). I agree with those who say it's irresponsible in this day and age to put our entire government under one roof at the same time. Can you even imagine the horror of losing the executive, legislative and judicial branch at the same time? That's the president, vice-president, most all of the cabinet (excepting that token one "in case"), all the senators and representatives, most of the Supreme Court. The whole thing needs to be looked at carefully as we shouldn't wait for this ultimate terror attack to actually occur. We would only be asking why, knowing the threat, we continued to do it that way.

[Thunder]

I'm one of those who sweat out the State Of The Union address every year (it's tonight, btw). I agree with those who say it's irresponsible in this day and age to put our entire government under one roof at the same time. Can you even imagine the horror of losing the executive, legislative and judicial branch at the same time? That's the president, vice-president, most all of the cabinet (excepting that token one "in case"), all the senators and representatives, most of the Supreme Court. The whole thing needs to be looked at carefully as we shouldn't wait for this ultimate terror attack to actually occur. We would only be asking why, knowing the threat, we continued to do it that way.

Despite his rude behavior toward me recently, I am gonna have to agree with this guy. To think of it... I have never even thought of that. Now, to exam it all closely, I do agree that it is too much of a high-risk to have everyone inside one building. I am not sure what can be done to change that.

One thing that really do worries me is that the airports, airliners, employees, and passengers are not truly protected despite the fact of all the securities in place. What I am saying is that a well known pilot can easily snap at one time, may it be business or personal issues, the pilot flying the plane can appear normal and then suddenly fly a plane into a building with little to no warning.

Just like Mike was saying, I would hate to see a pilot of a major airliner just snap due to aggressive disagreement with an elected official and crash the plane into the building with all those elected officials inside. We do not want to lose too many people at once as it will cause massive chaos globally. That is just about the only security that I feel is often overlooked concerning the pilots, because people are just so good at hiding it until the final moments.

[PennyQuilts]

I don't think any of us want to see a pilot snap.

[Thunder]

I don't think any of us want to see a pilot snap.

Me either. Just saying nothing is impossible. Still scary to step into a plane. All the horror stories about employees snapping (not just pilots), it really get us to be thinking.

[Kerry]

Do you guys have any idea about the amount of security involved in the SOTU speech? Besides, terrorsit have nothing to gain by doing that because most people are not in the government. They could kill every memeber of government and my personal fear level would be pretty small because I don't work for government. However, start targeting a few movie theaters on openeing weekends and that would be a different story. Of course, profiling would take offf big time if that happened so terrorsit have to walk a fine line; instill enough fear without pissing people off enough that we actually get serious about it.

[PennyQuilts]

Do you guys have any idea about the amount of security involved in the SOTU speech? Besides, terrorsit have nothing to gain by doing that because most people are not in the government. They could kill every memeber of government and my personal fear level would be pretty small because I don't work for government. However, start targeting a few movie theaters on openeing weekends and that would be a different story. Of course, profiling would take offf big time if that happened so terrorsit have to walk a fine line; instill enough fear without pissing people off enough that we actually get serious about it.

As soon as people on a large scale actually feel threatened, the resistence to profiling will go out the window - it will lag far behind the law.

I am surprised they haven't used more people who don't fit the islamic extremist profile, already. But this is so entrenched in the extremist movement that I guess they have less to work with in terms of volunteers. Honestly, I expected a slew of southern Baptist girlfriends innocently carrying bombs on planes when their boyfriends was nice enough to pack for them. But is hasn't happened. Hopefully, it never will.

I am so sick of all this terrorism ****. I wish they'd quit it.

[MikeOKC]

Do you guys have any idea about the amount of security involved in the SOTU speech? Besides, terrorsit have nothing to gain by doing that because most people are not in the government. They could kill every memeber of government and my personal fear level would be pretty small because I don't work for government. However, start targeting a few movie theaters on openeing weekends and that would be a different story. Of course, profiling would take offf big time if that happened so terrorsit have to walk a fine line; instill enough fear without pissing people off enough that we actually get serious about it.

Hang on....you mean if you saw the screen go blank and found out a terrorist attack on the US Capital building had killed the president, the vice-president, the cabinet, every senator, every member of the house, the Supreme Court, the Joint Chiefs of Staff....you wouldn't feel terrorized????? If not, as your post seems to indicate, it sounds very selfish and frankly, a pretty dramatic lack of patriotism. I would imagine most people would feel a great deal of fear after such a traumatizing event.

And no need for the condescending approach - it's not just me. There are sitting members of both houses of Congress who have advocated going high-tech with the SOTU so everyone is not in the same building at once. Yes, there is obviously a lot of security - but nothing is perfect as we see over and over again all over the world. In fact, former Senator Gary Hart (who warned of a 9/11-like event) admitted that the above scenario is his greatest fear and has advocated making changes to the whole SOTU. Do you realize how many in the security community quietly sweat this night out year after year?

You don't wait for something like this - an obvious target to eliminate the whole of the leadership of the United States government - to actually happen before you discuss and prevent. That way we're not saying, "never again."

[HewenttoJared]

Truth to this. When I posted I almost mentioned the Beltway Sniper. I was there during that time and let me tell you, it was scary as hell, particularly since we were still reeling from 911 and the anthrax stuff. You thought about whether someone was going to shoot you when you stood at the sink washing dishes. The randomness affected everyone.

Everyone who was bad at math?

[HewenttoJared]

Me either. Just saying nothing is impossible. Still scary to step into a plane. All the horror stories about employees snapping (not just pilots), it really get us to be thinking.

Cars are much more dangerous.