France: No Data to Back U.S. Terror Fears

[DuctapeFatwa]

French intelligence had no indications of its own to support U.S. warnings of a threat to trans-Atlantic flights on Sunday and Monday, but they were canceled anyway as a precaution because of the American concerns, a French official said.

"Our American friends have concerns, so we are doing them a service," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040202_437.html

[Laughing Mirror]

1. Or, as we say in Paris,

Déjà vu.

[Jacobin]

2. I read they were afraid of a "dirty bomb"

Wouldn't radioactive material show up very easily using a geiger counter?

I think Smirko is just forking around with the overseas airlines to intimidate them into getting armed mashalls on board and also to help bolster his falling poll numbers.

[Laughing Mirror]

4. They weren't afraid of any bomb.

They made it all up. Just like they did the last time, about a month ago. Air France and then I believe also British Airways came out and said the exact same thing France is saying now. Not based on any evidence. We see the pattern.

"There's no reason why they would lie," the French security official said.

The question is, how long will the boy be able to cry wolf?

[Mari333]

3. I.E. whitewash and smokescreen by Rove

another terra alert so transparent its laughed at by everyone else in the world because the US public often buys this PR stunt hook line and sinker.

[chenGOD]

5. Wonder how long before....

Europeans stop taking vacations in America when they realize it's not worth the hassle of possibly cancelled flights.

[Karenina]

6. That has ALREADY happened.

Florida is a BIG LOSER. People (especially students) are going ELSEWHERE. The stories of airport "security" harassment are legion and many are none too keen on the visa requirements, never mind handing over private information to the U.S. gubmint.

[Chrysophylax]

12. Will cheap $ boost travel to U.S.?

Dollar is cheap if you own the Euro, many are vacationing to the Caribbean Sea, South America or Indean Ocean (Maldives, Seychelles) where Dollar is also accepted.

Those that fear attacks against planes stay in Europe.

[bvar22]

7. No data to back an Invasion an Occupation of Iraq either!

No data....no data at all.

[Adams Wulff]

8. Funny how it's been Air France the last 2 times...

after all that French bashing last year. Or am I just too sensitive?

[Born Free]

16. "Funny how it's been Air France the last 2 times..."

Payback!

[nolabels]

9. A friend in need is friend indeed, thanks France

I still eat French fries and they can stick that word 'Freedom fries' back up the pie hole it came out of. Did I say, I hate when people talk out of their ass yet?

[MrPrax]

10. Airline industry...

I don't know enough to comment entirely...

BUT is it possible that the Bushites are using these 'terror' alerts to gain a bigger share of the transatlantic flight market for the struggling US airlines...

I mean it seems that only foreign airlines are having their flights cancelled and delayed--there must be a revenue loss element as well as undermining the confidence of airline customers here.

Afterall, people will still have to get to to their destinations at some point?

Am I just tinfoil-ing here?

[jpak]

11. In addition to the 911 and WMD commissions

we need a commission to look at ChimpCo's abuse of Terra 'Lerts...

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. And who the fuck are Tom Ridge's

private Intel sources?

I have a hunch that some of the Intel he's getting comes from right-wing wacko, self made terrorist experts, who are spreading all the al Qaeda chatter all over the internet.

[beanball]

13. Chicken little "the sky is falling"

I thought it was against the law to scream fire in a theater? ,but bushco does it all the time and they get away with it.

[yellowcanine]

14. WMD Lies Coming Home to Roost - BigTime!

Bush = The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Now no one believes him.
So we are f*****d if a real terror threat is picked up by our intelligence agencies and no one else has it. Anyone feeling safer yet because we captured Saddam? Thanks W.

[mn9driver]

17. Let's see, Xmas, New Years, Superbowl, look for the next

batch of uncorroborated terror flight cancellations in the Easter/Spring Break time frame.

[pinniped]

18. Dept. of Homeland Losers gets info from Miss Cleo.

Let me guess, they can't reveal what sort of BS "chatter" they heard because it would jeapordize intelligence operations.