October 11, 2001

2:02 PM

The "next several days" could be interesting.The link is to a press release on the fbi.gov site issued this afternoon. I know that there have been similar warnings over the past week or so, but this one seems particularly terse and ominous. Also, I thought it was really odd that they chose to name this press release "skyfall.htm". Nothing like stoking the paranoia.
posted by pardonyou? (66 comments total)

I was just on the FBI site reading that release before checking in here, and I failed to notice the page URL.

Very odd, indeed.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:05 PM on October 11, 2001

From the release: "The FBI has again alerted all local law enforcement to be on the highest alert and we call on all people to immediately notify the FBI and local law enforcement of any unusual or suspicious activity. "

Maybe I should report the random sightings of Bert on a particular website PBS station I watch?
posted by msacheson at 2:10 PM on October 11, 2001

That reminds me of last Friday, when at the end of his newscase Tom Brokaw said, "I'll see you again on Monday," then kind of halfway smirked and added "...if not before." It gave me an uneasy feeling when I saw it, and now this press release kind of gives me the same feeling.
posted by spilon at 2:13 PM on October 11, 2001

Sometimes it scares the shit out of me to live and work on Capitol Hill.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:16 PM on October 11, 2001

for a few moments, my.yahoo.com was reporting this with the headline: "FBI Says 'Reason to Believe' Addition Attacks Soon"
posted by icathing at 2:16 PM on October 11, 2001

Ya know, this whole "watch your back for the next few days" thing (ad infinitum) irks me. Somehow threats of would-be terrorism is filling the gap where Gary Condit used to be.
posted by ethmar at 2:19 PM on October 11, 2001

"Addition attacks?!" Look out, that plus sign's a killer...

(totally. couldn't. resist.)
posted by metrocake at 2:20 PM on October 11, 2001

icathing, you can never underestimate the power of addition. We really need to hurry up and get those minus signs on our side.
posted by pardonyou? at 2:21 PM on October 11, 2001

It's fractals that scare me ;-)
posted by msacheson at 2:21 PM on October 11, 2001

sounds like chicken little to me
posted by cheesebot at 2:22 PM on October 11, 2001

well, this ruins my fucking weekend. if anyone needs me, I'll be in my bunker.
posted by ColdChef at 2:22 PM on October 11, 2001

harmonic sequences. they're killers.
posted by moz at 2:23 PM on October 11, 2001

Found it interesting that the html page of the link looks to be a reference to "the sky is falling".
posted by scottfree at 2:23 PM on October 11, 2001

Here's another skyfall.htm
posted by msacheson at 2:24 PM on October 11, 2001

This might be nothing, but the locals in Tulsa OK know about it: there was some kind of a substance found in St. John's Medical Center's basement. The general public doesn't know what it is, but the hazardous materials workers are there, and all but 1 street near the building has been blocked off. I couldn't find a website about it, but it's been on all the news here.
posted by Katy Action at 2:25 PM on October 11, 2001

Oops, skimmed the post. My Evelyn Wood course failed me. Sorry for the redundancy redundancy.
posted by scottfree at 2:25 PM on October 11, 2001

Perhaps Osama plans to divide by zero and end the universe.
posted by icathing at 2:25 PM on October 11, 2001

Looking through the list of FBI press releases, none of the others appear to have such a cryptic url name. Maybe SKYFALL is not a code name, but a combination of the words SKY and FALL? Down the list, on 05/29/2001, TANKENBO is an abbreviated combination of Tanzania, Kenya and bomb. Should we be watching the sky? Is the space station going to fall down?
posted by danec at 2:27 PM on October 11, 2001

Could this news article be related?
posted by crog at 2:29 PM on October 11, 2001

What the FBI are essentially telling us is "Expect the unexpected". I lived in Northern Ireland before I moved to the States. The whole thing about terrorism...the very reason it's effective...is that it is extraordinarily difficult to predict.

Maybe if Bin Laden's mates were tearing around on camels doing that whooping noise holding Tom & Jerry bowling-ball-with-sparking-fuse type bombs then the "Beware the terrorist threat" warnings might mean something.

Things being as they are though the practical application of these vague warnings is about zilch.
posted by daragh at 2:32 PM on October 11, 2001

Great. I have a conference to go to this weekend. And on top of that, the helicopter/low flying plane activity has just reached the teeth-grating levels it attained when Clinton spoke about a half-mile from here. Hello from SW Connecticut.
posted by kittyloop at 2:35 PM on October 11, 2001

Things being as they are though the practical application of these vague warnings is about zilch.

You know, I was just thinking the same thing. It seems odd that they would release a press statement that is so creepy and ominous that says nothing really more than "give us a heads up, dude." It's going to have the exact opposite effect on me. I ain't gonna be more vigilant, I'm gonna crawl under my bed, cry and eat oreos as the sky falls.
posted by ColdChef at 2:36 PM on October 11, 2001

maybe we should all stock up on oreos then? Is there going to be a shortage? Buy into oreo and mattress stocks!
Seriously though, my nerves can't take much more of this.
posted by nprigoda at 2:42 PM on October 11, 2001

Here's a more useful warning:
"Be suspicious of arabs, particularly arabs who appear to be trying to disguise themselves."

People might not like it, but that's actually more useful than the FBI warning...at least it provides something specific to look for. But then, I can say that and the FBI can't.
posted by daragh at 2:46 PM on October 11, 2001

be on the lookout for unattended packages
posted by cheesebot at 2:46 PM on October 11, 2001

Well, at least anthrax may not be involved. But then again, it might. Five hundred dollars for a pack of DoubleStuffs!
posted by ColdChef at 2:47 PM on October 11, 2001

Be on the lookout for racism.
posted by sudama at 2:54 PM on October 11, 2001

Be on the lookout for racial profiling.
posted by msacheson at 2:54 PM on October 11, 2001

Jinx.
posted by sudama at 2:55 PM on October 11, 2001

OK, terrorist threat over...I caught Bert.

Time to beat the stuffing out of him in a secure, undisclosed location.
posted by ethmar at 3:01 PM on October 11, 2001

Yeah...racial profiling...riiiiiight.

Go take a look at a line-up of the suicide pilot/bombers photographs and tell me what demographic they all have in common.

I guess we should just ignore that because it's not P.C. to notice that kind of thing.
posted by daragh at 3:01 PM on October 11, 2001

It's interesting, Katy Action, that the activity in Tulsa has not turned up in the national news. It seems even fishier when you consider that this theft of 700 lbs. of explosives and 332 blasting caps in Houston has not been picked up by the national press, either.
posted by Scorch at 3:02 PM on October 11, 2001

P.C. is like a japanese movie monster. You could hit it with 3 million rads and it only gets bigger and stronger.
posted by prodigal at 3:03 PM on October 11, 2001

Considering how accurate the FBI has been lately, should we really be concerned? Of course, if nothing happens they can (will?) take credit for it.

Oh, this past Tuesday I quietly saved gravity from an alien invasion. If they'd won we'd all be floating around.

Hmmm, I took a Sudafed an hour ago, maybe I shouldn't be posting right now.
posted by joemaller at 3:11 PM on October 11, 2001

hey, where did the press release go? (I'm getting a 404)
posted by rabi at 3:13 PM on October 11, 2001

Release went to a less ominous URL.
posted by Vetinari at 3:16 PM on October 11, 2001

I think if it was something that needed to be nationalized (the St. John thing), it would be out there by now. Or the sudden evaporation of the state would be noticed by neighboring states, or something. I think it's some moron who has too much time on his hands that did this. If it gets deadly or is linked to terrorism, it'll be out there. However, Tulsa Regional Medical Center's Anthrax false cases were in somewhat-national news; my brother in Chicago heard about all the people with the flu that thought they had Anthrax.
posted by Katy Action at 3:19 PM on October 11, 2001

The FBI must have read this thread, and decided that we were on to something. Or maybe, Joemaller stumbled onto their gravity plot?
posted by danec at 3:19 PM on October 11, 2001

less ominous URL

Anyone read Binary?
posted by Optamystic at 3:23 PM on October 11, 2001

The FBI must read Metafilter -- they've moved the page to 101101.htm. Not known for having a sense of humor, though, are they?

I can't figure out what their press strategy seems to be. On the one hand, it seems like they're hell-bent on downplaying the anthrax thing, but then they issue press releases like this one that are going to genuinely freak people out. I suppose it could be that they're just suffering from institutional schizophrenia (which wouldn't surprise anyone); on the other hand, what if this warning *is* the pianissimo version?
posted by atlee at 3:26 PM on October 11, 2001

It's interesting, Katy Action, that the activity in Tulsa has not turned up in the national news.

On Tuesday, a number of anthrax scares were noted in Cincinatti, DC, and Texas (MeFi link). I believe that if the national news were to report every potential scare across the country, prior to knowing the results of lab testing we would be hearing more than we wanted to be hearing. We're wanting to be cautious, yet we're also wanting to avoid paranoia.

What I am interested in is if there is a connection between the FBI press release (mentioned in this thread) and the White houses request for the networks to not air bin Laden videos (MeFi link). The news article that I mentioned earlier in this thread is in regards to a recent video that I have not yet seen mentioned on any US news site. Certainly the FBI is aware of this video. Certainly the news sites know about it. Why haven't either mentioned it publicly? Or has the FBI recognized the video as they have named the press release file name SKYFALL?
posted by crog at 3:27 PM on October 11, 2001

hey they changed the url!! i guess someone noticed.
posted by Siraulo at 3:28 PM on October 11, 2001

I'm sure you're right about the moron in the Tulsa hospital basement with too much time on his hands; it just suprises me that the hungry media hasn't pounced on it since they have been rehashing the same information over and over and over again.
posted by Scorch at 3:35 PM on October 11, 2001

I can't get through to any of the URLs folks have supplied... heck, I can't even get through to the site index... argh.
posted by silusGROK at 3:40 PM on October 11, 2001

I take this with a grain of salt. Neither the FBI or the CIA has had half a clue about anything since the end of the Cold War. If they issued a press release saying "the sky is blue", I would go outside and check for myself before I believed it.

Did you hear that, Mr. FBI MeFi snooper? I said you suck.
posted by Potsy at 3:48 PM on October 11, 2001

Looks like someone told them their choice of name was unfortunate. It's now at http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel01/101101.htm
posted by cps at 3:54 PM on October 11, 2001

The FBI must read Metafilter

An open letter to the FBI person tasked with monitoring Metafilter:

Dear Agent Whomever,

If you've read any of my posts you may have noticed that I sometimes sound like a pacifist, socialist, pro-legalization, agnostic hippie. You may also have read comments I have made that could be construed as being disrespectful of our fine President.

NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. I am a good, conservative, patriotic American. I am typing this with one hand. With the other, I am frantically waving a flag. I also make it a practice to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, every hour on the hour. Any and all peacemongering comments made or marches attended were done in an effort to infiltrate the ranks of the godless pinko longhair peaceniks. So please do not come to my house and arrest and/or beat me.

Victory,

Optamystic
posted by Optamystic at 3:58 PM on October 11, 2001

to room 101 with you press release.. ysterday was palindrome day, hurray..
posted by Mossy at 4:00 PM on October 11, 2001

Here in St. Augustine, Florida, a school for the deaf and blind was closed and more than a dozen people quarantined because of a hazardous material scare (source). I think scares like this are going to be commonplace for a while, thanks to the same kinds of freaks who call in fake bomb threats for laughs.
posted by rcade at 4:02 PM on October 11, 2001

Here's an article at Excite that has more detail about the FBI alert.
posted by y6y6y6 at 4:13 PM on October 11, 2001

does anyone actually read the threads before they post????

this is weird. they usually want to downplay public panic, not foment it.

skyfall: chicken little.
posted by rebeccablood at 4:17 PM on October 11, 2001

Perhaps the web guy forgot to read the TPS Report before posting the page:

TPS REPORT SKYFALL: "Be sure to change the press release file name from skyfall.htm (the Director's secret internal name that signals the Buraeu internally that the end of the world is near and to head for the hills) to 101001.htm so that know one outside the Bureau will suspect anything. We want to be sure and get a head start out of town."

WEB GUY TO HIMSELF: "Another damn press release? Jeez. Slave drivers. All this, just to extinguish my criminal hacking record. Screw those TPS reports, they never say anything important."

(FBI = Office Space?)
posted by nix at 4:22 PM on October 11, 2001

Dear FBI Snoop,

I once saw Optamystic boo at a John Wayne movie.

Just thought you'd want to know,

Coldchef, American
posted by ColdChef at 4:23 PM on October 11, 2001

--- The ham is in the slicer --- STOP --- Avocado is ripe --- STOP --- Proceed to the register and pay with quarters --- STOP.
posted by daragh at 4:28 PM on October 11, 2001

meet in the usual place. I'll be the man smoking two cigarettes.
posted by rebeccablood at 4:45 PM on October 11, 2001

The FBI must read Metafilter

Well, duh.
posted by rushmc at 4:49 PM on October 11, 2001

skyfall = chicken little = chicken soup = a common remedy for sickness = ANTHRAX

I think it's clear here folks.

your friendly neighborhood conspiracy theorist.
posted by starduck at 4:58 PM on October 11, 2001

Yeah...racial profiling...riiiiiight.

Go take a look at a line-up of the suicide pilot/bombers photographs and tell me what demographic they all have in common.

I guess we should just ignore that because it's not P.C. to notice that kind of thing.


no, what we should ignore is faulty logic that practices oversimplification - being politically correct has nothing to do with it.

the people who committed the acts of terrorism on sept. 11th are dead -- unless they're some kind of supermen (and then, well, we'd all be screwed). no-one really knows who will commit the next act of terrorism, although it's been threatened. Is it likely to be committed by those of arabic descent -- sure, it's probable, i give you that. Is it for sure? no. thus, for the FBI, uh, use your rather wording "look out for dem a-rabs" (sorry, i paraphrase) rather than "be on a state of heightened alert" is rather silly -- hell, the next attack could be committed by a group of alabama-born polyneisians for all we know. or, uh, a caucausian guy with a bunch of fertilizer.

that's why we call this "racism", or "racial profiling". when cops stop african-americans because statisically, the crime rate is high among african americans, it *is* an act of racism. no matter how likely it is that the next attack will be perpetuated by arabs or those of arabic descent, to suspect them as a group above all others is a racist pretext. hell, even if you want to get semantic about it -- discriminating based upon race, uh.. that's what you're proposing correct?

so i'm not saying you can't advise folks to "be on the lookout for suspicious arabs", just sack up a bit and admit you're promoting, well, racism. then make the argument that it is necessary for our country to launch race-based investigations to stop terrorism. hell -- maybe you're right.

this, to me, would be a more interesting argument then: "well, if i'm racist, then you're PC/oversensitive/bleeding heart liberal/etc/etc!"
posted by fishfucker at 5:04 PM on October 11, 2001

Carnivore is apparently doing it's job...
posted by fooljay at 5:10 PM on October 11, 2001

FishF***er...combining like entities is how we make sense of the world.

Gross oversimiplification: If it's round, filled with air, has brightly colored panels, and people on a beach are batting it backwards and forwards in the air, it's *probably* a beach ball (versus an elephant, blender, Ford Taurus or any one of the other billion-some identifiable objects in our world). I guess it *could* be something else, but it's probably a beach ball...based on out prior experiences with such situations.

Variation on the same theme: If there is a significant terrorist strike on the United States in the next few days, it will likely be committed by someone of Arab descent. Someone else *might* commit such an attack, but using recent experience as our guide, it'll probably be someone of Arab descent.

I'm not going to go on and on, you're clearly smart enough to see where I'm going with this. I don't think it's racism, it's just common sense.
posted by daragh at 6:33 PM on October 11, 2001

I guess no one has noticed that the press release is dated October 11, 2001 but saved on their servers as 101001 (Oct 10th, 2001). interesting.
posted by wantwit at 6:44 PM on October 11, 2001

nevermind. i can't read.
posted by wantwit at 6:52 PM on October 11, 2001

Fish,

when cops stop african-americans because statisically, the crime rate is high among african americans

I've always had a problem with this line of reasoning. It would be unfair if african americans were pulled over at a rate higher than their representation among the criminal population, but to insist that they get pulled over at the rate of the general population is to throw away useful information.
posted by prodigal at 7:47 PM on October 11, 2001

All criminals used to drink milk as children, so watch out for former and current milk drinkers! Those "Got Milk?" posters must be some secret call to arms!

That makes about as much "common sense".
posted by clevershark at 7:52 PM on October 11, 2001

Those "Got Milk?" posters must be some secret call to arms!

Damnit ... you go away to do some work for a few minutes and someone makes your point for you ;)
posted by walrus at 7:01 AM on October 12, 2001

clevershark, not to argue for the other guys, but there's no demonstrated statistical correlation between milk-drinking and crime. So...no...it doesn't make as much "common sense" at all. I don't advocate racial profiling (slippery slope and all that), but your counter-argument completely fails.
posted by jeb at 3:09 PM on October 12, 2001