FBI urges police to watch for people carrying almanacs

[Nizzle]

Are you worried yet about the liberties we are losing to fight the spectre of terrorism? If not, maybe it is time to start. Now mere possession of an almanac or map qualifies you as a suspected terrorist in the eyes of law enforcement. (source).

It fascinates me that conservatives on one hand will speak about how we need a smaller and less intrusive government, but condone fascism on this scale.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning.

In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs "to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning."

It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways.

My favorite quote from this article is: "The FBI noted that use of almanacs or maps may be innocent, "the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities.""

Gee, you think? It just might be possible that someone would travel with a map for a purpose other than killing Christians? The mind boggles.

[Ustwo]

This infringes your liberty how? Now I know I'm just a conservative asshole (your words) but this harms you how?

Quit crying wolf.

[Nizzle]

Ah the beauty of the Ignore list.

I like this place so much more already.

[cheerios]

both of you, quit with the personal jabs. you may not have to listen to eachother, but I do!

As for the article... seems a bit extreme to label maps and almanacs as possible terrorist accessories... i mean, I bet they use pens and papers, too... wait, my classmates at school use pens and papers... shit, I'm surrounded by terrorists! *rolleyes* I'm all for caution, but let's be reasonable about it, hmm?

[mrbuck12000]

oh no.....i make maps....shit i'm hosed.....

also check this out:

http://www.theonion.com/3950/news1.html

[Ustwo]

Again, this is fascism how? The original poster is just trolling, sorry.

[2wolves]

Originally posted by Ustwo
Again, this is fascism how? The original poster is just trolling, sorry.

You don't recall the book burnings? Anytime factual knowledge is deemed unfit for the masses an authoritarian boot is coming down on everyone's face.

If you believe the thread originator to be trolling then state that from the start and you're job is done, nes pas?

2Wolves

[debaser]

The Bush White House, and by proxy the entire US government is infallible in the eyes of some extremists...

[Ustwo]

Originally posted by 2wolves
You don't recall the book burnings? Anytime factual knowledge is deemed unfit for the masses an authoritarian boot is coming down on everyone's face.

If you believe the thread originator to be trolling then state that from the start and you're job is done, nes pas?

2Wolves

How in gods name do we get to book burning from 'if you see suspicious people with almanacs, make sure they aren’t terrorists'. Give me a break, no one banned almanacs here. I really wish people would look at what is said instead of engaging in fantasies.

[Ustwo]

"For local law enforcement, it's just to help give them one more piece of information to raise their suspicions," said David Heyman, a terrorism expert for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It helps make sure one more bad guy doesn't get away from a traffic stop, maybe gives police a little bit more reason to follow up on this."

The FBI noted that use of almanacs or maps may be innocent, "the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities." But it warned that when combined with suspicious behavior -- such as apparent surveillance -- a person with an almanac "may point to possible terrorist planning."

Wow I can hear the goosestepping already. I mean whats next, the camps?

[lordjeebus]

If I were in the US now I'd borrow an almanac, walk around town with it, and see what happens. Could be interesting.

[LewisCouch]

It seems to me that we are all walking about with shoes on our feet. Were they not used as an actual weapon? My point is, just about anything could be used for nefarious purposes, and law enforcement personnel are trained to look for anything suspicious. I guess they just added almanacs to the list.

/sarcasm on
I know I always keep a Thomas guide in my car with all the water tower, power substations and fuel depot locations highlighted. Comes in handy when I want to kill infidels.
/scarcasm off

[omega2K4]

Oh no! School children have maps in the backs of their books, they could be plotting a devious attack on american soil.

Please, the FBI needs to get off their fat asses and do something productive.

FBI, if you can see this, I have a fork sitting next to me that could possibly be used to stab the president of the united states. My PS2 could be used to launch tactical nuclear warheads at you. I have gasoline in my car that could possibly be used to form some sort of explosive.

[Kabsnow]

i think just for $h1ts and giggles i'll grab an almanac and stand in front of the police station

[Ustwo]

Originally posted by omega2K4
I have gasoline in my car that could possibly be used to form some sort of explosive.

What would you say to an FBI agent who let 2 Arab men (racial profiling, oh my!) with a car filled with gasoline canisters who had a department of defense almanac (yes they have one) on the dashboard, who were asking directions to Joint Military Intelligence College, past a checkpoint?

Almanacs contain a lot of basic information about a lot of agencies in the US. It only makes sense that they would be useful to terrorists and would be something to look out for.

[Easytiger]

Trainspotters can be quite the threat, too.

[Ustwo]

I think the crux of the problem here is most of you don't understand whats in these almanac's.

We aren’t talking about the Farmers almanac or the baseball almanac but things like the department of defense almanac, or military affairs almanac, or even the computer industry almanac. All of which would be useful for terrorists and therefore should be noted on people who are acting suspicious.

Is this REALLY this hard to grasp?

[smooth]

Originally posted by Ustwo
I think the crux of the problem here is most of you don't understand whats in these almanac's.

We aren’t talking about the Farmers almanac or the baseball almanac but things like the department of defense almanac, or military affairs almanac, or even the computer industry almanac. All of which would be useful for terrorists and therefore should be noted on people who are acting suspicious.

Is this REALLY this hard to grasp?

No, Ustwo, we are all just being silly. Luckily, you can provide a voice of reason for us!

Or, more likely, we read the source:

the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends

Sounds pretty close to the Farmer's Almanac or Thomas guide to me...unless, of course, the DOD and military affiars almanacs are "popular" reference materials in your region.

[Endymon32]

Right and if you believe you will be arrested for carrying an almanac I have a bridge to sell you.

The FBI is creating a profile here, of things to watch out for. We all know the Profile of the serial killer. One of the popular things said about serial killers is that they are most likely to be white. So i guess this means the FBI will apprehend every white person. Or better yet, every white intellegent male person as most serial killers are white, intellegent males, correct? Is this your stance? I mean this is what the FBI says? Am I wrong? Anyone here see random serial killer sweeps? Anyone screaming that the FBI is wrong for making such blantant RACIST remarks?

The silence on the issue is deafening.

Just as the FBI created a general potrait of a serial killer as an aid , could the FBI just be creating a general profile of things to watch out for in a terrorist?


Man, overreact much?

[smooth]

Originally posted by Endymon32
We all know the Profile of the serial killer...every white intellegent male person as most serial killers are white, intellegent males, correct? Is this your stance? I mean this is what the FBI says? Am I wrong?

[2wolves]

This thread goes to the "If you're innocent you've nothing to hide" crap and is an interesting probable cause profile indicator. When the Federal Government sounds more like the Onion than the Onion it is time to be concerned.

Ustwo, having a statement like this come down from the mountain is chilling and stupid.

2Wolves

[Rekna]

There is nothing wrong with what the FBI said. They did not say it is illegial they just said watch out for that along with other suspicious behavior.

Just like it isn't illegial to wear a ski mask and it isn't illegial to walk a bank, but i bet you if you wear one while walking into a bank you will quickly have police on you.

[MSD]

Keep it polite or I'm locking the thread. This is the last warning I'm going to give.

[Ustwo]

Originally posted by smooth

Sounds pretty close to the Farmer's Almanac or Thomas guide to me...unless, of course, the DOD and military affiars almanacs are "popular" reference materials in your region.

Smooth you DO realize of course that the line about 'popular' reference books was added by the reporter not the FBI?

Don't let someone elses ignorance become your own.

[Endymon32]

Originally posted by Rekna
There is nothing wrong with what the FBI said. They did not say it is illegial they just said watch out for that along with other suspicious behavior.

Just like it isn't illegial to wear a ski mask and it isn't illegial to walk a bank, but i bet you if you wear one while walking into a bank you will quickly have police on you.

Some people need conspiracies to validate their opionions. You expained this better than i did in my long winded post above. Bravo.