Terror Not Suspected In Incident At Plant (Houston). ?????

[Dover]

Jan. 24, 2004, 9:42PM

Terror not suspected in incident at plant
Guard claims gunman was taking photos
By PEGGY O'HARE

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

FREEPORT -- The shooting of an unarmed security guard at a chemical plant here drew the attention of national security officials because the gunman, who was described as having a heavy accent, told the guard he was taking photographs of the area.

But after repeated interviews with the shooting victim, federal authorities Saturday said they have little reason to believe the incident was the work of terrorists.

"As we have looked at this, we don't believe we have any kind of a terrorist threat or that there was any kind of terrorist planning or organization going on," FBI spokesman Bob Doguim said Saturday.

Robbie House, a security guard contracted by BASF Corp., told authorities his attacker was possibly of Middle Eastern or Pakistani descent. He also told police the gunman claimed to be photographing "lights." The shooting occurred in an isolated area near BASF's ammonia terminal on FM 1495 late Friday.

House, who was shot in the shoulder, is expected to make a full recovery. The gunman and his truck have not been found.

After two FBI agents interviewed the wounded guard a second time Saturday afternoon, FBI officials said circumstances surrounding the shooting remained suspicious.

Doguim would not say if House had changed his story, and he declined to give specifics about why law enforcement officials were leaning against the incident being terrorist-related. But he noted that there had been no intelligence suggesting such an event might occur.

"This is isolated," Doguim said, "and we have no other information out there to suggest we should look at this in any other way."

...cont'd
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2369939

[jamesinca]

1. Be afraid

Somebody gets shot and it is an act of terrorism. Can't possibly be just a criminal act can it? Everything is a terror threat, be afraid. Is this what we are to be reduced to?

[Dover]

2. The whole story seems odd. Why would someone who was simply

photographing lights have a gun in the first place? And if it was a terrorist, why would they get close enough to attract the attention of a guard, when a zoom lens would do the trick?

Nothing adds up here....

[Outvoicer]

3. Another planted "possible terrorist" story?

Lord knows we've seen several of them over the past couple of years.

They sound fishy and there is never any follow up...

but they serve a purpose.

Even while seeming to discount terrorism, stories like this keep terrorism on people's minds.

and the FEARmongering continues...

[Dover]

4. Yes, I think that's a plausible explanation.

Just a little something to keep everyone off balance and insecure.

And the effectiveness of this plan is that it can be manipulated as needed, with some terrorism made "real" anytime they choose, if they deem it necessary.

Rats in a maze...

[teryang]

5. Yes, the Karl Rove types would call it

...unbranded marketing (of terror).