Little things mean a lot (Wizbang)

One of the more recent developments in the War on Terror has been the recent developments of Muslims in the United States acting in small ways, taking actions that, taken alone, are not terribly suspicious -- but all part of the overall profile of terrorists. We saw it in the case of the Flying Imams, where it was almost as if they had read the profile of typical terrorist actions on an airliner and used it as a checklist: moving from assigned seating to those with more strategic usefulness; asking for seatbelt extenders that they did not need and did not use as designed, instead keeping them at hand; loud and prominent political statements; loud and prominent religious proclamations; moving freely about the cabin; and, in general, acted pretty much like we believe would-be hijackers would act.

And now that they were confronted and removed from the plane, we have the inevitable cries of "racism" and "Islamophobia" and whatnot.

And now in Massachusetts, we have a smaller-scale version of that apparently playing itself out.

In Boston, a would-be truckdriver has been arrested by the FBI. He didn't do any one thing that was overly wrong, but just like the Flying Imams, his profile and the totality of his actions added up to far more than the simple sum:

1) Muslim;
2) Male;
3) Age between 18 and 40;
4) Here on an expired visa;
5) Learning how to drive a tractor trailer;
6) Showed little interest in backing up safely;
7) Possessed driver's licenses from three different states.

(As far as points 5 and 6 go, remember the 9/11 hijackers' eagerness to learn how to fly airliners -- but not how to land them.)

The unnamed fellow is currently in custody. Whether he was a would-be terrorist, a wannabe, or just "testing the waters" to see how far he could push things before alerting authorities, he's got a LOT of explaining to do.

And once again, we see that the best weapon to detect potential terrorists is an informed and alert populace.

Comments (35)

Here's to a zero tolerance ... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Gianni | December 11, 2006 8:02 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Gianni:

Here's to a zero tolerance rule.

I saw put him on the next flight to aahh, Tel Aviv.

Posted on December 11, 2006 08:02

99% of these cases in the f... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by USMC Pilot | December 11, 2006 8:28 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

USMC Pilot:

99% of these cases in the future will be for the purpose of legal action or overloading the counter terrorism system. The flying Imams are already filing legal action, and I have no doubt that the truck driver will follow suit.

However, there is still that 1%, which could bring down an aircraft or skyscraper, and kill hundreds or thousands of people. It is time for congress to act with legislation protecting individuals and governments from legal action when taking the necessary steps to protect the nation.

As to the truck driver - deport his ass tomorrow!

Posted on December 11, 2006 08:28

Arguably, being here on an ... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by Steve L. | December 11, 2006 8:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Steve L.:

Arguably, being here on an expired visa is "overtly wrong."

Posted on December 11, 2006 08:36

Well, it seems that our ene... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by killerwhale | December 11, 2006 8:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

killerwhale:

Well, it seems that our enemies understand that many small provacations push the boundary, to our detriment. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that Americans have the attention span of a gnat. However, we've actually been in a war with these islamic fascists since 1979, and they're not going to go away. In this religious war, the only way we're going to win is if we are willing to depopulate some of the more radical islamic countries, just as Iran has EXPLICITLY said.

Posted on December 11, 2006 08:56

I thought that you can't fi... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by BarneyG2000 | December 11, 2006 9:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

BarneyG2000:

I thought that you can't fight terrorizum with law enforcement?

Haven't you learned anything after 9-11?

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:11

I have said over and over t... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by drjohn | December 11, 2006 9:12 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

drjohn:

I have said over and over that we are being softened up for the next wave of activity. It's a good thing that people are paying attention but it is foolish that the behaviors are being dismissed.

The same people who dismiss these behaviors would certainly have dismissed those of Atta and his colleagues as innocent.

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:12

B'google-you are one lowlif... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by jhow66 | December 11, 2006 9:24 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

jhow66:

B'google-you are one lowlife SOB. May you be the 1st to get his ass blown to hell.

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:24

I'm not a bit worried. In a... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Old Coot | December 11, 2006 9:42 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Old Coot:

I'm not a bit worried. In a few weeks the D's will be in control and will fix all these Bush-caused problems. I'd guess by mid-January, the Religion of Peace will no longer be a bother and by February, a cure for cancer will have been discovered. Thanks, Nancy!

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:42

Coot, dont forget, witl Dem... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Gianni | December 11, 2006 9:57 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Coot, dont forget, witl Dems in power, people like Chris Reeve will walk again.

Hopefully, Dems can help people like Barney, Lee, etc to think again, but, thats less likely than the aforementioned 'miracle'.

Posted on December 11, 2006 09:57

Yes, Little things DO m... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by Steve Crickmore | December 11, 2006 9:57 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Steve Crickmore:

Yes, Little things DO mean alot, to the Taliban as well, such as 'no facial hair' on boys' Taliban new rules:' Jihad equipment is not for personal use'

Don't forget about Sayeed, ... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Bonnie | December 11, 2006 10:05 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Bonnie:

Don't forget about Sayeed, the Muslim who planned to detonate hand grenades in a busy shopping mall.

What I'm most worried about is a Beslan-style attack on a school. Three hundred little kids were slaughtered in that attack.

In my dark cynical attitude of today, I think that even a Beslan in America will not wake people up to the Islamic threat. I don't know what will.

Posted on December 11, 2006 10:05

Gianni: I'm afraid t... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Old Coot | December 11, 2006 10:10 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Gianni: I'm afraid that curing the Wizbang trolls of their rectal-cranial inversion may take a little longer as Nancy's super-powers will be busy cleaning up all that Republican corruption and evil.

Posted on December 11, 2006 10:10

Don't worry "righties" the ... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by BarneyG2000 | December 11, 2006 10:16 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Don't worry "righties" the Dems are learning fast. Did you see how Emanuel dropped that October (Foley) surprise on your asses?

You live by the Rove, and you die by the Rove.

Posted on December 11, 2006 10:16

killerwhale:Lets s... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by Hugh | December 11, 2006 10:47 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Hugh:

Lets see, Nazi Germany had a program to "depopulate" other countries too. Nice thinking. Wearing your jackboots today?

Posted on December 11, 2006 10:47

1) the Flying Imams ... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by astigafa | December 11, 2006 10:47 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

astigafa:

1) the Flying Imams -- I just can't feeling that, somewhere down the road, a Vegas act will be formed around this.

2) In Boston, a would-be truckdriver has been arrested by the FBI. He didn't do any one thing that was overly wrong, but just like the Flying Imams, his profile and the totality of his actions added up to far more than the simple sum

-- He's a truck driver in Boston, soi disant or otherwise. We don't need a trial; shoot the bastard.

I just can't feeling tha... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by astigafa | December 11, 2006 10:48 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

I just can't feeling that, "can't help feeling that"

Posted on December 11, 2006 10:48

"I thought that you can't f... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by DaveD | December 11, 2006 12:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

DaveD:

"I thought that you can't fight terrorizum with law enforcement?"
That wasn't law enforcement, Barney, that was profiling. A lib would have never been permitted to put 1 through 7 together because it would have created a "profile" of a possible problem person.

Posted on December 11, 2006 12:19

Also, Barney, I never said ... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by Jay Tea | December 11, 2006 12:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jay Tea:

Also, Barney, I never said law enforcement was the wrong way. I said that that law enforcement ONLY was wrong. They have their part to play, and are doing wonderfully at it, but Clinton's big mistake was to focus almost exclusively on using cops and lawyers to fight terrorists.

Nice try, though. Thanks for playing Our hostess has some lovely consolation prizes for you...

(Hoping Barney likes Rice-A-Roni, the Nancy Pelosi Treat)

Posted on December 11, 2006 12:26

Ast' shooting's to easy--ho... (Below threshold)

19. Posted by jhow66 | December 11, 2006 12:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Ast' shooting's to easy--how about you kiss his ass until he kicks the bucket. Uhhh

Posted on December 11, 2006 12:28

It's a good thing that woul... (Below threshold)

20. Posted by VagaBond | December 11, 2006 12:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

VagaBond:

It's a good thing that would-be truckdriver didn't send questionable email to a page.

Can you just imagine the outrage?

Posted on December 11, 2006 12:31

Hmm.. Profiling:<a... (Below threshold)

21. Posted by MyPetGloat | December 11, 2006 1:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

MyPetGloat:

Hmm.. Profiling:

Homegrown Terrorist Attempts to purchase Sarin Gas and Explosives

Let's see:

Right-wing - Check.
White - Check.
40-year-old farmhand and father of two -Hmm, not an Allah worshippin' Ay-rab?
IQ of 85 -Whoo! That one hits a little too close to home for the Whiznuts!

In short, Wizbang sez profiling is teh cool when it ain't us being profiled!

Posted on December 11, 2006 13:03

MyPetGloat:At leas... (Below threshold)

22. Posted by John F Not Kerry | December 11, 2006 1:38 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

John F Not Kerry:

At least he was caught before he did something, unlike McVeigh. By the way, who was president then? Oh , yeah.

4) Here on an expired visa

So why does ANYONE think we shouldn't have visa expiration dates on drivers licenses? Please enforce the laws first, then we might listen about "reform."

Posted on December 11, 2006 13:38

Mr. Goat,This from... (Below threshold)

23. Posted by DaveD | December 11, 2006 1:53 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Mr. Goat,

This from the article:
"But it was effectively over on the second day, after prosecutors played several hours of secretly recorded conversations in which Crocker poured out his racial hatred, his loathing of the government, his obsession with chemical and conventional weapons, his admiration for Timothy McVeigh (who blew up the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, 11 years ago this week), and a chilling familiarity with basic chemistry that belied his supposedly low-average IQ."

I don't understand the point of your post. I would agree that this guy is also suspect. I cannot see anywhereon this thread or in the article where anyone felt this guy should not have been tagged.
Explain, please or maybe highlight for us where one could get that impression. Thanks. I know you'll be very prompt with that.

Posted on December 11, 2006 13:53

Okay -in more tangible term... (Below threshold)

24. Posted by MyPetGloat | December 11, 2006 3:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Okay -in more tangible terms:

Muslim suspect = Terror suspect, suspension of habeous corpus, off to Gitmo.

Eric Rudoulph ?
Van Crocker ?

-some more equal than others?

Posted on December 11, 2006 15:07

That wasn't law enforcem... (Below threshold)

25. Posted by Brian | December 11, 2006 4:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Brian:

That wasn't law enforcement, Barney

I'm sure the FBI would be interested to know that they're no longer considered law enforcement.

Posted on December 11, 2006 16:08

MyPetGloat,I am sorr... (Below threshold)

26. Posted by DaveD | December 11, 2006 4:15 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

MyPetGloat,
I am sorry, I must not be able to link the entire article. Could you link the part saying this young man is being sent off to Gitmo? Or just copy/paste.

Posted on December 11, 2006 16:15

The possibility that U.S. c... (Below threshold)

27. Posted by Ken McCracken | December 11, 2006 4:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Ken McCracken:

The possibility that U.S. citizens might be treated a bit more leniently than a foreigner who overstayed his visa seems to have escaped MyPetGloat.

So, in short, yes some terror suspects are more equal than others.

Case closed.

Posted on December 11, 2006 16:26

The point I'm trying to mak... (Below threshold)

28. Posted by killerwhale | December 11, 2006 5:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

The point I'm trying to make is that the Islamofascists are dead serious about killing everyone who doesn't submit to their god. Appeasement doesn't really work, it just means that your family gets slaughtered later. Western ideas are EXTREMELY corrosive to the mullahs agenda, so, in order to maintain religious power over their young people, they have to keep their hormones elevated - you know - the western boogie man - What I can't really understand is where are the Feminists when Iranian women are being stoned for adultery? Have they all become cowards? And for that matter, who will protest when young gay men are hung?

Posted on December 11, 2006 17:19

I thougt your point was tha... (Below threshold)

29. Posted by Hugh | December 11, 2006 5:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

I thougt your point was that you endorsed genocide, per your earlier post about depopulation.

Posted on December 11, 2006 17:29

Gianni - with the Democrats... (Below threshold)

30. Posted by SezaGeoff | December 11, 2006 6:53 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

SezaGeoff:

Gianni - with the Democrats in charge, Christopher Reeve won't be able to just walk - he can vote as well!

Posted on December 11, 2006 18:53

hugie-we only endorse genoc... (Below threshold)

31. Posted by jhow66 | December 11, 2006 7:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

hugie-we only endorse genocide for kos kiddie rejects such as your kind. Sorry.

Posted on December 11, 2006 19:44

1) the Flying Imams -- I... (Below threshold)

32. Posted by drjohn | December 11, 2006 8:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

That would be an insult to Muslims worldwide.

Just like everything else is.

Posted on December 11, 2006 20:21

Todays spelling lesson is b... (Below threshold)

33. Posted by Headzero | December 11, 2006 9:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Headzero:

Todays spelling lesson is brought to you by the letter F which starts the word

F-U-N-D-R-A-I-S-E-R

Thats right kiddies, there is a reason why lawyers were illegal in this country when it started - its because everyone here is too stupid to face reality, even after it has a leechhold on your wallet. If you don't give, they will take by rule of law. Thanks for voting for the party that is 100% supported by the trial lawyers. Can we drop the Jesusland moniker and go straight to the Boss-HoggLand moniker?

I'm going to start passing the bucket for Hamas, because as Mel G says, those Jews are responsible for everything. So send me your money, and at some point I will see to it that Hamas gets it, with a similar dip to most American charities, about 98% of what was given going to overhead and processing fees.

Some days when I get up I wonder why I even bother to vote - but now I just wonder why I bother to get up.

Posted on December 11, 2006 21:52

Heh, lawyers were illegal a... (Below threshold)

34. Posted by Ken McCracken | December 12, 2006 12:17 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Heh, lawyers were illegal at the founding of this nation?

John Adams, among others, would have been quite surprised to hear that.

Posted on December 12, 2006 00:17

<a href="http://www.uncp.ed... (Below threshold)

35. Posted by Headzero | December 12, 2006 9:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/16071783/law.htm

Lawyers during the 17th Century in Colonial North America were despised and the legal profession itself was prohibited in many courts.

Posted on December 12, 2006 21:42