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-- for real (for@real.com), December 17, 1999

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Border Arrest Raises Y2K Fears

Border arrest raises Y2K fears

Newspaper: Man booked room near Seattles Space Needle

MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTSSEATTLE, Dec. 17  A man arrested in Washington state as he attempted to enter the United States in a rented car with suspected explosives in the trunk was reported Thursday to have had a reservation at a motel within blocks of the Space Needle in Seattle, raising concern that he was planning a terrorist attack linked to the millennial change.

THE SEATTLE TIMES, quoting unidentified law enforcement sources, reported that the French-speaking man arrested Tuesday as he tried to cross into the United States from Canada was booked into the Best Western Loyal Motor Inn on Eighth Avenue, within blocks of the Space Needle.

A man who answered the phone at the motel declined to confirm the man had a reservation, referring a caller to the U.S. Customs Service.

Asked if authorities suspected that the popular tourist attraction, site of an annual New Years fireworks show that draws thousands of revelers, was the target of a terrorist attack, one source told the newspaper, Obviously, its an inference you can draw.

However, other law enforcement sources quoted by the Times said the man also was carrying maps and tourist brochures for Washington, Oregon and California.

CONSPIRACY FEARED

The newspaper also said federal officials suspect the man was part of a larger organization and fear that accomplices may have entered the United States successfully before his apprehension.

U.S. authorities already are on alert for potential terrorism at millennial celebrations, both here and abroad.

Law enforcement officials quoted by Reuters said U.S. Customs Service agents detained the man after he fled when stopped for routine questioning at Port Angeles, Wash., about 40 miles northwest of Seattle, around 6 p.m. on Wednesday. He had taken the ferry from Victoria, B.C., they said.

The mans nationality had not been ascertained, although he carried a Canadian passport with the name Benni Noris, and a Canadian drivers license with another name, Mario Roig, the officials said.

They said the man had apparently been staying in Vancouver, B.C., for about a month, but Canadian authorities believed his passport was faked and he was of Algerian descent.

The Seattle Times reported that the man had been identified, but that his identity was being withheld by authorities.

POWDER, LIQUID AND CIRCUIT BOARDS

Customs agents searching his rental car found 120 pounds of a fine white powder, plus another 15 pounds of an unidentified crystalline powder; several circuit boards connected to a Casio watch; and some flammable liquids, which had also not been identified, one law enforcement official said.

He said the materials could possibly be used to make a bomb.

FBI spokesman Dave Miller said the agency was leading the investigation in conjunction with the U.S. Customs Service, but declined to give details.

Canadian authorities were not immediately available for comment.

One law enforcement official said the case was getting much attention in light of this weeks arrest in Jordan of 13 people believed to be planning to carry out New Years related terrorist operations in the kingdom.

The suspects arrested in Jordan reportedly had links to Saudi-born Osama bin Laden whom the United States has accused of masterminding the bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa last year.

That case is certainly in the backs of the minds of a lot of investigators, the official said. All this bin Laden/Y2K is scaring people.

CREDIBLE INFORMATION

Last weekend the United States warned its citizens traveling abroad through the start of the New Year and the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan to exercise caution, citing credible information that terrorists are planning attacks.

The man arrested in Washington state has been charged by the U.S. Customs Service with misrepresentation and failure to be inspected, but the FBI has not yet filed any charges. The detainee was speaking only French, and had so far refused to answer questions, officials said.

Reuters contributed to this story.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), December 17, 1999.

Brian:

There you go. The Canadians are a calm people. Geeeze! And taking the ferry from Victoria.

Best wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

According to 11:00AM news on KOMO 4 Seattle, the powder was in 20lb. bags - 10 of them along with 2 jars of a heavy liquid. First reports back from the FBI Lab in San Fran indicate that the power was dry nitro and indications are the liquid was ?? (what ever chemical is mixed with the dry nitro to make it explode. The man had flown to BC from Quebec and rented a car. Lucky the ferry wasn't blown sky high I guess. They are trying to link him to an Algerian terrorist group but he will only speak French and isn't giving much away (that they are telling us anyway.)

This is really scary - please don't go to the big celebrations. The motel he was booked at was only a couple blocks from Seattle Center and the Space Needle where they are expecting 50,000 to 100,000 New Year's Eve.

Oh, the TV also said he had maps of Oregon and California in the car and there was enough supplies for more than one bomb...wonder who he was meeting to share with???

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.xnet), December 17, 1999.

"Dry nitro??"

Just what is that? Nitroglycerine is an oily liquid, NOT a solid. I had read that he had liquid Nitroglycerine in the car also...and a Casio whtch wired to circuit boards...Sheeesssh!

Must be planning one hell of a party!

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), December 17, 1999.

question...i forget....it seems like dry nitro is used to excellerate red mercury?? i am going to search the www..if any of you have info please post,...

-- someone (sway4@yahoo.com), December 17, 1999.

Are these reports for real or manufactured by gubmint? A couple more of these reports would give them a good excuse to get those Domestic Preparedness Response Teams deployed in the 120 cities. After that it wouldn't be too much of a suprise if they put out the National Guard.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.

Hawk -- This one's for real. The guy was nabbed just two blocks from the courthouse where I work. Good greif! I thought I escaped this kind of nuttiness when I refugeed north from L.A.!

-- RPGman (tripix@olypen.com), December 17, 1999.

But how do you know that the guy wasn't a gubmint plant?

The fact that this is in Seattle after the recent bit of anarchy they had there makes me wonder if they are not more than a just a little concerned. There are still manyanarchist groups hanging out around there and gubmint would probably feel better if they were prepared to gas them if they get out of control. Just a theory.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.

Hawk:

Evidently you haven't spend much time in Western Washington. And they used to call Californina the land of fruits and nuts.

Best wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

,P.hmmmm...

Two important releases from Clark Staten of ERRI. A new warning against anti-US/UN terrorism. (stay alert in Seattle.), interview w/ ex sov biowar scientist.

-- (its@funnyold.world), December 17, 1999.

Z1X47,

"Evidently you haven't spend much time in Western Washington. And they used to call Californina the land of fruits and nuts."

Don't follow you. I said that there are a lot of anarchy groups in Seattle, so you tell me that I'm not familiar with the area, yet you say that it is the land of fruits and nuts. I don't get what you are saying.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.