Would you be suspicious ............

[xsubsailor]

 If someone came in and bought 60 cell phones at 4 AM.

 

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/large-quantity-of-cellphones-bought-raises-red-flags/21051620_36871174

Edited December 9, 2015 by xsubsailor

[CommsNBombs]

I would sure as hell be suspcious but the feds aint got nothing.

Not like you can track when someone pulls off the speaker and sauters a 9v relay and detonator on it.

Well if something explodes around here we know who did it lol

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[LagerHead]

Maybe, but I sure wouldn't have called police. No reason to get the state involved over someone partaking in a perfectly legal activity. Kinda like how we would be up in arms, pardon the pun, if we got swatted by Mothers Demand for open or concealed carrying. No difference.

[monkeylizard]

Maybe they were just Christmas shopping and have a big family.... :popcorn:

[Raoul]

We certainly live in interesting times.

[DaveTN]

60 cell phones being bought by foreign speaking Muslims....uh yes, I would call Homeland Security.
Or I guess I could wait until the bombs started going off.

[R_Bert]

That was the Visa Waiver Program.  They periodically run out of ObamaPhones for Syrian Refugees. You have to understand that their clients are already up, because jet lag.

Edited December 10, 2015 by R_Bert

[whitewolf001]

 If someone came in and bought 60 cell phones at 4 AM.

 

http://www.kspr.com/news/local/large-quantity-of-cellphones-bought-raises-red-flags/21051620_36871174

 *BATFE and FBI like this.

Edited December 10, 2015 by whitewolf001

[bersaguy]

They are telling Americans "if you see something, say something."  That is all the Walmart did and I don't blame them for it. I think the police should have held them until FBI or Homeland Security could check these men out. Now that they know people are watching for things if these guys do have ugly plans they will probably speed their plans before anyone higher up can investigate them.......jmho

[56FordGuy]

I think the police should have held them until FBI or Homeland Security could check these men out. 

 

For a completely legal activity? What law did they break? On what grounds should they be detained? 

[Monkeyman2500]

I'd be about a suspicious of them buying that many cell phones as I would a couple toothless hillbillies buying up all the sudafed. It's not illegal but it sure does look suspicious.

[ou812]

Here is this... http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14312048/ns/us_news-security/t/more-arrested-cell-phone-terror-charges/#.Vmjbpa8rLIV

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[Ski]

I'd be about a suspicious of them buying that many cell phones as I would a couple toothless hillbillies buying up all the sudafed. It's not illegal but it sure does look suspicious.

 

IANAL (or OS), but that could be illegal in TN (depending on how much is in stock).  An individual without a prescription is limited to 5.76 grams in any 30-day period or 28.8 grams in any one-year period.  It's my understanding that that's a lot, but nevertheless the innocent are punished for the sins of a few.

 

Regarding the original topic, do you think they might have bought them to mark up and resell at their convenience store(s) or mall kiosk(s)?

[MrsMonkeyMan2500]

It's now being reported that its happened in 3 cities. That's suspicious. There's no need for that unless you're making plans. They've all been paid for in cash and at least 150 purchased. Quite ridiculous.

[Oh Shoot]

.....

 

Regarding the original topic, do you think they might have bought them to mark up and resell at their convenience store(s) or mall kiosk(s)?

 

If you want them in quantity, you can buy them from distributor cheaper, just like Wally does. And just like people who do sell them in stop n' robs and malls.

 

Of course, you'd leave a paper trail, and that's probably one thing these folks didn't want to do, because that wasn't really their aim.

 

- OS

Edited December 10, 2015 by Oh Shoot

[nightrunner]

Would I be suspicious? Yes.

This is one of two things. A diversion to concentrate on while something else is in play. Or it is a statement saying they are here and have access to the materials they need.

There is simply no reason for 60+ cell phones to be purchased at once. It draws too much attention when you could spread it out and achieve the same thing.

[BigK]

In light of current events, I'd be suspicious if ONE Muslim guy came in and bought ONE prepaid cell phone.

[CommsNBombs]

Would I be suspicious? Yes.

This is one of two things. A diversion to concentrate on while something else is in play. Or it is a statement saying they are here and have access to the materials they need.

There is simply no reason for 60+ cell phones to be purchased at once. It draws too much attention when you could spread it out and achieve the same thing.

Diversions is a good point to bring up.

Or it could be some sort of race baiting social experiment.

Yeah it is pretty sketchy but if we let some jerkoff cops (excuse me, "special" agents) from the ATF, FBI or what have you bag people up over this what will stop them?

Most of us buy bulk ammo or reloading components and being a white southern male is suspicious...whats stopping Special Agent Muldoon and Slappy from cuffing us up and interrogating us?

What if I buy a bunch of envelopes - with my beard grown out I look like a chechen what if they say I am spreading anthrax? Or buying a bunch of computer components to engineer a botnet?

We let our unease get the best of us and allow Big Brother to come ball dudes up - whats stopping them from coming after us? We aint the "good guys" that ideal is subjective as all hell.

Hell Id rather them blow something up and kill people and have us take care of the source rather than give some limpdick muldoons the impetus to bag all of us up in black vans

My $.02

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[btq96r]

Maybe we need laws against bulk cell phone purchases.  :rolleyes:
 

They could be selling them in some kind of black market/underground.  Small side business where going to a distributor isn't needed, or wanted since that purchase would create a record that can be traced for tax purposes.

 

I love how everything is snapped back to terrorism by default.  Sad how scared we've become.  Tell me more about the event...what kind of phones (smartphones vs. early 2000s style), did they buy SIM Cards and/or minutes to go with the phones, are there incoming refugees or any other already in place population that could be a market for these phones (even a prison to smuggle them into qualifies)...things like that can put a bulk purchase in context and push terrorism as the instant answer easily enough.

 

Oh, and in 2015, I guess my cellphone is a "potential tool" of terror, especially since I have it encrypted.  Oh the threat to freedom I am.

Edited December 10, 2015 by btq96r

[btq96r]

Hell Id rather them blow something up and kill people and have us take care of the source rather than give some limpdick muldoons the impetus to bag all of us up in black vans

 

Since it's coming up on midnight, I hereby award you the best of the internet award for the 9th of September, 2015. 

 

Completely agree that allowing too much latitude on this issue will come back to haunt all of us in the future.

[TMF]

Maybe we need laws against bulk cell phone purchases. :rolleyes:

They could be selling them in some kind of black market/underground. Small side business where going to a distributor isn't needed, or wanted since that purchase would create a record that can be traced for tax purposes.

I love how everything is snapped back to terrorism by default. Sad how scared we've become. Tell me more about the event...what kind of phones (smartphones vs. early 2000s style), did they buy SIM Cards and/or minutes to go with the phones, are there incoming refugees or any other already in place population that could be a market for these phones (even a prison to smuggle them into qualifies)...things like that can put a bulk purchase in context and push terrorism as the instant answer easily enough.

Oh, and in 2015, I guess my cellphone is a "potential tool" of terror, especially since I have it encrypted. Oh the threat to freedom I am.

What's wrong with reporting something suspicious? If it is nothing, as you say, then the authorities will figure that out in short order. Not as if someone's Constitutional rights are being violated because law enforcement look into a report of suspicious behavior. Perhaps if folks had done this with the savages in California, people would be alive right now.

I called the cops on a suspicious guy walking in my neighborhood this summer. He wasn't breaking any laws, but I didn't recognize him and he's wearing a thick, black sweater hoodie with the hood pulled over his head. It was 90 degrees out and sunny. He was breaking no law. Perhaps he was making a fashion statement. Maybe he was dropped on his head as a baby and had no sense. Maybe he was a one man protest for Trayvon Martin. I dunno, but the shit looked suspicious to me. When the cops show up to ask him questions, are his rights being violated? No. So what's the problem here? If it were different, and the reaction of law enforcement was to toss him in jail simply for wearing a hoodie when it made no sense to do so, then we have a problem. Investigating suspicious activity isn't a problem, so long as nobody's rights are violated.

Seriously, if you were sitting down with a source in Iraq, and he listed out all kinds of suspicious activity going on which could otherwise have completely legal contexts to them, would you simply ignore that stuff and leave it out of your report?


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[btq96r]

What's wrong with reporting something suspicious? If it is nothing, as you say, then the authorities will figure that out in short order. Not as if someone's Constitutional rights are being violated because law enforcement look into a report of suspicious behavior. Perhaps if folks had done this with the savages in California, people would be alive right now.


Seriously, if you were sitting down with a source in Iraq, and he listed out all kinds of suspicious activity going on which could otherwise have completely legal contexts to them, would you simply ignore that stuff and leave it out of your report?

 

I was making more of a commentary about the reactions to the story than the event itself, except my personal cell being a tool of terror joke.  We're conditioned to see a threat to anything and everything now.  DHS has done its job and there is a helluva slippery slope here.  The authorities (feds especially) are going to stretch things in their investigation.  I wonder how calmly this would have gone down if those buying the phones had refused to say anything to the police other than "am I being detained or am I free to go?"   Refusing to talk to a LEO isn't probable cause, but how fast do you think they wouldn't have cared in that situation?  I worry about the same justification being used for other things.

 

If this was Iraq, completely different context, but in America aren't we supposed to wait for some kind of illegal activity before jumping the gun on things?  If this was someone being reported for buying guns and ammo, and the local police, as well as the feds were tracking it for no legitimate reason, we'd be having convulsions over it. 

[TMF]

I was making more of a commentary about the reactions to the story than the event itself, except my personal cell being a tool of terror joke. We're conditioned to see a threat to anything and everything now. DHS has done its job and there is a helluva slippery slope here. The authorities (feds especially) are going to stretch things in their investigation. I wonder how calmly this would have gone down if those buying the phones had refused to say anything to the police other than "am I being detained or am I free to go?" Refusing to talk to a LEO isn't probable cause, but how fast do you think they wouldn't have cared in that situation? I worry about the same justification being used for other things.

If this was Iraq, completely different context, but in America aren't we supposed to wait for some kind of illegal activity before jumping the gun on things? If this was someone being reported for buying guns and ammo, and the local police, as well as the feds were tracking it for no legitimate reason, we'd be having convulsions over it.

Firstly, it's not a different scenario for people who have the job of collecting information and developing intelligence. What is true in Iraq is true in the states.

Secondly, as I stated before, so long as no one's rights are being violated there is no problem. It sounds like you're saying the problem is what "could" happen if police engaged them and they refused to answer questions. That isn't how this works. We don't keep suspicious information to ourselves because we're worried about what the government "could" do. The government "could" just ignore the whole thing. The government "could" violate their rights. The government "could" determine that the context of these purchases is on the level and requires no further investigation. None of the potential actions of law enforcement should or will have any bearing on whether or not I report something that seems suspicious.

Somebody could have reported me for my purchases in Lowes earlier this year as being suspicious of meth lab materials. If law enforcement would have engaged me in regard to my purchases it would have been up to me how the questioning went. I could choose not to speak to them or to explain why I'm making these purchases. Either way, whether or not they choose to violate my rights is an individual choice of those agents to commit a crime or not, right? That has nothing to do with whether or not the person who reported me should have made the report.

There certainly are indicators which point to certain illegal activities. Purchasing a large number of throw away phones is one. Drug dealers do this, and so do folks who are involved in other illicit activities. I'm sure there are countless legal reasons why someone would need to purchase a large number of throw away cells, and those people should have nothing to worry about if they're investigated. However, if Muhammed is linked to the purchase of 150 throw away phones and he's also on a terror watch list, pieces of the puzzle start to come together. I've yet to hear a good reason for why people shouldn't report suspicious activity.


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[ou812]

And more..... http://m.abc17news.com/news/fbi-investigating-suspicious-purchase-at-columbia-walmart/36877514

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[DWARREN123]

Background checks for cell phones. You can get them off the books at cell phone shows!    :rofl: