According to ABC news make of that what you will. Police in Midland and Dallas arrested some people buying a couple hundred of those prepaid cell phones.

Maybe they were going to call each other a lot and say "WHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPP"?

abcnews.go.com/WNT/Investigation/story?id=1499905

Yeah, this is not very good, at all.

Eric The(Concerned)Hun

I hate to say it but most of the private wireless phone dealers here in Houston are run by terrorist sympathizers at best


After reading the article I may be able to explain why they were buying all those track phones....
Tracfones is using Nokia 1100's for a Christmas promo..The phones are sold for $19.99 +tax.  These same phones on the open market go for $36 to $50 depending on quantity.  I know for a fact that several people of Middle Eastern decent in the Houston, Dallas, and Austin area are buying these things as fast as they can for resale.
What puzzles me is the strange behavior the “suspects” were showing

These are what they use to set off remote demolitions in Iraq.

Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.  

If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that.

Howard

could be for resale in areas which dont have a pre-pay vendor.


a friends family owns a convinent store in an area which doesnt have the certain carrier so they buy in houston to sell there. it could be legitimate or not.

Quoted: The phones are sold for $19.99 +tax.  These same phones on the open market go for $36 to $50 depending on quantity.

Yup.  My wife wanted me to buy a bunch for her family (before I explained that they won't work in Thailand).  I don't think terrorists need 100's of phones.

Quoted: These are what they use to set off remote demolitions in Iraq.

Yes, and how do we know these Texas phones are not going over there????????  WE DON'T!

I hope the authorities jump on this with both feet, just don't profile these poor people of this "Religion of Peace"i keep hearing about, bunch of P C bullshit !

Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard

Could be testing the waters to see just how close our government is paying attention. Looking for our weekness.

Quoted: I hate to say it but most of the private wireless phone dealers here in Houston are run by terrorist sympathizers at best

Gives new meaning to "cell" phone

Doesn't the Patriot Act help the .gov LE and National Security folks better track badguys who use these cellphones?  

I think you all forget what state we live in, and who in that state will give a round house kick to the head to these terrorists in due time...

Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard

Oh yeah - and they would NEVER go up to a flight instructor and say :
"ALL I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO FLY THE PLANE - I DON'T NEED TO LEARN TO LAND IT"

Get a grip dude - they are not brain surgeons.

Quoted: Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard Oh yeah - and they would NEVER go up to a flight instructor and say : "ALL I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO FLY THE PLANE - I DON'T NEED TO LEARN TO LAND IT" Get a grip dude - they are not brain surgeons.

You get a grip man.  you don't have to act like an ass and yell back at him.

-mark

Hate to say it guys, but another possibility could be to use IED's here in the US. And before I open a can of worms, they did fly into the towers and take them out, so don't think for a second that we are safe and secure here. We are far from it. We don't have the ability to cover all the borders at all times.
They fight dirty and don't follow the ROE that the US harps on so much. Anybody who has ever been there and done that knows that the only ones that seem to follow rules in war is us, the good ole' USA.  
I don't want to start a book. It's just a possibility.

Quoted: Hate to say it guys, but another possibility could be to use IED's here in the US. And before I open a can of worms, they did fly into the towers and take them out, so don't think for a second that we are safe and secure here. We are far from it. We don't have the ability to cover all the borders at all times. They fight dirty and don't follow the ROE that the US harps on so much. Anybody who has ever been there and done that knows that the only ones that seem to follow rules in war is us, the good ole' USA.   I don't want to start a book. It's just a possibility.

IED's on I45, sorry that's hard for me to grasp.

It would not have any effect except killing a few people here and there.  That's not what they're looking for.  Some people act like they're out to just kill people and have no strategy behind their actions.  This is completely not the case.  They targeted the WTC and govt. buildings in D.C. in a strategic attack on U.S. command and the U.S. economy.  If they're going to strike again (GFB) it's going to be a similar target/strategy.  You also have to remember Al-Qaida was not the same as the london attacks.  That was homegrown rejects without any help.  9/11 was a military style attack that took years to plan.  I guess it depends on who is carrying out the attacks, but to see IED's going off in america so far off, that it's hard for me to believe someone would see it as a realistic possibility.

You also have to look at other possibilities to the reason behind the purchase of these cell phones as someone stated above, before jumping on the burn them alive wagon that ar15.com is known for.

Most likely (and this is coming from someone who has had a lot of friends in the immigrant community in SW houston Asian/indo-pak) these people are desperate for rip-offs, and cheap ways to get technology.  They've mastered the DVD-pirating business in Asia and India, and the one's I knew were always fiends for pirated software and movies, simply because they don't want to pay the insane prices here compared to the $1 movies back home.  That goes for cell phones and the like.  Just a thought.

-mark

I  never said they were brain surgeons.  Since we are now apparently on the topic of the 9/11 terrorists, I will say that they obviously were pretty smart.  They were able to hijack several planes, bring all air traffic and our nations financial heart to a screeching halt.  While, of course, what they did was wrong, they were obviously not people with an IQ below 90.  THese guys executed a very intricate, well rehearsed plan, and they didn't arouse enough suspicion to get caught.  There for sure are more people who will try something bad like this again, and they will probably be even more careful than the previous bunch.  The people picked to do these kind of things are usually chosen because they are smart enough to not do stupid things like make a purchase of 100 trac phones so someone calls the cops.  

I have a feeling that these phones are being bought at low prices at a Wal Mart for resale at a flea market or some other venue.  

Howard

Quoted: Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard Oh yeah - and they would NEVER go up to a flight instructor and say : "ALL I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO FLY THE PLANE - I DON'T NEED TO LEARN TO LAND IT" Get a grip dude - they are not brain surgeons.

IED's on I45, sorry that's hard for me to grasp.

It would not have any effect except killing a few people here and there.  That's not what they're looking for.  Some people act like they're out to just kill people and have no strategy behind their actions.  This is completely not the case.  They targeted the WTC and govt. buildings in D.C. in a strategic attack on U.S. command and the U.S. economy.  If they're going to strike again (GFB) it's going to be a similar target/strategy.  You also have to remember Al-Qaida was not the same as the london attacks.  That was homegrown rejects without any help.  9/11 was a military style attack that took years to plan.  I guess it depends on who is carrying out the attacks, but to see IED's going off in america so far off, that it's hard for me to believe someone would see it as a realistic possibility.

You also have to look at other possibilities to the reason behind the purchase of these cell phones as someone stated above, before jumping on the burn them alive wagon that ar15.com is known for.

Most likely (and this is coming from someone who has had a lot of friends in the immigrant community in SW houston Asian/indo-pak) these people are desperate for rip-offs, and cheap ways to get technology.  They've mastered the DVD-pirating business in Asia and India, and the one's I knew were always fiends for pirated software and movies, simply because they don't want to pay the insane prices here compared to the $1 movies back home.  That goes for cell phones and the like.  Just a thought.

-mark


Mark, it was just one possibility, and in all honesty, I don't think that they would hit I45, just because it is an IED doesn't mean that they have to hit a freeway. They could put an IED anywhere. They phones are just used as a triggering device, they could hit any major building or structure. It was just one possibility of many. We didn't have to worry about IED in GW1. GW2 is a whole different ballgame. I know how crazy those fanatics are, and I don't put anything past them. You don't have to be smart or have a high I.Q. to set a package down and walk away. The other possibility is like you said, something as simple as trying to pirate something.
Just don't get complacent, everybody sooner or later can and will make a mistake. The attack on the WTC and the other government buildings just showed us how unsafe we really are or can be on our own turf.
Do you know if they played their cards right how many cells could have entered the US during the Katrina and Rita disasters. Just another possibility. May sound a little far fetched, but it could have happened with all the chaos that ensued afterward.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard Oh yeah - and they would NEVER go up to a flight instructor and say : "ALL I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO FLY THE PLANE - I DON'T NEED TO LEARN TO LAND IT" Get a grip dude - they are not brain surgeons. You get a grip man.  you don't have to act like an ass and yell back at him. -mark

Calm down studly  guy  - mark

No one was yelling- get that silly Internet-lingo BS out of your head.

Just making a point that it coud happen.

If you think that was mean and hateful- then you must only know sweet little girly men.

You and him going out ?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

(calm down brother) - no harm meant - like I said - just making a point  as he was also.

Quoted: IED's on I45, sorry that's hard for me to grasp. It would not have any effect except killing a few people here and there.  That's not what they're looking for.  Some people act like they're out to just kill people and have no strategy behind their actions.  This is completely not the case.  They targeted the WTC and govt. buildings in D.C. in a strategic attack on U.S. command and the U.S. economy.  If they're going to strike again (GFB) it's going to be a similar target/strategy.  You also have to remember Al-Qaida was not the same as the london attacks.  That was homegrown rejects without any help.  9/11 was a military style attack that took years to plan.  I guess it depends on who is carrying out the attacks, but to see IED's going off in america so far off, that it's hard for me to believe someone would see it as a realistic possibility. You also have to look at other possibilities to the reason behind the purchase of these cell phones as someone stated above, before jumping on the burn them alive wagon that ar15.com is known for. Most likely (and this is coming from someone who has had a lot of friends in the immigrant community in SW houston Asian/indo-pak) these people are desperate for rip-offs, and cheap ways to get technology.  They've mastered the DVD-pirating business in Asia and India, and the one's I knew were always fiends for pirated software and movies, simply because they don't want to pay the insane prices here compared to the $1 movies back home.  That goes for cell phones and the like.  Just a thought. -mark

Actually, a few IED's along any of our major highways would throw a severe panic into most people and cause a change in how and where people travel. Even if a highway wasn't the major target, a few in a couple of malls or Wally World's would certainly cause me to think before I went out for my next trip to the local shopping center.

The terrorists don't necessary need to run up a large body count to make a difference. That would be resource intensive. However, making most people scared to leave their homes would definately put a dent in our economy in a very short time. Think back to right after 9/11. The airlines flew a bunch of near vacant flights for a long time. There are still folks that won't ever fly again out of fear. Travel patterns remain changed even after all of the security measures were put into place.  Airlines are still running in the red because of these pattern changes.

It would be impossible to have airport levels of security and screening in every public place to keep the morons from planting devices as they see fit.  The same attacks that are pulled off almost daily over in Iraq could easily happen here.

Terrorism is simply PsyOps to the nth degree...one big mind f*ck with casualties tossed in for good measure, make the people afraid and there will be an impact.

Mr. Get-Sum-Recon-I-am-a-big-stud,

Actually we are not going out, but I am available if you would like to go out.  I promise not to tell my wife or yours.  I usually don't resort to elementary school, playground-style teasing tactics, but it appears that elementary school is the level of comprehension from which you operate.  Your writing style makes that quite evident.  Best to make it easy for you.  

Howard

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Do you really think that "terrorists" would make a bulk buy on these things and call attention to themselves?  I think not, especially when they could buy a few from several stores in close proximity in a large metro area, and not raise any suspicions at all.  And they would still have all their phones.   If there truly is some sort of cell, they are not going out and doing something stupid like that, these guys are masters of flying under the radar. Making some big purchase of an item that will draw attention to them is not their style.  These guys are much smarter than that. Howard Oh yeah - and they would NEVER go up to a flight instructor and say : "ALL I WANT TO LEARN IS HOW TO FLY THE PLANE - I DON'T NEED TO LEARN TO LAND IT" Get a grip dude - they are not brain surgeons. You get a grip man.  you don't have to act like an ass and yell back at him. -mark Calm down studly  guy  - mark No one was yelling- get that silly Internet-lingo BS out of your head. Just making a point that it coud happen. If you think that was mean and hateful- then you must only know sweet little girly men. You and him going out ? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA (calm down brother) - no harm meant - like I said - just making a point  as he was also.

UHSAMMY-

We will have to get together - you duche bag.

Take a joke - too many serious ass clowns here.

If I hurt your feelings - sorry - but oh well.

Can you hear me now?

Hellooooooooooo, drug dealers!!!

Drugs are way more profitable then terrorism.

I guarantee they are being used for the drug trade.

You have tunnels that have water above them. Do your cell phones work in tunnels? If so a couple of well placed IED's could cause some damage. There was just a big thing between the Terrorist Task Force in NY about this.

Do not be surprised if they don't think about hitting buses trains or Yes even Highways at strategic intersections. These guys do not only think of hitting things like the WTC or Pentagon. If the word was given, or one crazy leader of a cell thought killing people on a bus is a way to cause terror. They would do it.
Sooner or later that is going to be going on around the States.