Nightline coming up at 11:30pm ET - staged missile story

[foxglove1]

Will this be swept under the rug also?

Sue

[flyingfish]

1. Staged missile story?

What did I miss in four hours?

[Wonk]

2. on edit: foxglove1 has a better link, re: "staged"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=63288&mesg_id=63288
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=64692

[foxglove1]

3. Here

Less Than Meets
the Eye?
U.S. Government Sting Operation Criticized as Setup

By Brian Ross

Aug. 13— Administration officials are leaving out key facts and exaggerating the significance of the alleged plot to smuggle a shoulder-launched missile into the United States, law enforcement officials told ABCNEWS. They say there's a lot less than meets the eye.

<snip>

Outside the courtroom, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie called Lakhani an ally of terrorists who want to kill Americans.

"He, on many occasions, in recorded conversations, referred to Americans as 'bastards' Osama bin Laden as a hero," said Christie.

But what he did not say was just how much of the alleged missile plot was a government setup from start to finish.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/World/missile030813_sting.html

Sue

[eablair3]

8. Something was FISHY with this news story -propaganda and security

I saw this big news story and the big press conference today. I saw the relatively detailed descriptions of the investigation that they supposedly used to get these guys. It was the lead on all national newscasts. More fear.

And, I just kept wondering why the heck are they making this big press conference out of this and letting out how they caught these guys. Are these guys the only "terrorists" or people selling to
"terrorists"? Aren't others that are doing the same thing going to be watching all these reports and press conferences? Doesn't it impact other future investigations to detail it out like this? Isn't this going to have an adverse impact on national security to let out details of the investigation like this?

Why wouldn't they wait til they actually get convictions before holding a celebration and patting each other on the back? Seems obvious to me that it was a propaganda move. That U.S, Attorney has now made a name for himself. At what cost? I keep wondering why they wouldn't just shut up, say they caught guys, and not give any details. Aren't others going to be studying what they did, and be sure to institute precautions so that they don't get caught like these guys did?

If you were an arms dealer, wouldn't you be paying particularly close attention to all of those details?

I had some real suspicions that there was more to all this than was being said.

[Dhalgren]

4. Right

According to ABC News (on Night Line) the man arrested in this sting operation had no Al Quaeda connections, no russian missle connections and had no criminal or arms dealing connections at all. According to Ted, the man was "set up" by the CIA and FBI on all sides. This is a travesty!

[varun]

5. News Leak Blows Big Opportunity

http://www.msnbc.com/news/952001.asp?0cv=CB10

...But even so, U.S. law-enforcement sources tell NEWSWEEK, the damage was done. The FBI had to abort its plan to recruit Lakhani as an informant and instead charged him today in federal court in Newark, N.J., with weapons smuggling and with providing material support to terrorists. Also arrested in the case were two alleged confederates—a New York City jeweler and a Malaysian businessman—who were charged with conspiring to operate an unlicensed money-transfer business....


:grr:

[grasswire]

6. I'm gonna have to start....

.....calling these people the Apple Dumpling Gang pretty soon. (With sincere apologies to Don Knotts and Tim Conway.)

What a bunch of shmucks! Is Karen Hughes planning this stuff?

[MattNC]

7. Nightline

One of the few good news programs left out there.

[revcarol]

9. Was it soft-pedalled?

I have been so disappointed in Nightline recently. It seems they get to the edge of really discovering the truth and then back off.