New Al-Qaeda threats

[Bobbygun]

Some things to consider when receiving information....

How trustworthy is the source....?
How do you know that it is true / false ...?

What do they have to gain , by giving you this information...?
What do they gain , by having you think certain things...?

Why did they choose the words / visuals / phrasing / etc....That were used...?

What spin or agenda does this information have...?
Is it simply meant as "click bait " or to stir things up ....?

Also something to consider about posts....

I am only responsible for what I say or post...
How you choose to spin it / read into it / twist it / take out of context / etc.....is on you.

Asking clarifying questions , not assuming things...
Actually reading and thinking about what was said / posted....
As well as re-reading your post before clicking "Post Reply" is very helpful.

Andy

So. What you're saying is the Boston Red Sox are the greatest franchise ever and the New York Yankees suck. Good to know. And I AGREE COMPLETELY!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

So. What you're saying is the Boston Red Sox are the greatest franchise ever and the New York Yankees suck. Good to know. And I AGREE COMPLETELY!

Yes...that is exactly what I didn't say...
Andy

 

[Bobbygun]

Yes...that is exactly what I didn't say...
Andy

Sorry. Couldn't help myself. I know how you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when folks interpret what you said for you.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Sorry. Couldn't help myself. I know how you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when folks interpret what you said for you.

Ha....
Knew you were kidding....and your comment gave me a much needed laugh.
Andy

 

[roseburger]

Ha....
Knew you were kidding....and your comment gave me a much needed laugh.
Andy

What I heard was, "why do kimber 1911's have such a bad reputation? Discuss...."

 

[Andy54Hawken]

What I heard was, "why do kimber 1911's have such a bad reputation? Discuss...."

Hmmmm....
What I meant was.....
Why are Kimber 1911's so rare...at least in my safe...? Discuss...
Andy

 

[roseburger]

Hmmmm....
What I meant was.....
Why are Kimber 1911's so rare...at least in my safe...? Discuss...
Andy

Because they have a bad reputation..... Duh.... Your kind of slow for an educator this morning.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Because they have a bad reputation..... Duh.... Your kind of slow for an educator this morning.

Sunday.....Duh....my day off....
Besides...I gotta keep pace with y'all.....
Andy

 

[bradsteen]

I'm sure most of you have heard this, but there are thousands of Al-Qaeda personnel in the US that are planning attacks here, with many of them planning to act as police officers and medical professionals. How do you plan to distinguish true police/medical professionals to those that are just pretending to be?

Something I haven't thought through fully, wondering y'all's thoughts.

Not gonna lie, kinda burnt out on the whole "there are thousands of enemies living among us waiting to strike at any moment" schtick. What makes this dire warning any more accurate than the hundreds of others we've been spoon-fed over the past 24 years? Not saying it isn't possible, and not saying it's misinformation or intentionally being overblown, but I do think it's reasonable to treat these kinds of things with a little skepticism.

That aside, the question of "how can you tell if someone is actually a [INSERT ROLE HERE] and not an imposter" is a good one, and worthy of deeper discussion. Beyond terrorist threats, we've seen bad guys impersonate law enforcement in home burglaries, maintenance workers like in the Louvre robbery, and other roles to perpetrate their crimes. Most folks are blissfully unaware of their surroundings, so throwing on something that looks like a uniform can make a criminal instantly look like he (or she) belongs there to the average person.

Some things you could keep an eye out for include:

• Threat indicators - they will be present regardless of how the person is dressed. Some examples (not an exhaustive list):
  • Fixation on security, law enforcement, or other responders that could impact the success of the attack.
  • Fixation on cameras, access control points, and screening areas.
  • Fixation on weapons being carried by law enforcement or security (anticipation of a gun grab)
  • Wearing clothing inconsistent with weather (to hide weapons or explosives)
  • Sweating a lot for no apparent reason.
  • Muscle tension / clenching (face, hands, arms)
  • Thousand yard stare or rapid blinking
  • Delayed or distracted responses to questions
• Generic uniforms - If someone is working in an official capacity for law enforcement, fire, EMS, other government responder roles, private security, and corporate uniformed positions there will always be some kind of official identifiers and branding present. This can include large-font generic role identifiers (i.e. the word "Police", "Security", "Fire", "EMS", etc), agency identifiers (patches, embroidery, etc), personal identifiers (name tags, badges, etc), and affiliation identifiers (flag patches, unit patches, etc). So if someone is wearing a uniform with (a) no identifier, or (b) generic identifiers only, this should be your cue to pay more attention to what they're up to.
• Uniforms displaying incorrect identifiers - for example, if you're in Tacoma and the person's uniform says Seattle Police, that should arouse some suspicion.
• Wearing clothing or carrying items (equipment, tools, accessories) inconsistent with the role - for example, footwear not matching the uniform, UPS driver wearing a large backpack, etc.
• If seeing a group, inconsistent uniforms being worn between group members - uniforms are supposed to be uniform (hence the name) from one person to the next. Again, footwear may be a giveaway.
• Behavior inconsistent with the role - working in any job for a while instills specific traits in people. For example, cops and security tend to keep their hands above the belt line and in front of them during interactions with others because it's faster to block, draw, or strike from that posture. They tend to constantly scan their environments, so lots more head and eye movement than the average person. Weapon handling is pretty well practiced, so if someone is not using common weapon handling forms (low ready, SUL, indexed trigger finger, weapon pointed in safe direction, etc.) it should stand out. Also, if someone's movements and behaviors are hesitant or seem conflicted, they may be unfamiliar with the nuances of the job.