weekend alert as FBI warns of new attack

September 19, 2001 11:53 PM

weekend alert as FBI warns of new attack *
oh swell.

make sure everyone you love knows what's going on.

*via little green footballs.
posted by bwg (16 comments total)

Um...I see this is an overseas paper. I wonder whether there's anything about it in the American media. Before I go panicking everyone I love I mean.
posted by mirla at 2:23 AM on September 20, 2001

Um...I see that this just happens to be one of the oldest, most respected and sober newspapers in the English language. I wonder whether they would make up quotes from FBI sources and falsely attribute them to "America’s Knight Ridder news service".
posted by rory at 3:09 AM on September 20, 2001

I have not heard anything else yet, but it seems that the news channels are concentrating on the Taliban meeting right now.
posted by bargle at 3:13 AM on September 20, 2001

Thanks for that juicy bit of sarcasm, rory. We wouldn't want to go questioning sources or anything.
posted by Bixby23 at 3:43 AM on September 20, 2001

For what it's worth, I heard the same rumors from two sources yesterday. A colleague at work said she heard it on CNN yesterday morning and another friend said she heard it on NPR. I haven't been able to run either down on their respective websites yet. There was a reference in the Miami Herald that NowThis dug up.
posted by Medley at 4:11 AM on September 20, 2001

Glad to be of juicily sarcastic service... Question sources, by all means. But casting doubt on a story just because it comes from 'an overseas paper'?

Though I admit that some of the stories I've seen coming from overseas papers this past week are pretty unbelievable. Those American ones, for example...
posted by rory at 4:39 AM on September 20, 2001

Having tried to get quality foreign news reports when travelling in the US, I can understand what Martin Amis was getting at when he referred to "an assiduous geographical incuriosity". I imagine mirla is simply judging the likely quality of a "foreign news" report in a foreign rag by the standards he is used to. As befits a nation caught, as it were, between a rock and a hard place, the foreign reporting in our media is usually comparable in column inches to domestic. Can't vouch for lack of bias. But seeing ourselves as others see us rarely fails to instruct....
posted by RichLyon at 5:02 AM on September 20, 2001

this has been on the AP wire for a couple days. Saw it first on Salon on the 18th
posted by argon405 at 6:24 AM on September 20, 2001

A few years ago while studying in England, my (now) wife was shocked by the news reports she heard in England of "hundreds and hundreds dead in Minnesota" and "thousands of homes destroyed" from a series of tornadoes. Being from Minnesota, she was justifiably worried about her family and friends. Turns out the major English news sources just plain got it wrong--dozens injured, but only a handful of fatalities. Nothing like the devastation painted in the respectable old news media of England.
Reminds me of the old game "Telephone" which always leads to simple gossip.

That said, know that the respectable old news media in the USA gets it wrong plenty of times.

Especially now, be skeptical of what you read and beware what you pass on.

Shields up everyone.
posted by mooncrow at 7:12 AM on September 20, 2001

Sen. Bob Graham spoke about this yesterday, and CNN said congressional leaders received a security briefing with the alert.

I can't even imagine the kind of security that will be at the joint session when Bush gives his speech tonight.
posted by owillis at 7:16 AM on September 20, 2001

Warnings like this are definitely a concern, but we have to balance it out by not immediately deciding to sit in a hole with our head in our hands until it's over.

My mother is flying in from England to visit us in Texas on Saturday. Yes, I'm worried. But postponing the trip hasn't entered our minds, because if we did that, to quote Counter-Strike, "Terrorists win".
posted by SiW at 8:48 AM on September 20, 2001

Swell, but what the hell can we do about this other than avoid tall buildings and airplanes?
posted by bondcliff at 11:57 AM on September 20, 2001

This has been news for a number of days; several airline flights were cancelled as a result.

What's more scary to me are relatively small, private planes; trucks; ships and cars. And just ordinary subway stations and cars. Sorry.
posted by ParisParamus at 12:01 PM on September 20, 2001

As Paris said, it ain't just buildings and airplanes. In fact, I would be surprised if they attmpted to do the same thing again, considering the increased security. Any place where there are throngs of people could be a target for a single terrorist with a bomb.

The terrorists were creative enough to come up with their latest mode of attack. We shouldn't assume for a second that they are not creative enough to think of a dozen more. I know that I can...
posted by fooljay at 1:01 PM on September 20, 2001

They've got the Knight Rider on this now?! Awesome! I knew David Hasselhof could do more for this planet.
posted by hellinskira at 3:42 PM on September 20, 2001

He's one of the most popular Americans world-wide thanks to Baywatch. If he can't bring peace and stability, no one can.

Ok, maybe Jasmine Bleeth...
posted by fooljay at 4:28 PM on September 20, 2001