Feds investigating possible nuke threat to Boston

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2005-01-20 03:50am

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegio ... leid=64303

Boston terror threat probed
By Tom Farmer and Michele McPhee
Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Authorities are scouring Boston for four Chinese nationals and two Iraqi men who may pose a nuclear threat to the city based on a report from an unidentified man calling from Mexico who claims to have smuggled them over the U.S. border.

``They got a call from across the border in Mexico to the California Highway Patrol several days ago, and he said he brought two Iraqis and four Chinese (individuals) across the border and according to him, they stated soon to follow behind them would be some sort of (nuclear) material,'' said a law enforcement source.

``He refers to some sort of nuclear material that will follow them through New York up into Boston.''

The threat was serious enough that Mayor Thomas M. Menino hunkered down with Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole and Fire Commissioner Paul Christian and the city's Homeland Security chief in his office at City Hall. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency also activated its bunker in Framingham with a downscaled staff.

According to the source, the caller has not identified himself and did not show up for a meeting with federal investigators in California, but he did leave pictures and the names of two Chinese men and two Chinese women - reportedly chemists - at a ``drop'' site at the Mexico-California border. The information also makes reference to something happening ``within four days,'' said another law enforcement source.

Federal authorities in Boston identified the Chinese nationals being sought for questioning as Zengrong Lin, Wen Quin Zheng, Xiujin Chen and Guozhi Lin. Sources said investigators have no information on the two Iraqis - including their gender

Menino last night downplayed the threat, urging residents to partake in their normal activities. ``Public safety is our first priority,'' Menino said, while stressing the report fielded by the Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force came from a ``single anonymous source'' and has not been confirmed.

Gov. Mitt Romney [related, bio], in Washington, D.C., for President Bush's inauguration, planned to fly back to Massachusetts last night. ``We have had threats in the past. We take them seriously, even when they're not corroborated,'' he said.

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card told the Herald last night that President Bush [related, bio] was informed of the uncorroborated Boston threat at his daily intelligence briefing yesterday morning.

``I'm shocked it made it into the newspaper because I don't think it is something that has been fully vetted,'' Card said. ``It was during the intelligence briefing . . . the president was given this sketchy intelligence. It was truly sketchy intelligence, but . . . anytime you hear the words that surround this kind of intelligence, it invites greater scrutiny.''

Attorney General Tom Reilly also downplayed the seriousness of the tip last night. ``We don't even know if these individuals are in the country,'' Reilly said, adding ``it's information that needs to be followed up.''

Sources said much of the man's information sounds far-fetched and investigators have some doubts about the caller's validity because he has not identified himself. ``A lot of it doesn't make sense and some of it does,'' said one source. ``It's totally uncorroborated. This all began several days ago as a series of phone calls and they don't know who the caller is. There are some parts of it that just don't make sense and other little pieces of it that fall into place.''

Another source said investigators have located an area along the U.S. border that matches the man's description of where he smuggled the six people across. ``They have corroborated the spot where he claims to have taken them over,'' said the source.

Multiple sources said there is speculation the caller may have been ripped off by the illegal aliens and is now trying to exact revenge.

``It's very weird. Even if (the Iraqis and Chinese) were going to do something, why would they be blabbing to the yahoo smuggling them across the border?'' one source noted. ``You have to wonder if they screwed him on a deal but you have to treat it seriously and the issue is how do you put it out to the public and not get everybody (in a panic)?''

dragon · Post by **dragon** » 2005-01-20 03:55am

First who want to blow up boston there are plenty of better targets. Secondly like they would blab to the press before hand.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2005-01-20 04:28am

Don't lots of gay slive in boston, or is that Providence? No one likes them, so they might want to bomb it.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-01-20 04:38am

FEAR! FEAR! FEAR!

Be afraid!

And vote Republican!

FEAR!

*this message brought to you by Fox News*

wautd · Post by **wautd** » 2005-01-20 04:40am

Praise the lord for the nuclear missile shield

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-01-20 05:58am

Boyish-Tigerlilly wrote:Don't lots of gay slive in boston, or is that Providence? No one likes them, so they might want to bomb it.

No, you're thinking Provincetown, on the tip of Cape Cod. no breeders allowed.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-01-20 07:07am

With the caveat that, being a single source, anonymous, unsubstantiated thing, I have serious doubts as to its legitimacy....

dragon wrote:First who want to blow up boston there are plenty of better targets.

Perhaps the "better targets" are better watched and/or better guarded than Boston, making Boston a somewhat easier target.

Secondly like they would blab to the press before hand.

"They", meaning the the potential terrorists, are not the ones blabbing to the press. Their coyote* is the one blabbing. And, as pointed out, he may have been screwed on some sort of arrangement.

Never underestimate the stupidity of people - even supposedly trained, smart people.

There was terrorist caught in 1999 crossing the Canada-US border with a car loaded with explosives and, apparently, plans to blow up the Seattle Space Needle. I'd view Seattle as about the same sort of target as Boston.

And finally, if you had told me on September 10, 2001 that a bunch of goons could use common boxcutters to set in motion a string of events that would result in close to 3000 dead, 16 acres of Manhattan leveled, and a side of the Pentagon stove in I would have laughed in your face. It's not so funny now. So yes, we do need to take the unlikely seriously. Not as seriously as some in this adiminstration do, I detest the fear-mongering, but any street cop will tell you that even weird and unlikely shit phoned into 911 still has to be looked into.

* For those abroad who don't know - "coyote" is the term not only for a wild canid but also the term for someone who smuggles illegal aliens across the Mexico-US border

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-01-20 07:19am

security in beantown is shit. The Ted Williams and Callahan tunnels are wide open for any lunatic to enter. Plus there are a lot of priceless historical sites that pre date the Revolution. I sure as hell hope this is nothing.

Medic · Post by **Medic** » 2005-01-20 08:42am

It may be the years of Art Bell afflicting my rationale thougt process but I don't write these off at face value.

Not saying that this is bona-fide but to say that islamic terrorists aren't trying to acquire WMD is folly. And WTF is with the alleged Chinese in the story? Still, until anything more concrete comes about I doubt it.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2005-01-20 09:07am

My unsubstantiated bullshit alarm is ringing a 9.7 for that.

They didnt give a single actual source for anything relating to the actual story. To paraphrase one of my lecturers (an old Reuters guy) "no one should ever have to ask you where you got your story, and if they do, you shouldnt run with it."

Sources said, sources said, sources revealed, sources, sources, sources...

That's bad journalism right there.

McC · Post by **McC** » 2005-01-20 12:32pm

Bullshit alarms or not...my mom called me last night to tell me about this, and I shrugged it off thinking, "Well, even if a plane or something crashes into the Pru, that's far enough from me that I won't be in any direct danger." Now they're saying the threat is nuclear? That's a bit more...not good.

And Boston is an enormous college city. Blowing up Boston will wipe out a big chunk of students and, much as I hate to say it, is a perfect "terror" target.

I seriously hope you're all correct and nothing comes from this.

McC · Post by **McC** » 2005-01-20 12:43pm

WHDH's article

A little less alarming.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-20 01:15pm

Broomstick wrote:<snip>

There was terrorist caught in 1999 crossing the Canada-US border with a car loaded with explosives and, apparently, plans to blow up the Seattle Space Needle. I'd view Seattle as about the same sort of target as Boston.

And finally, if you had told me on September 10, 2001 that a bunch of goons could use common boxcutters to set in motion a string of events that would result in close to 3000 dead, 16 acres of Manhattan leveled, and a side of the Pentagon stove in I would have laughed in your face. It's not so funny now. So yes, we do need to take the unlikely seriously. Not as seriously as some in this adiminstration do, I detest the fear-mongering, but any street cop will tell you that even weird and unlikely shit phoned into 911 still has to be looked into.

* For those abroad who don't know - "coyote" is the term not only for a wild canid but also the term for someone who smuggles illegal aliens across the Mexico-US border

Actually, I think it turned out that the guy caught at the U.S./Canada border was headed for L.A. to perform a terrorist act ... I think that Space Needle rumor was what came out at first but was later superceded.

(However, if a terrorist would like to take out the waterfront Viaduct for us, we need to get started on tearing that sucker down)

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2005-01-20 02:24pm

McC wrote:WHDH's article

A little less alarming.

No credible, specific terror threat has been identified.

McC · Post by **McC** » 2005-01-20 02:41pm

Like I said, a little less alarming.

Dude, it's my town. I'm still going to be a bit freaked that a report came in at all. I think it's natural and I'm entitled

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2005-01-20 02:47pm

McC wrote:Like I said, a little less alarming.

Dude, it's my town. I'm still going to be a bit freaked that a report came in at all. I think it's natural and I'm entitled

A little?

Try "not alarming at all", all there is here is some guy phoning up saying that he helped some terrorists across the border and they said nuclear...the guy was an anonymous caller, never showed according to the info...and other than his word for it there is no evidence.

Basically, this is about on par with a prank call.

Shep, nicely done finding the most fearmongering crap going.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-01-20 02:49pm

Sounds like a stunt to remind people, as if the inauguration wasn't enough, that Bush is still looking after all your arses in the destiny-from-the-stars driven War on Terrorism.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2005-01-20 02:52pm

I think it says alot that the world 'nuclear' out of some guys crossing the border mutates into 'dirty bomb' and then 'Nuclear weapon' as the story gets passed along. It makes games of Telephone look mundane.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-20 02:55pm

I'd be more worried about Bechtel setting off a nuke just to cover up the true depth of their incompetence and graft on the Big Dig.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-01-20 02:58pm

Chmee wrote:I'd be more worried about Bechtel setting off a nuke just to cover up the true depth of their incompetence and graft on the Big Dig.

that might be an improvement at this point. goddamn i cringe whenever i go underground...

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2005-01-20 04:46pm

Say it's not bs, and the city explodes.
Do we waste China?

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2005-01-20 04:50pm

SirNitram wrote:I think it says alot that the world 'nuclear' out of some guys crossing the border mutates into 'dirty bomb' and then 'Nuclear weapon' as the story gets passed along. It makes games of Telephone look mundane.

This is an excellent point. Go into a yahoo or AOL chatroom and ask how many people think a dirty bomb is a nuclear weapon. A good portion will think it is.

To a lot of people who are extremely ignorant on the subject dirty bomb and nuclear are the same thing.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-01-20 08:34pm

Strictly speaking a "dirty bomb", that is, conventional explosives mixed with a radioactive substance with the intention of spreading that radioactive substance about an area, is a radiological weapon. As I'm sure we all know, it does not involve a nuclear reaction. An atomic bomb or nuclear bomb is also a radiological weapon, which might be were some confusion is coming in. Also, a lot of people are just plain fucking idiots.

All you need is the proper sort of medical equipment, break into it, and you have a supply of radioactive stuff, perhaps already powdered. Then all you have to do is transport it without suffering mortal injury. Or at least not mortal injury prior to accomplishing your goals. In theory not that difficult, in practice not so easy because there are controls on the stuff, has been for years, because mishandled it's dangerous.

Sure, it's probably a prank call. They still have to check it out. Can you imagine the reaction if they don't check it out, it turns out to be legit, and that fact gets out?

Chinese? Well, there are Chinese Muslims. There are probably some amoral sons of bitches willing to kill for money over there, too - just like everywhere else.

"To assure the people of Boston and Massachusetts that it is safe to be at home, I am going to be sleeping in my bed in Massachusetts tonight and I feel perfectly safe doing so," said Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Actions speak louder than words - prank call or not, if him returning home will help call the now-jittery public it's a good move.

In addition to the smuggling of individuals, the tipster claimed the men were awaiting a shipment of "nuclear oxide" that would follow them from Mexico to Boston.

The implication, according to the law enforcement official, was that this alleged material would be used in some form of nuclear device, such as a "dirty bomb" that can spew radioactive material over a broad area. But the official said there is no such material as "nuclear oxide," giving officials yet another reason to question the veracity of the tip.

Well, let's see... this could be

1) a prank call

2) a prank call designed to instigate fear during Bush's inaugral

3) some lunatic who believes his own story, but is full of shit.

4) a legit call by a disgruntled coyote who doesn't have his facts straight, but is warning of a genuine threat.

5) this is a bogus call meant to distract and divert resources from the real threat.

Eh... they still have to check it out. Yes, most likely it's totally bogus, just like most of what they get, but the consequences of being wrong are too steep. They have to be CERTAIN.

Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth Kaiser, special agent in charge of the Boston FBI office, identified the suspects as Zengrong Lin, Wen Quin Zheng, Xiujin Chen, Guozhi Lin.

Authorities said none of the names had appeared on previous watch lists of terror suspects, and their whereabouts aren't immediately known.

But interesting they have pictures and names, ay?

The official stressed the tip is one of many from across the country that routinely are forwarded to local task forces for further investigation. No credible, specific terror threat has been identified.

I think this is the crux of the matter - they FBI, Homeland Security, and every other concerned agency probably get LOTS of bogus, bullshit "tips" every day... it's just that this one leaked to the media.