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

[TGO David]

Anyone who has watched the news let alone walked a patrol in Iraq or Afghanistan knows why cell phones are a big deal.  I find it weird that one of those here on TGO who is pissing on the idea that this should concern people in the States has served and, at least from the impression he conveys, has walked those patrols and has seen IEDs in action.

 

But anyway... there's no reason to be concerned.  It's just cell phones.  It could never happen here.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html?ito=embedded

 

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html#v-6655737967519643284

[Omega]

No, federally, the only triggers (that we know of) for additional reporting are:

 

- 2 or more handguns within five days from same FFL (Form 3310.4)

- multiples of certain semi-auto rifles in the southern border states. (Form 3310.12)

 

- OS

I think you meant yes?  Even less than I thought, and posted, of 5 weapons within a few days triggers a reporting event.  A bank will also report large deposits of over 10k, but I have heard 5k as well.  It's to the IRS I believe, but other agencies pay attention to that as well.  And now apparently cell phones get reported, though I don't know if there is a requirement to do so, as of now.  I don't really have a problem with that as long as they don't go confiscating cash like in TN traffic stops.  If you are not doing anything nefarious, you should be able to explain your actions if need be.

[bersaguy]

Anyone who has watched the news let alone walked a patrol in Iraq or Afghanistan knows why cell phones are a big deal.  I find it weird that one of those here on TGO who is pissing on the idea that this should concern people in the States has served and, at least from the impression he conveys, has walked those patrols and has seen IEDs in action.

 

But anyway... there's no reason to be concerned.  It's just cell phones.  It could never happen here.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html?ito=embedded

 

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html#v-6655737967519643284

 

I posted a like to this but not because of the videos. Those were disgusting. I posted my like to David's comment.................. :up:

[Oh Shoot]

I think you meant yes?  Even less than I thought, and posted, of 5 weapons within a few days triggers a reporting event.  ..

 

Just trying to be accurate. Again, it's not 5 "weapons", or even 2 "weapons". 

 

It's 2 or more handguns in all states and 2 or more certain semi-auto rifles in only 4 states -- and that only if done from same FFL, who is responsible for filing the additional form.

 

If there is any additional federal reporting on purchases, it's illegal secret squirrel stuff I reckon.

 

- OS

Edited December 12, 2015 by Oh Shoot

[CommsNBombs]

Anyone who has watched the news let alone walked a patrol in Iraq or Afghanistan knows why cell phones are a big deal. I find it weird that one of those here on TGO who is pissing on the idea that this should concern people in the States has served and, at least from the impression he conveys, has walked those patrols and has seen IEDs in action.

But anyway... there's no reason to be concerned. It's just cell phones. It could never happen here.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html?ito=embedded




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html#v-6655737967519643284

What will we do then? Equip every cop car and foot patrol with Dukes and Warlocks?

Jam all cell phone comms? Arrest every swinging richard that is middle eastern with a cell phone?

They can command det using walky talkys, RC cars, very long wires, radios, timers...

So we just let Big Brother shut down all comms? Ban hand free devices. May as well ban wires, electrical components, batteries, anything metallic...

Plus command det is for half assers...

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[TGO David]

So we just let Big Brother shut down all comms? Ban hand free devices. May as well ban wires, electrical components, batteries, anything metallic...

Plus command det is for half assers...

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

I'm simply saying there's no reason why profiling isn't a viable tool.  Monitoring suspicious purchases is just part of that.  If you don't farm and buy a ton of high-nitrogen content fertilizer, you already get a little extra attention.  If you buy a ton of Sudafed, you get a little extra attention.  If you buy 60 cell phones and don't have 59 other people in your immediate family, you should get a little extra attention.

 

I'm not saying we give up freedoms for security.  I'm saying we use our goddamned heads as a society and stop being so paralyzed by political correctness that we don't report when a Muslim next door starts stockpiling IED components.

[CommsNBombs]

I'm simply saying there's no reason why profiling isn't a viable tool. Monitoring suspicious purchases is just part of that. If you don't farm and buy a ton of high-nitrogen content fertilizer, you already get a little extra attention. If you buy a ton of Sudafed, you get a little extra attention. If you buy 60 cell phones and don't have 59 other people in your immediate family, you should get a little extra attention.

I'm not saying we give up freedoms for security. I'm saying we use our goddamned heads as a society and stop being so paralyzed by political correctness that we don't report when a Muslim next door starts stockpiling IED components.

Im down for a little profiling I just dont want it to get out of damn control that if I bought 2 burner cells or some stump remover than a black van rolls up on me.

The other issue is putting TOO much attention into things like this. Throwing a whole CJATTF at two mullahs buying some burners is a bit much

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[btq96r]

Anyone who has watched the news let alone walked a patrol in Iraq or Afghanistan knows why cell phones are a big deal.  I find it weird that one of those here on TGO who is pissing on the idea that this should concern people in the States has served and, at least from the impression he conveys, has walked those patrols and has seen IEDs in action.

 

But anyway... there's no reason to be concerned.  It's just cell phones.  It could never happen here.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html?ito=embedded

 

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3356215/Executed-MOBILE-ISIS-releases-latest-video-kill-two-victims-detonated-bomb-phones.html#v-6655737967519643284

 

 

I know why cell phones are a big deal, but they aren’t a bigger deal than anything else that can transmit and receive radio signals, which can also be used as IED initiator.  Walkie talkies, garage door opener, doesn't take something running Android 5.1.1 to make it happen.  I get it, cell phones are a logical choice since they are so common they can be acquired easily, and then used by the attacker without any suspicion being aroused.  They worked for the Madrid bombings, why not here.

 

Look at this purchase.  60 phones...why 60?  Even if half of those were used for testing/training, do we still think they are going to make 30 IEDs?  That would require a lot of homemade explosive, and more critically, a lot of people to put them in place so there isn’t time for anyone to discover them.  This is assuming a spectacular attack where one phone sends a message to dozens of pre-placed bombs detonating them at the same time.  So the number purchased alone makes me shrug on this one since terrorist groups operate in cells too small to make use of 60 phones, and don’t coordinate with other cells outside of their own for attacks.

 

Also, bombings haven’t been their way of doing things here in the US.  Like us, they like guns.  I think profiling people based on those purchases is a non-starter.  In 25 years, we’ve only seen two bombings that I can recall from Muslim terrorists, the WTC in 1993, and the Boston Marathon in 2013 and that bomb was on a timer, not set off with a cell phone.  So, why would they change what’s an easy attack to set up and execute (mass shootings) for something that is very complicated and nowhere near as easy (explosive material availability mainly) to pull off in the US as it is overseas?

 

When ISIS uses a text message to execute someone like that on American soil, call me.  That’s a propaganda video used in a controlled environment, and I’m not sweating it, or getting too wrapped up in what if’s that have no pattern of operational employment to support them.

Edited December 12, 2015 by btq96r

[Peace]

     If IEDs start going off on roadsides in the CUS, everything will likely get ugly very fast.  We can not and should not stand for that.  At that point, we have become diverse in the wrong way.  Being "adversly diverse" is what has made the bosnia/croatia, etc.. a hotbed of war and conflict for eons.    

 

If moderate followers of Islam exist, now is the time for them to clean this up, take care of their own house, and make this go away.  That will show... more than just self-preservative talk, that they are Americans and care about Americans.  That would be good enough for me.

 

    You hate for it to be that way, but if this is going to be stopped, they have to reign in their own.  As messy as that is, it is much less messy than the alternative.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Peace

[DaveTN]

What will we do then? Equip every cop car and foot patrol with Dukes and Warlocks?

Jam all cell phone comms? Arrest every swinging richard that is middle eastern with a cell phone?

No. Cops are a curious bunch; it’s their job, and they rely on the help of citizens to do it. No one is suggesting that cops stop these people and ship them off to Gitmo.

But we (citizens) have enemies trying to kill us. Cops have ROE that they go by. Nothing in those rules stops them from talking to people. You learn a lot when you talk to people. The people that are stopped have rights. They are free to ask “Am I being detained?” “Am I free to go” “Am I under arrest”. Based on RAS or PC; cops will answer those questions, “Yes/No you are being detained?” “Yes/No you free to go” “Yes/No you are under arrest”. Most of the time you can tell if someone is up to something or trying to hide something. Actionable? Depends on the circumstances, and it will be determined by a DA or Judge if those actions were proper.

Nothing in our Constitution requires a cop to put his life in danger, and nothing in our constitution requires them to stand by and wait when citizens are in danger. We aren’t talking about some pot head that might have a bag or weed; we are talking about a person that may be planning on talking the lives of a lot of innocent people.

Our freedoms are intact. Our founding Fathers never intend for good men to stand by and no nothing. That’s why they use the word “unreasonable” in the fourth amendment.

[bud]

.

Edited January 6, 2016 by bud

[Peace]

I've read and heard, ad naseum, from the media and online commenters saying that the Muslims have to police themselves.
I would like to hear a viable scenario in which a moderate Muslim is able to identify and confront a radical Muslim and appeal to them to stop.
Couple of things:
1. if they know, or know of, these radical Muslims, and have access to them, and have not already notified the police, then they themselves are a bad guy. Like if a student in a school knows another student has a gun and says nothing to the authorities, then they themselves are culpable.
2. By what authority is a moderate Muslim authorized to tell a radical Muslim, whose own interpretation of the Koran guides him, that he must stop living out his beliefs

The moderate Muslims are afraid of the radical ones and I have no doubt that a significant percentage of the moderate ones secretly praise the radical actions of the bad ones.
And the US government that gives airtime and credence to CAIR, makes themselves just as culpable as the say nothing moderate Muslims, because our own leaders won't denounce the organization that stands up and publicly says we brought this on ourselves.

Well it wouldn't be under any legal authority, and it wouldn't be pretty. The pressure to act just has to be greater than the pressure to ignore. Should that time come, it would be up to whomever leads to apply that pressure.

[Chucktshoes]

[Omega]

 

 

Oh, I don't know, maybe because theirs look like this?

 

[TMF]

What will we do then? Equip every cop car and foot patrol with Dukes and Warlocks?

Jam all cell phone comms? Arrest every swinging richard that is middle eastern with a cell phone?

They can command det using walky talkys, RC cars, very long wires, radios, timers...

So we just let Big Brother shut down all comms? Ban hand free devices. May as well ban wires, electrical components, batteries, anything metallic...

Plus command det is for half assers...

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

I can't find where anyone is suggesting anything remotely close to that, so I'm not sure what your point is. We're talking about reporting suspicious behavior to law enforcement; that's it. If you can show me how reporting something to law enforcement or law enforcement asking questions is a violation of someone's rights, I'm all ears. That is all this is.

Law enforcement and intelligence agencies don't have some magical wand which grants them the power to information just for being investigators. They require people. Human intelligence remains the most critical means to gather information, and many times, the way law enforcement are notified about criminal (or terrorist) activity prior to the act.

Think about the 9/11 hijackers. Two of them were reported on while in flight school because they were suspicious. What other way would intelligence agencies find out about this? Their magic wand? Just think if more people would have reported suspicious activity related to these terrorists. It would have prevented the deaths of thousands of your fellow Americans, without infringing on the rights of a single one.

I need to have it spelled out for me why this is a problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CommsNBombs]

I can't find where anyone is suggesting anything remotely close to that, so I'm not sure what your point is. We're talking about reporting suspicious behavior to law enforcement; that's it. If you can show me how reporting something to law enforcement or law enforcement asking questions is a violation of someone's rights, I'm all ears. That is all this is.

Law enforcement and intelligence agencies don't have some magical wand which grants them the power to information just for being investigators. They require people. Human intelligence remains the most critical means to gather information, and many times, the way law enforcement are notified about criminal (or terrorist) activity prior to the act.

Think about the 9/11 hijackers. Two of them were reported on while in flight school because they were suspicious. What other way would intelligence agencies find out about this? Their magic wand? Just think if more people would have reported suspicious activity related to these terrorists. It would have prevented the deaths of thousands of your fellow Americans, without infringing on the rights of a single one.

I need to have it spelled out for me why this is a problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I did not say it violates anyones rights.

I legit, in my personal opinion, do not think this is worth even reporting.

Further more I think dry snitching out of fear makes you sound like a crabby old grandma. It it does not concern me I do not care. I am not some cosmic force of intervention nor will I fuel public paranoia by calling the Law or the Feds.

Suspicion is subjective anyway.

And there may not be this "magic wand" but you know, as well as I do, that if some cops, 3 letter org, DA or military want to reach a certain conclusion, or paint a narrative to go along with that, they WILL no matter what.

And if you refute that last part you are lying to yourself.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[TMF]

I did not say it violates anyones rights.

I legit, in my personal opinion, do not think this is worth even reporting.

Further more I think dry snitching out of fear makes you sound like a crabby old grandma. It it does not concern me I do not care. I am not some cosmic force of intervention nor will I fuel public paranoia by calling the Law or the Feds.

Suspicion is subjective anyway.

And there may not be this "magic wand" but you know, as well as I do, that if some cops, 3 letter org, DA or military want to reach a certain conclusion, or paint a narrative to go along with that, they WILL no matter what.

And if you refute that last part you are lying to yourself.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

You didn't address any of the things I brought up in the post you quoted.  You simply defaulted to "I just think you're wrong because (enter irrational emotion here)".

 

First, how can you reconcile your statement regarding suspicious behavior being subjective just after you say in your "opinion" the behavior isn't worth reporting?  If it's subjective like you say, then some folks find certain indicators more suspicious than you do.  That doesn't make them bad or as you stated, "snitches".  I wish there were more "snitches" that came forward regarding the over 20 hijackers involved on 9/11.  There were some, but there wasn't enough coordination between intelligence agencies, nor were there enough "snitches" that came forward to help put the pieces of the puzzle together.  There were plenty of people after 9/11 who had contact with the terrorists who believed something was amiss.  Like you, they didn't want to be "snitches".

 

I wish there were more "snitches" prior to the massacre in San Bernardino.  As this investigation progresses, I can assure you it will come out that there were many people who had concerns, but failed to report for reasons you cited.  You've yet to develop a cogent argument regarding "snitching" being more harmful to the safety, security, or rights of American citizens than keeping your mouth shut and minding your own business.  Simply stating that "we can't trust the government no matter what, because they will develop their own narrative (paraphrase)" is absolutely ridiculous.  Just because the possibility exists that they could do that, or even that they have in some cases, is not a viable argument against reporting something suspicious.  It just isn't, and you're being obtuse regarding that, as is exampled by your failure to address any of the points in my previous post and retorting by comparing me to a "crabby old grandma" and stating that if I don't believe your nonsense that I am "lying to myself".  That isn't a rational nor fact based response to my points.  It's simply a display of your intellectual dishonesty.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Regarding the kids with the mullet.. as bad as they look and you want to smack the parents around.. these kids do not get bombs trapped to their bellies and send of to explode..

 

And if i would have seen that with the cell phones. .you dang, right I would have called someone..

[NextExit]

Oh, I don't know, maybe because theirs look like this?

 

[CommsNBombs]

You didn't address any of the things I brought up in the post you quoted. You simply defaulted to "I just think you're wrong because (enter irrational emotion here)".

First, how can you reconcile your statement regarding suspicious behavior being subjective just after you say in your "opinion" the behavior isn't worth reporting? If it's subjective like you say, then some folks find certain indicators more suspicious than you do. That doesn't make them bad or as you stated, "snitches". I wish there were more "snitches" that came forward regarding the over 20 hijackers involved on 9/11. There were some, but there wasn't enough coordination between intelligence agencies, nor were there enough "snitches" that came forward to help put the pieces of the puzzle together. There were plenty of people after 9/11 who had contact with the terrorists who believed something was amiss. Like you, they didn't want to be "snitches".

I wish there were more "snitches" prior to the massacre in San Bernardino. As this investigation progresses, I can assure you it will come out that there were many people who had concerns, but failed to report for reasons you cited. You've yet to develop a cogent argument regarding "snitching" being more harmful to the safety, security, or rights of American citizens than keeping your mouth shut and minding your own business. Simply stating that "we can't trust the government no matter what, because they will develop their own narrative (paraphrase)" is absolutely ridiculous. Just because the possibility exists that they could do that, or even that they have in some cases, is not a viable argument against reporting something suspicious. It just isn't, and you're being obtuse regarding that, as is exampled by your failure to address any of the points in my previous post and retorting by comparing me to a "crabby old grandma" and stating that if I don't believe your nonsense that I am "lying to myself". That isn't a rational nor fact based response to my points. It's simply a display of your intellectual dishonesty.

You think in logic and hard truths like an intel person. That is fine, we do not think alike so we will always disagree.

I have my beliefs and you have yours. This is one thing I do not think is worth any effort.

Things all happen for a reason, it it is your time then it is your time.

Yes HUMINT gathering, informing on suspicious activity to build a fact pattern or identify and observe potential dangers is important. Yes doing that does NOT violate anyone's rights. I was not saying you are wrong. It is a normal practice and more effective than trying to use sigint and chase these mooks on TOR.

If I were raised in Joplin, MO or one of those towns that had this happen, then hell yes I would call the boys and let them know Akhmed just rolled up and bought 60 burner cells in cash and hauled ass out of there. Or at least I would have in the past.

I did not say any of your facts were wrong, I could give a piss about ISIS coconspirator's rights or feelings and the only way we are going to close to defeating them, and preventing other disasters, is with humint.

However, I do not think like that anymore. Call it cosmic supersition, or that I am a religious nutjob, but all the things that are happening are happening for a reason.

TMF, I lost faith in all of it. The protocol, the briefs, the intel gathering, sitting at the JOC listening to some 35 series guy or slightly annoyed 18F going over some fact sheet only to bag said individual after blowing holes in his house and finding out most of the stuff was bogus. We give him over to someone to coax the info out of him, and a week later after some double checking we find out his damn neighbor gave intel against him because of some stupid tribal dispute.

These guys are sophisticated, this isnt AQI, the Taliban or Boko Haram. This a 21st Century fighting force that is guided by religious fervor most have never seen. They would not let some tools do something as obvious as buying a ton of burners in bulk.

I do not think they are unbeatable but they are Legion - focusing on lone wolves or shooting missiles into caves or huts in Libya, Syria and Iraq over mid level chomos is not going to crush them.

Ive read this Mahdi revelation. Poured over the Quran and Hadith and spoke to my Muslim friends who are moderate or non practicing and even they believe it is God's will, I do not ethically agree but in my heart I agree with that thinking.

God does not care about a 50 page slide deck on Al-Baghdadi. God doesnt care when a tier one asset knocks over a HVT.

That is my line of thinking TMF: That we are fucking doomed and why bother? God is going to finish this, not us.

That is really all I have brother.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[Peace]

I care for you all, and support your beliefs - whatever they may be.

 

 

If an all-powerful (I could do anything) "god" is allowing or causing all of this raping, murdering, and killing (by us, "them", or aliens from Mars),.... well....   that god and I may find ourselves in disagreeance.

 

 

 

If you see something, say something.

[CommsNBombs]

I care for you all, and support your beliefs - whatever they may be.


If an all-powerful (I could do anything) "god" is allowing or causing all of this raping, murdering, and killing (by us, "them", or aliens from Mars),.... well.... that god and I may find ourselves in disagreeance.



If you see something, say something.

He is not causing or allowing it. We have pushed Him out of our lives and our world and settled for carnality and superficial and secular bonds. We have simply lost His blessing.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

[TMF]

You think in logic and hard truths like an intel person. That is fine, we do not think alike so we will always disagree.

I have my beliefs and you have yours. This is one thing I do not think is worth any effort.

Things all happen for a reason, it it is your time then it is your time.

Yes HUMINT gathering, informing on suspicious activity to build a fact pattern or identify and observe potential dangers is important. Yes doing that does NOT violate anyone's rights. I was not saying you are wrong. It is a normal practice and more effective than trying to use sigint and chase these mooks on TOR.

If I were raised in Joplin, MO or one of those towns that had this happen, then hell yes I would call the boys and let them know Akhmed just rolled up and bought 60 burner cells in cash and hauled ass out of there. Or at least I would have in the past.

I did not say any of your facts were wrong, I could give a piss about ISIS coconspirator's rights or feelings and the only way we are going to close to defeating them, and preventing other disasters, is with humint.

However, I do not think like that anymore. Call it cosmic supersition, or that I am a religious nutjob, but all the things that are happening are happening for a reason.

TMF, I lost faith in all of it. The protocol, the briefs, the intel gathering, sitting at the JOC listening to some 35 series guy or slightly annoyed 18F going over some fact sheet only to bag said individual after blowing holes in his house and finding out most of the stuff was bogus. We give him over to someone to coax the info out of him, and a week later after some double checking we find out his damn neighbor gave intel against him because of some stupid tribal dispute.

These guys are sophisticated, this isnt AQI, the Taliban or Boko Haram. This a 21st Century fighting force that is guided by religious fervor most have never seen. They would not let some tools do something as obvious as buying a ton of burners in bulk.

I do not think they are unbeatable but they are Legion - focusing on lone wolves or shooting missiles into caves or huts in Libya, Syria and Iraq over mid level chomos is not going to crush them.

Ive read this Mahdi revelation. Poured over the Quran and Hadith and spoke to my Muslim friends who are moderate or non practicing and even they believe it is God's will, I do not ethically agree but in my heart I agree with that thinking.

God does not care about a 50 page slide deck on Al-Baghdadi. God doesnt care when a tier one asset knocks over a HVT.

That is my line of thinking TMF: That we are ####ing doomed and why bother? God is going to finish this, not us.

That is really all I have brother.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

Eh, I'm not so doom and gloom, because I'm a history buff.  I'm not just obsessive about historical information, I find it more fascinating than any other study.  It leads me to the conclusion that our time is not so important that it will be end times.  Sure, things never stay the same, but if I was living in Germany 70-80 years ago, I most certainly would have believed the world was coming to an end.  I'm inclined to believe that, barring an extinction level event (viral, comet, environmental, rapture), there is no such thing as an "end"; just varied repeats of what has already happened several times over.  Even if worldwide civilization came to a screeching halt tomorrow, with 95% percent of the world's 7 billion+ humans dying off, mankind will continue.  It may continue with people drawing on caves and making stone tools, but it will continue, and I find that somewhat comforting when considering the apocalypse.

 

As for efforts that don't matter, well I'm an SME.  I have a lot of time in Iraq.  A lot.  It's hard to believe my efforts really amounted to anything, which is a difficult pill to swallow when considering how crucially important we took our mission, what we risked, what we lost.... but it just is.  It's another page in the history books that I was part of, and I can't see it as objectively good or bad, because history doesn't stop.  It's the whole Sa Weng Shi Ma philosophy.

 

In regard to dry holes, or wet holes put in people who didn't have it coming, it's why folks like myself make such a big deal out of dual source/multiple source reporting.  Single source is a roll of the dice, and a lot of people were willing to make that bet because they like shiny objects, valorous award, and sexy hits where they can showcase their rare talents.  That's simply my opinion based on observation and experience, but you won't hear many people in the biz cop to that; too many are guilty of it themselves.  You can't attribute that to the overall way things are done, when they're done properly.  In the instance of domestic terrorism, intelligence agencies need that multiple source reporting as well.  To you, the simultaneous purchase of cell phones by several middle eastern men may be nothing; something reasonable based on context.  However, when that information is paired with other information that has been reported on those same people, perhaps a picture is now being painted.  That how it works.

 

Now, with all that said, I highly doubt that there is anything nefarious going on here.  If I had seen this go down, it's extremely likely that I wouldn't have reported it, nor would I have felt compelled to report it.  While it's possible that an active domestic terror group would be that stupid to create such a footprint, it just isn't likely.  I would have assumed they were purchasing them to resell, or they were engaged in some other illicit activity not related to terrorism.  That is based on my experience.  However, your average everyday person, who has been binging on fear porn for the past few weeks may have a much different take on it, or feel as if they aren't knowledgeable enough to make the determination, so they are being safe rather than sorry.  All very reasonable behaviors.  I'm not going to judge here.  We all have different experiences, and I feel as if it's more dangerous to encourage people not to report suspicious behavior than it is to encourage them to report suspicious behavior.  That goes in line with the obvious issue of political correctness killing people.  In nearly every instance of domestic terror so far, there are stories of people who didn't report information because they didn't want to feel or be accused of being racist/bigoted/islamophobic.  A lot of people are dead because of that: 9/11, Ft Hood, San Bernardino, etc.

 

ETA: Spell check doesn't recognize "islamophobic" as a word, which is good, because it isn't.  There is hope.

Edited December 13, 2015 by TMF