Terrorist talked about arson as weapon in U.S.
From the National Terror Alert Response Center:
California Fire Battalion Chief - Whoever Did This Knew What They Were Doing , October 22, 2007
Fire officials are now stating that the Orange County Santiago fire was purposely set and there is speculation that other fires may have also been deliberate. See Interactive Map
Fire officials found three separate “points of origin,” all near the intersection of Silverado Canyon Road and Santiago Canyon Road. Two were on one side of the road, and the third was on the other. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing,” said Kris Concepcion, a fire authority battalion chief. Also, the fire traveled 3 miles in its first 20 minutes when it was ignited about 6 p.m. Sunday, he said.
We are NOT implying that the California fires are an act of terrorism however; the threat of pyro-terrorist attacks pose a significant risk to the U.S. and the fires in California and in Greece earlier this year should be a wake-up call.
In 2003 an FBI memo alerted law enforcement agencies that an al-Qaeda terrorist being held in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
It was reported that the detainee, who was not identified, said the plan involved three or four people setting wildfires using timed devices in Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming that would detonate in forests and grasslands after the operatives had left the country.
“The detainee believed that significant damage to the U.S. economy would result and once it was realized that the fires were terrorist acts, U.S. citizens would put pressure on the U.S. government to change its policies,” the memo said.
How Can So Many Fires Be By Natural Causes ?
A Local News Radio talk show host in San Diego asked, “how can so many fires, in so many places, in such a short period of time, all be caused by natural causes”.
From USA Today in July of 2003
al-Qaeda Detainee Spoke of Fire Plot
The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies last month that an al-Qaeda terrorist now in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
Rose Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, told The Associated Press that officials there took note of the warning but didn’t see a need to act further on it.
The contents of the June 25 memo from the FBI’s Denver office were reported Friday by The Arizona Republic. Davis declined to share a copy of the memo and an FBI spokeswoman in Denver didn’t immediately return a telephone call.
As we have stated before. If you see anything suspicious, report it to law enforcement immediately.
UPDATE: Video - Officials say arson now suspected in Orange County Fire
UPDATE: From Los Angeles Fox News
“I’m sad to report this is an arson fire,” OCFA Chief Chip Prather announced at an early morning briefing. “There were three separate starts: two on one side of the road and one on the other, and obviously we are actively investigating that.”
Links - A number of blogs and websites have sprung up to report on the fires. We will provide links to a couple we’ve found.
National Interagency Fire Center
Debbie, thanks for posting my trackback with an alternative opinion. No one that I know shares the terrorism opinion. It seems to be a confluence of natural events, possibly with some arson contribution. But as I posted earlier, if proven wrong, I will retract...I won't expect others like "Spin and Marty" to do the same.
Posted by: Stormwarning | October 24, 2007 at 06:03 AM
Hi Debbie,
I tend to agree with Chris, and from what is said there that these people were not just your ordinary crazies but that this was done by people who knew what they were doing. And Quote from this line: The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies last month that an al-Qaeda terrorist now in detention had talked of masterminding a plot to set a series of devastating forest fires around the western United States.
I have to ask those who just excuse this as a few crazies as not paying any attention to what is happening around them and suggest to these people it's time to pull your proverbial head out of your rear end.
Posted by: Wild Phil | October 24, 2007 at 04:13 AM
Give me a break. We have fires everytime these winds blow and we have enough native crazies to set some of them.
You like to criticise the MSM for irresponsible journalism. Perhaps you should look in the mirror.
Posted by: gregdn | October 23, 2007 at 06:49 PM
I wouldn't be surprised... Terrorists are evil. They're not all dumb as the guy who charged the AFB by himself. They will do whatever they can to hurt people because that is what they do.
Posted by: Chris | October 23, 2007 at 12:02 PM
If proven wrong I will retract, but given the natural occurence of fires in Southern California at this time of the year, I don't see anything to indicate terrorism...Coincidental connectivity of multiple fires, maybe.
Posted by: Stormwarning | October 23, 2007 at 11:49 AM