It was only a matter of time.

[draggar]

I'm sure by now everyone has hear about last night's car bomb attempt...

In Times Square in New York City.

While a true hero emerged - a street vendor noticed something wasn't right and alerted police, I'm sure we will see a successful attack in the near future.

Sadly, too many Americans are oblivious to the threats to us. "Oh, car bombs only happen in far away hot spots like Israel and Iraq" when the threat has been here in the USA for a very long time.

What is also very sad is that the average American would just walk by the car, even if something didn't look right they'd think "I don't want to be inconvenienced", "It's not real", "It won't happen here".

I hope this is enough of a wake up call for everyone to realize that this IS the world we live in and we need to keep our eyes open.

[AdminAssistant]

we need to keep our eyes open.

But we shouldn't live in fear and we shouldn't let that fear turn us into isolationist hate mongers.

[telecom_goddess]

I think it makes a difference where you live. New York City is way more likely to have something like that happen than say where I am in Portland OR. Rural areas are probably pretty safe.

[draggar]

I think it makes a difference where you live. New York City is way more likely to have something like that happen than say where I am in Portland OR. Rural areas are probably pretty safe.

Tell that to the people who worked at the American Media Inc in Boca Raton, FL (the site of the first Anthrax "attack"in 2001).

Also, tell it to the employees of the postal facilities that got sick with Anthrax in various postal facilities (some of which were in rural areas).

But we shouldn't live in fear and we shouldn't let that fear turn us into isolationist hate mongers.

I fully agree. Live your life but keep your eyes open.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

When presented with two options always choose the third. Find the happy medium, the sweet spot, etc. Get the best of both worlds!

Condition yellow people! pay attention to your surroundings. I'm sure the police would prefer to get a call that turned out to be nothing than no call when it turned out to be something.

[draggar]

When presented with two options always choose the third. Find the happy medium, the sweet spot, etc. Get the best of both worlds!

Condition yellow people! pay attention to your surroundings. I'm sure the police would prefer to get a call that turned out to be nothing than no call when it turned out to be something.

Also, a lot of times "nothings" are nothing until the nothing starts to happen a lot.

[evillebee]

I saw the interview with one of the street vendors who noticed the popping and smoking SUV. He stated that he and another vendor went over to the SUV and peered inside the wondow before alerting police. He is a very lucky man. If you see a smoking and popping anything, DO NOT go towards it! Alert police and let them handle it.

[jackfaire]

I wonder does anyone think maybe it was an environmental terrorist action rather than the other kind?

The type of car was an SUV placed in one of the biggest marketing spots in the country.

[Kimmik]

I wonder does anyone think maybe it was an environmental terrorist action rather than the other kind?

The type of car was an SUV placed in one of the biggest marketing spots in the country.

I don't really differentiate because environment nuts, religion nuts, etc... nuts are nuts and all of them are terrorists as their goal is to terrorize people to their way of thinking.

[insertNameHere]

I live in a rural area, fun fact is it relatively close to a nuclear reactor. People in my high school were like why would terrorists come here? Simple, while Swat teams mobilizing on the school, real attack begins at reactor. Course, lol met a guy who interned there are said he was freaked out when they did a surprise lock down drill at the reactor and guys with assault rifles were running around.

Of course I believe it is Oklahoma City where the federal building got bombed that proves that shit can easily happen in the US. Kinda disturbing that all the news media is pointing out where the terroists screwed up and how they could correct it, you know for future reference. I believe in freedom of speech but sometimes you really think they should understand just because you can say something doesn't make it a good idea.

[draggar]

They've arrested a "suspect".

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/04/new...pt=T1&iref=BN1

[MaseMan]

He's a Muslim from Pakistan, go figure.

Yes, he is a US citizen.

[draggar]

Yep, and they caught him trying to board a flight...

... to Pakistan.

If this is the guy he has got to be one of the dumbest terrorists - how many things did he do wrong with this?

The scariest part is that it doesn't look like no one had any idea this was going on, too. Everything in the SUV is perfectly legal to buy (some you need to be over 18 but that's it) and won't raise any red flags. Other than the vehicle used, all of the components are also not traceable at this time.

He also got very close to completing this - it was reported that it could have been minutes away from detonating.

[Skelly]

Yep, and they caught him trying to board a flight...

... to Pakistan.

If this is the guy he has got to be one of the dumbest terrorists - how many things did he do wrong with this?

The scariest part is that it doesn't look like no one had any idea this was going on, too. Everything in the SUV is perfectly legal to buy (some you need to be over 18 but that's it) and won't raise any red flags. Other than the vehicle used, all of the components are also not traceable at this time.

He also got very close to completing this - it was reported that it could have been minutes away from detonating.

Then again, from the list of contents that I read, it wouldn't have caused that much of an explosion either. I mean, come on? Fireworks, some gun powder, propane tanks and some gasoline? It ain't exactly something you use when you want to fuck up a lot of people. It is good if you just want to terrorize the shit out of people though, but even if it had exploded, I'm not sure there would've been much if any in the way of fatalities...

[draggar]

Some reports said that it could have ripped the car in half.

Besides, they want to create terror (killing Americans is just an added bonus). Look at what a pipe bomb that fit into a lunchbag did during Atlanta's Olympics.

Not much damage, only two people killed, 111 injured (according to Wikipedia) but the panic afterwards is what they wanted.

Two full propane tanks can cause a lot of damage - that stuff is under pressure. The firecrackers were probabaly more for the shock aspect and to accellerate the explosion, not the main explosion. Plus, the propane tanks make a lot of shrapnel and the plastic gas containers could melt and stick to people.

No, it wouldn't have been huge but it would have been significant and the panic aftermath (immediate and short-term) would have been a lot larger.