Found: The men on the Washington ferries
Remember the FBI alert last summer over these two men? They caused quite a stir in the Pacific Northwest after ferry officials observed the men engaged in unusual behavior aboard Washington ferries. Ignoring the very real threat of ferry-based terrorism, the Seattle P-I refused to run the FBI photos in a politically correct pique and instead made light of the matter by holding an idiotic haiku contest about the alert:
Well, after nearly a year, two men came forward and the FBI has cleared them:
The FBI has called off a global manhunt for two men who looked Middle Eastern and were spotted snapping pictures and demonstrating “suspicious behavior” on a Washington ferry last summer.
The men appeared at a U.S. Embassy two weeks ago and identified themselves as European business consultants who were on a trip to Seattle, FBI officials said Monday.
Special Agent in Charge Laura Laughlin said the men took a couple of days off in the middle of the July visit and decided to ride a car ferry. They took photos to show relatives back home, she said.
FBI agents have seen the photos and found them to be innocuous, as were the pair’s business activities, Laughlin said.
The consultants came forward to clear their names, stating that they feared getting arrested if they returned to the United States. They gave U.S. Embassy officials documentation of their identities, jobs and the reason for their trip to the U.S. last summer.
The men, described as residents of a European Union country, were not identified.
Strange that it took so long. Strange that their country of residence was not identified. But in the end, the FBI made the right call. If “better safe than sorry” is the standard for global warming alarmists, it’s the proper standard for homeland security.
Anticipating a backlash and wishing to avoid “misrepresenting these people in any way,” Laughlin said it was a difficult call.
“We reached a point in the investigation where we were stymied, could get no further,” she said.
“This was the last resort — to try and identify these individuals and have them explain their apparently suspicious behavior.
“Our opinion now is that it worked,” she said. ” Excellent outcome. What happened is exactly what we had hoped would happen — that either the men in question would identify themselves, which occurred, or someone would recognize them.”
For once, the jihadi apologists at CAIR are refraining from criticizing the FBI. As usual, they’re attacking the rest of us for doing the job that the likes of the Seattle P-I refused to do–taking homeland security seriously:
Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington, D.C.-based civil rights and advocacy group, had no criticism of the FBI’s handling of the incident.
“The authorities handled this situation quite well,” he said Monday. “I have no indication that the authorities went beyond what they are allowed to do. Reports were brought to them and they checked them out the best they could.”
But Hooper wasn’t happy with some other responses: “Anti-Muslim Internet hate sites; the bloggers; the ones that routinely say ’round up the usual Muslim suspects’; the extremist commentators that would be willing give up the rights of others to create a false sense of security for themselves.
“Media outlets that chose not to pander to this type of hysteria made the right choice and indeed protected the reputation of people who were doing nothing more than sightseeing,” Hooper said.
“At the time, there was a hue and cry that it was justified to single these people out merely based on their appearance and the perception that they may have been Middle Eastern or Muslim, and that perception was used to justify profiling them for security concerns,” he added.
“Once there is a perception that the individual is Muslim or Middle Eastern, every subsequent act becomes suspicious in the eyes of the onlooker.”
The FBI, in a statement issued Monday, thanked “the many media organizations worldwide that published the photographs and ultimately played a prominent role in resolving this matter, allowing the investigative resources of the multiple law enforcement agencies to be redirected to other important matters.”
UPDATE (See-Dubya): Meanwhile, what happens when an infidel dares to take a photograph of a mosque in Brooklyn? Very alarming things.
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Really, was that meant to sound so.. well…silly?
Sausage. You are an expert on sounding silly. You tell us.
Exactly.
And thanks for the follow up.
Better be careful - Michelle:
It is my understanding that the word JIHAD is now politically incorrect - at least in Europe.
True or not?
It may not have been intended to sound silly, snausage, but a little levity never blew up Tinkerbell…..
Flying planes into buildings sounds…well…silly.
Hey Hooper, this is a country of “free speech”. We’ll blog what we want, as far as feelings go. Don’t like it? Well, live with it or improve your image. Your problem is that you want the world to cooperate with you. The world is bigger than you. Deal with it!
You don’t even need to go that far. It’s verboten at the US Dept. of State.
This won’t shut up any Jihad apologists from the left. No matter the fact the FBI vetted them. It’s all that needs be done, shine a light on them.
What? You mean all the hyperbole was just that….hyperbole? Geez!
Keep an eye on ‘em anyway.
Anyone else, less than satisfied with the answers? As we know, EU countries have large populations of jihadis (ask the “youths” in Paris) and were they taking pictures to show to relatives - or casing the ferry system for their “relatives”? Remember all the dead when that ferry in staten island caught on fire a few years back? And that was just an accident, what kind of damage could a planned attack do?
The FBI determined they were just Some People from A European Country who like riding on ferries. I feel much better now.
All through the ’90’s terrorist attacks against America must have sounded silly, too….to people that never read the news….
On Sep. 10th, 2001 flying planes into buildings did sound silly…to politicians that didn’t read intelligence reports….
# 8 response to # 4
Our own State Department:
Why am I not surprised?!
Thank you for the info– thebronze.
Well said David, when evil people plan evil things, they like to be shadowed and sneaky. Shine a light on ‘em and they scurry like the cockroaches they are.
In regards to this story…better safe than sorry, I would say.
A voice from the past.
Warning-Fred sang -”Win This War” before PC.
http://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2008/05/fred-mertz-takes-shit-from-no-one.html
I am guessing either doctors or engineers? Is it true that only the Shadow knows?
Nothing to see here
Go about your business
Religion of Peace
Enter the ACLU’s slithering lawyers,…..5,4,3,2…….
PS: Major kudo’s to the Bureau…well done..please remain vigilant for all of us.
Funny how (after numerous attacks and thousands of deaths, not to mention plenty of manipulation and fake hate crimes promoted by CAIR) that might happen.
Don’t like it, Hooper? You earned it, baby.
in a year you can put together a pretty good snapshot gallery and cover your behind…. I trust all of em as far as I can throw em…
So lets use Hirabah, it’s more accurate, anyhow.
You mean Crosshairs don’t you ??
I still want to know from which ‘European’ country they hail. I want to know if they have ‘citizenship’ of that country & they are native or naturalized. I want to know their professions beyond ‘consultants’. If I went to another country for fun-n-photos, I would have no problem submitting any of the same information to those who asked.
# 24 LarryD
Jihad - no
HIRABAH - YES!
Jefferson and Madison did something about “piracy” - they weren’t PC.
…to the shores of Tripoli…
My only concern is why someone didn’t stop them at the airport - they look enough like terroists to me.
Awe.. See they were there just sight seeing… silly FBI profilers…
Just another thought on the serious side, Yes, 1)why soooo long… 2)Couldn’t whomever they were doing the…uh “BUSINESS” with have come forward a bit sooner. Surely these pictures had to be seen by those business “associates”
Have these “businessmen” been harmed in any way?
I mean every single white man in America is profiled vis a vis “affirmative action”. White men/and women are disqualified in favor of “others”. But that’s okay, because it’s for a liberal cause.
Have these “businessmen” been harmed in any way?
I mean every single white man in America is profiled vis a vis “affirmative action”. White men/and women are disqualified in favor of “others”. But that’s okay, because it’s for a liberal cause.
I think you’re absolutely right, Ibrahim. They look like a couple of nice Irish boys on their way to choir practice. Yeah, right.
I still would like the same answers as #26.
#1 sausage asks:
Go Google “ferry bombing” and answer your own question.
Now, why would a good American boy like Ibrahim want to go infringing upon my First Amendment right to say, “round up the usual Muslim suspects?”
This reminds me of the only time I have been personally involved in an FBI terrorist tip situation. It was back in 1999-2000, and it came back to me through a news reporter that it was deemed “not significant” by the FBI.
My employer was the tipster, and I was the witness, BTW.
I have a fishy feeling about this.
Why is it perfectly okay for Jesus Obama his wife, and his “spiritual mentor” to profile ALL of AMERICA, but not okay to be careful about the “religion of peace”?
Anyone? Beuhler?
#36 said:
Clarification please. Are you referring to Wright’s profiling white Americans as the “USKKK of America,” or his profiling of Italian Americans as “Garlic Noses?”
Or perhaps you were referring to Michelle Obama’s profiling of white Americans as “mean?”
Or perhaps you were referring to Barack’s profiling of white Americans in Pennsylvania as “bitter” for all the wrong reasons?
That’s a lousy standard for “global warming alarmists.” It’s not much better for homeland security. We end up with the current situation of frisking old people in wheelchairs at airports. Better safe than sorry.
In response to BrianNY.
yes.
BryanNY - you forgot we’re all “typical white folks”
#39 said:
Well then, I’m glad I asked.
Because I thought you were referring to Reverend Wright’s profiling of “rich, white” Americans who invented AIDS to kill black people.
oops - sorry-BrianNY (and I did proof, sheesh)
Point taken, #40.
sausage said:
That is nothing, did you hear the one about the guy placing a bomb in his shoes?! Ridiculous.
Oh, nevermind.
Better safe than sorry.
You know, we can all laugh…but man oh man. Take a step back and see how piss poor Obama is at picking friends and being a good judge of character.
It’s breathtaking.
Brian, who is Rev Wright??
#46 said:
I apologize, that “reverend” title always throws people with morals and class.
Perhaps, “Racist Wright” rings a bell?
libocrat said:
My 3 year old refers to Wright as “Loud Man”.
LOL, out of the mouths of babes…
Oh!!! Jesus Obama’s father figure spiritual advisor that he could not possibly disown or throw under the bus. Who is getting a $1,600,000.00 home in a gated community in Tinley Park who drives a Porsche and takes Easter vacations in $400.00 per night suites in San Juan Puerto Rico? The guy who gives lifetime achievement awards to Calypso Louis Farrakhan?? And the guy who liberals defended as “talking truth to power” , yet now they want him to disappear so as not to derail Jesus Obama’s floundering stagnant stench ridden campaign in disarray?
That Reverened Wright??
He’s really groovey!
Trollman, my 7 year old says “Daddy if that man hates America, why does he stay here?”
I gave him an ice cream cone for being brighter than Jesus Obama.
Watch out for that 5mph Ferry taking 30 mins to reach the shore!! It has Arab looking men on it!!
Give. Me. A. Break.
Anything to keep people in fear…
Not to the rest of the world that had to put up with Terrorism….. we were used to the whole concept before America got (tragically) hit…
A-typical Malkin reader…
Sausage is bitter and clings to his liberalism. Typical.
libocrat said:
I wonder if Obama’s children ever came home from church one day asking daddy “What does sh*t and ‘GD’ mean?”
Sausage,
You’re absolutely right about that. My sarcasm was to highlight the fact that certain factions in this country were fat, dumb and happy….despite the fact that we were in fact attacked several times during that time period.
SHOWARD, I think Sausage thinks that our “CHICKENS….have come home…..TO ROOST”
I know I heard that somwhere….
#51 said:
Your point was foolish the first time, sausage. I’ll remind you again that a cursory Google search will remind the curious reader that killing captive infidels aboard ferries has been Muslim global initiative for years now.
update by see-dubya : at end of MM’s post.
If it doesn’t get your blood boiling-nothing will.
sausage said:
PS
ME thinketh the mosque security guards and the mosque itself needs a good lawsuit against them.
Brian, it’s not terrorism until the lib gets smoked. Then it’s your fault.
Sausage is harmless. He is unarmed.
WHY IS ALI KAREEM NOT IN JAIL FOR KIDNAP? WHY?????
BECAUSE HE’S A BLOODY MUSLIM AND THE GOVERNMENT IS TOO SCARED TO DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT ‘OFFEND’ THEM, THAT IS WHY.
ENOUGH!!!!
## 61 62 nyc123me:
Couldn’t have stated it better
Thanks! from #59
Yeah, libocrat, I have heard that very same thing myself….
I’m not 100% sure Snausage feels that way, but he sure doesn’t try to dissuade one from thinking he does…
So since when haven’t there been car-carrying ferries in Europe? Or are ours just better?
Why not go take pictures of that huge ferry that capsized a year or two ago (?)in Europe or was it Scandinavia?
Between this “simple” explanation and the length of time it took to come out, it smells real fishy to moi…
Thanks for the update see-dubya; can’t even walk into a mosque on US soil without being kidnapped and interrogated these days.
Taking photos in Brooklyn is a violation of Islamic space? Grabbed and held in the basement isn’t kidnapping?!!
Why hasn’t the FBI grabbed the people who yanked this man off the street?
Yeah sausage, terrorists would never be on a ferry boat in the Pacific Northwest.
AlohaGuy re;”Taking photos in Brooklyn is a violation of Islamic space? Grabbed and held in the basement isn’t kidnapping?!!
Why hasn’t the FBI grabbed the people who yanked this man off the street?”
Welcome to my nightmare… & Thanks for the update see-dubya… seems the Times missed this one.
Incredible. Please let us know if any Muslims wrists are slapped for kidnapping and false imprisonment.
This is truly amazing. Just wow. Of course The NY Times didn’t have space to run the story without bumping the Uma Thurman stalker piece.
I chase storms for amusement. Two years ago, I stopped at a mall to get a good video and went in to buy some video tapes. Upon my return I saw that three police cars were parked near my car and police officers surrounded my car.
A woman had seen me taping and thought I was a terrorist casing the mall for later bombing. The police thought it was funny after they checked my driver’s license and saw the clouds I was taping.That has happened twice before. People are jumpy.
(Pork) Sausage - I have a big pail of dirt and a shovel I’ll give you. Feel free to stick your head in it.
My daughter is in federal law enforcement and she gets reports every day on terrorist activities which our people have stopped. She said if we knew what she knew, we wouldn’t sleep at night. An FBI friend told me the same thing 4 years ago.
#74,
I keep writing BZO your weapon, square away your BDU’s and H-harness, make sure your boots are polished, get in the gym, and get a hair cut.
My stuff is ready to put on the moment the dogs go ape sh^%. All of us are targets according to AQ.
Now, let me hear your WAR CRY!
Does this mean that I should take pictures of the local mosque being built before it is occupied? I already know with a former bank vault at it’s center it will take an M-1 tank to neutralize it should they take refuge there.
I call BS. We won’t see these a$$holes again in the US.
It’s just a matter of time till it hits the fan.
I’m trying real hard to understand this. I took pictures on a ferry after 9-11, of New York City no less. While there’s no doubt the left goes too far in ignoring the threat of terrorism, we do ourselves no service if we don’t acknowledge that it’s possible to go too far the other way. As we continue to freak out any time someone with a slightly darker complexion and dark hair and thick eyebrows does something suspicious we waste our resources and fail to address the real threat. I have a stock tip though. Invest in sun-screen, hair-dye, and eyebrow grooming companies. As regular people are forced to change their appearance to avoid suspicion, sales ought to go through the roof.
Better SAfe than sorry
Larry D, you win a 3 star award for word of the day in post #24
As usual, the these are good boys Muslim explanation does not pass the smell test. For instance how does the FBI know they have seen all the ferry pictures taken by these two hirabis and did they take pictures of a nuclear submarine/base on the same day ground excursion. I don’t know and neither does the FBI but they and the hirabah are reach across buddies at promotional booth conventions.
Thanks for the follow Michelle, now only if the police and figure out the noose at Columbia University…
GSP
The Irony is, of course, those who think it’s silly, are the very first ones to point their gnarly finger of blame when something goes wrong.
I think that a large group of freedom loving Americans should gather in front of 1226 Bedford Street, armed to the teeth with photographic equipment.
Or, better yet, perhaps this is a good opportunity for ABC or NBC to show their fair and balanced side, and stage a “sting” on that sharia factory to show just how racist and intolerant these run of the mill muslims are. No, wait, that wouldn’t have to be staged, that would simply be investigative journalism.
water board them.
They do represent the EU, though. Soon, it will have sharia law.
But, I am glad they got that cleared up.
“…false sense of security…” Yes, that’s my fear.
Kidnapping, false imprisonment… possibly a hate crime… Where is the outrage in Brooklyn? Furthermore, where is the Brooklyn District Attorney?!