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Chicagoist Listed as Possible Al-Qaida Target

By Andrew Peerless in News on Aug 12, 2005 1:16PM

We've all had jittery, nervous moments of vulnerability in the few years since terrorism entered our lives. And though - as our red line train passes beneath the river or we ride the elevetor to the highest floors of our office buildings - we've no doubt counted the ways they could get us, Chicago has rarely (if ever) been mentioned with New York or L.A. as a specific terrorist target.

2005_8_fueltruck.jpgAll that changed on Tuesday, as we joined those cities in the list of three potential targets for a possible round of al-Qaida attacks using fuel trucks as weapons. The warning originated from FBI offices in Washington and was distributed through California, where it seems to be focused.

These types of warning frustrate Chicagoist for a couple reasons:

a) This particular threat is based on uncorroborated intelligence, and was distributed with no indication of its reliability (we're guessing we'd be hearing a LOT more about it if the threat were considered reasonably reliable). FBI spokespeeps confirm that they keep local law enforcement up to speed on all threats, regardless of reliability.

b) This threat is considered "too general" for the CPD to take specific action. Now, we ain't knockin' our hometown cops... we're just begging the logical question: "Okay, so what now?"

Indeed, what now? Chicagoist are generally creatures of habit, and generally can't deviate too sharply from our daily routines of trains, buses and office buildings... so, that said, what do we do about a fuel truck?

We're never sure if it's better to know and feel helpless, or if we'd all be better off adhering to that old "ignorance is bliss" thing...

Image courtesy of NASA/ASRS