Boston dirty bomb threat/warning
 

Does anyone have any confirmed information on this? I've caught a few bits and pieces here and there but everything seems really quickly thrown together. I certainly dont want to create any sort of panic... but i'm curious.
Some information:

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news...55/detail.html

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRe...rticleid=64303

I haven't heard anything about it. I'm going to just assume it's one of the calls they get every day that end up to be false. Let's hope this isn't true since Boston is one of my fav towns.. but who knows..maybe the people taking the stuff are just angry yankee fans?

Well, it appears that we have reason to be doubtful and anxious. I certainly hope it is just a pissed off guy trying to get back at the guys who ripped him off. The real thing would be a real problem.

Hasn't a so called "dirty bomb" been shown to be an ineffective method of deploying radioactive materials?

But be sure to be afraid anyway, and stock up on that duct tape and plastic sheeting. :rolleyes:

I'm watching them report this on ABC news right now. They say the threat is in "great doubt" and was an anonymous phone call to 911 making the threat. However, they are just going through the standard investigation procedures.

It's probably a home-made dirty bomb.

Put a handgrenade into a sack full of dirty diapers and run like hell.

Should spread terror and panic all over town.


Mr Mephisto

The mayor of Boston made a statement today around 6 that He could not confirm that the type of threat it was. But he said that the call was made by someone would said that the terrorist attack could occur in either Boston or New York and that officials should be on the look out for a 4 Chinese nationalists.

Just my two cents, and I KNOW I'm going to get jumped all over after I say this, but I feel like it. And that's why freedom of speech is fun!

If I were a terrorist, and I was going to think past a vague "America is evil" point of view (which at least some of them must, let's not be naiive here), I'd wonder WHY it was acting the way it was. And, ya know, right now Boston just isn't at the steering wheel, if you know what I mean. Sure, it's a haven of culture and forward thinking....but since when has THAT been on the American agenda in the first place? If they wanted to help themselves, they'd start with some assasinations. Or maybe bomb the crappy little towns full of flag waving drones that cheer on blindly as we do the same to them.

No, I don't hate America. But I'm REALLY sick with how some people are approaching it.

Yes, I'm endlessly bitter, we can leave it at that. But....dammit! Boston is nice, go after Bush if you're looking to make a statment.

P.S. I in no way endorse any kind of violent action against our own country, and I have serious doubts about half the violent actions we're taking against everyone else. So please don't arrest me, FBI/secret service. I'm not the enemy here! (I know you have trouble finding one, but don't take it out on me)

And to everyone else, I really didn't mean to start a flame war, I just had a bad day and these things upset me. Sorry? Carry on....I hope the threat to Boston isn't serious. I don't know where I'll be this summer, and it could very well be there, or NY, or LA, or any number of places I'd really prefer stayed safe. On the bright side, I'm optimistic about it?

No, no. The election is over, so there's no need for fear anymore. Our Administration is doing a great job of keeping Amurrica safe. Just go back to watching sitcoms and shopping at Wal-Mart.

OK...clearly you didn't get the memo? :rolleyes:
It's reality TV, now. Wal-Mart and reality TV. The Biggest Loser, and The Bachelorette, give Americans ever so much more to discuss than...oh, I dunno...things that actually matter?

I thought that bin Laden said that the blue states were safe, didn't he?

On a more serious note, doesn't Boston seem like an awfully long trip from the Mexican border? I would think that there would be plenty of good target opportunities closer than that.

Specualtive questions re tactics and motive;

Someone phones in with 4 names and news that they have 'some material'.
Who would have those names and why would they snitch?
A: Someone who has nationalist ties, possibly sleeper agent or close family. Even crime ties. Has been in USA long enough to know that they don't really want to see anything bad happen but still like the pay from foreign govt.
Or, with scenario that it's Taiwanese plot to create tension with China, Taiwanese agent 'snitches' the people meant to pose as Chinese nationalists. The Taiwanese have the most to gain by 'outing' chinese nationalist agents.

Why did the FBI post an alert for these guys?
A: The snitch gives names and they set off preset alarms at HQ. The FBI already have these people listed on their red lists.

Why now?
A: All eyes are on Washington. That's where shit WOULD happen in the movies, but it makes it easier to infiltrate Boston or other major cities. Boston has a LOT of construction sites with the big dig, congested in rush hour. Easy to hide a device.
Or, It diverts important resources to a larger metropolitan area and also limited response units making any attack on Washington a lot more effective and a little easier. Divide and conquor.

Why Boston?
A: Near enough to Washington to let authorities divert resources from inauguration and big enough to keep them busy.
It's also the symbolic home of the revolution, where Colonials first voiced their disilliusionment of the English Governtmet with rebellious actions. It would be ironic if it was incited by Taiwanese to freeze US/Chinese relations in an effort to gain their own independence.
Boston is also a major hub and any disruption to public services and the airport would be have huge knock on effects in the rest of the US. The 9-11 attacks had an enormous effect on American airlines business and Boston is one of Delta's hubs. Any attack on them would be another of america's arlines suffering.
There's also a lot of tech industry and research happening there. Ivy league Universities are a juicy target to disrupt too, going to the heart of the US's leadership and business heritage.


Just some thoughts.

Hopefully, when this is all over, the only dirty thing in Boston will be the Charles.

My knowledge on the “Dirty Bomb” may be vague, so feel free to correct me here. But it’s basically just disperse radioactive maternal in a fine power form across a 15 – 20 block area. The actual explosion isn’t all the big. About the size of a couple of sticks of TNT. The threat is from the radioactive maternal that spread out and contaminates an area in the said radius. And causing cancer in the people caught in its wake.

OK, now terrorist who want to kill, wants to do it now. Wants people to die right now. Not in a couple years from cancer (if they get cancer at all). So it seems to me that the threat of such a thing would be far worse then the actual bomb itself.

Or is that just too cold hearted assessment on the situation ?

That is correct.. Its also more phycological though.. A single blast is one thing, but the never ending damage a huge dirty bomb could pose is much worse... Also, its easier to get the material for a dirty bomb then a bonifide nuclear device so the threat is... more real

There is one thing that makes me suspect this is not a real threat. Why would they tell the guy they hired to smuggle them across the border their plans? I believe that most of the 9/11 hijackers didn't even know what they were doing until they were in the air.

You mean Chinese Islamic Fundementalists don't you? :hmm: Sorry couldn't resist. Going back to tilted politics now.

People, people. Did you not read the article I linked above or even the tidbit I quoted? Sheesh. The explosives from a RDD present much more of a threat than any radioactive material.

Just found out some of the suspects are Chinese Nationals, that sucks. Chinese have the largest or second (to India) largest population in the whole world. Imagine finding them, just like looking for needles in the haystacks. Not to mention that I'm Chinese, too. I'd probably be searched every time I need to take an internatinal trip.

Looks like it might be a hoax. According to boston.com it looks like a drug deal may have gone bad sparking the tip.

I really hope it isn't true since I work in Boston.

don't you dare forget about The Swan. The epitome of America's forward progress and elevated values, right there.