Bob: Terrorist threat?

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 02 Aug 2004 00:12

I'm not sure how much coverage this got out of Australia - I presume it made the news in the US as well.

Recently a United Airlines plane left Sydney for a US destination (I'm not sure which and too lazy to find out). However early in the flight the plane turned back because of a "bomb threat"

A few days later it was revealed that the "bomb threat" was infact the word "bob" written on a sickbag.

The pilot feared that this could stand for "Bomb on Board" and after consulting his boss' in the US, decided to turn the plane around. I'm sure it must have been a big shock when no bomb was found on the plane...

There are a number of different theories as to what "bob" could have stood for - including the slim possibility that it was actually somebodies name...

Personally I think that this was an irrational and paranoid action and completely unnecessary. While people have put forward the arguement that it is "better safe than sorry" - I believe that some degree of common sense is necessary. I'm sure it is possible to turn every name into an acronym for a terrorist threat. However due to incredible unlikelyhood that a terrorist would feel the need to write a cryptic warning - rather than an obvious warning or no warning - I think it's a worthwhile risk to assume people may write names or harmless acronyms on paper...

I'm interested to know if other people agree or not...

bigdirtyfoot · Post by **bigdirtyfoot** » 02 Aug 2004 04:04

Just
Every
Retarded
Excuse
(for)
Maiming
Youngins

Yeah I think that was kinda ridiculous. I haven't heard about that, but then again, I slept almost 24 hours yesterday.

kaos · Post by **kaos** » 02 Aug 2004 04:36

Yeah, I read about that sometime last week. I thought it was kinda weird, because they didn't say what was written in the note, kinda makes sense now.

I think its a bit ridiculous, if I was a passenger on that flight, I would seriously consider sueing the airline for wasting my time. I agree with you that they were being paranoid, why on earth would a terrorist write a cryptic note? It would either be a explicit warning, or no warning at all...

Kobus - Kobus Blows Up Shit.

(

the best I can do, and its recursive...)

bigdirtyfoot · Post by **bigdirtyfoot** » 02 Aug 2004 06:05

Also, I would be bold enough to make the assumption that terrorists sometimes misspell things. Perhaps Bob *meant* "bomb." Or perhaps the pilot was dyslexic.

Seath · Post by **Seath** » 02 Aug 2004 08:24

Radiate Your America Now!

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 03 Aug 2004 15:47

Detonate
Another
Mine
On em'
Nasty critters

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 04 Aug 2004 13:28

Homeland Security should create a new "bob squad", to deal with this new and innovative threat.

-n

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 06 Aug 2004 12:57

"Suicide bobber"

-n

shredj · Post by **shredj** » 06 Aug 2004 13:48

hey nate do you actually play footbag?

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 06 Aug 2004 15:33

Yeah, I just get sucked into the disc. forum during the downtime, which is several months now.

Getting locals to play is like pulling teeth.

Practicing footbag alone is zero fun for me.

In the meantime, I provide input in the Discussion section. I debate these important topics with the goal of protecting footbag and footbaggers.

Political topics may not seem to matter to these ends, but i'll give a few examples later.

-n

Maraxus · Post by **Maraxus** » 06 Aug 2004 15:33

A ir
A laska
R eadily
O rganized to
N uke

FlexThis · Post by **FlexThis** » 06 Aug 2004 15:45

Maraxus,

That avatar is hilarious.

MegaFighter_X · Post by **MegaFighter_X** » 07 Aug 2004 02:06

Jumping
On
Horny
Nuns.

lightningbolt · Post by **lightningbolt** » 08 Aug 2004 14:58

M ental

J umping

P eas

My name was too long

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 08 Aug 2004 20:30

yeah, um some how I think some of the threats people have come up with wouldn't get the plane turned around.

As this topic is in the Discussion forum, I was actually hoping for a little discussion on the topic - although obviously I am asking a lot and I shouldn't set my sights so high

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 08 Aug 2004 20:51

I remember there was an incident some time ago where one of the crew, a pilot I think, was named Jack.

So over the radio, somebody said "Hi Jack".

Somebody else heard this and thought they said "Hijack".

So they diverted the plane or something.

Do you want to discuss airborne hijack threats, or talk about ways that passengers can be the "hero" on the plane, since all we hear about is how passengers should just sit there and do nothing, like fucking sheep.

With recent "dry runs" being conducted by arab looking dudes , to see how much bullshit they can actually get away with before an Air marshal exposes himself, this should be a hot topic.

-n

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 08 Aug 2004 22:21

are you serious about the dry runs thing? do they keep a note pad? "okay, pissed on the dinner cart. that got some attention, but no marshal... maybe there isn't one on this plane..."

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 09 Aug 2004 13:37

Here's the link to one passengers story a on Women Wallstreet about a Detriot to LA flight:

http://www.womenswallstreet.com/WWS/art ... icleid=711

The type of behavior that occured is very suspicious. Later it was learned that one of the musicians had written suicide bombing songs in the past.

Jacobsons article has been hushed up, with airline and security officials are implying that Jacobson is just a "paranoid racist"(my words)

Other airline employees quitely report similar incidents on other flights.

Apparently, the fact that these "dry-runs" are occuring often might scare passengers and cause a drop in fliers.

Protecting their job, and maintaining "ridership" looks more important than security.

Presently, it is ILLEGAL (FAA regulations) for airlines to detain for extra security more 2 people of the same minority on the same flight
. So if you see 12 arab guys on a plane, you can probably bet that 2 or less were given a second look.

Fly the friendly skies.

-n

lightningbolt · Post by **lightningbolt** » 09 Aug 2004 13:57

Arg! I had this huge comment typed up and my computer decied that was a good time to freeze! I hate Dells!

Jeremy wrote:- although obviously I am asking a lot and I shouldn't set my sights so high

Just a tad to high.

Alaska kind of had a "Highjack" scare on 9-11. There was a Air-Japan
(could have been China, I don't rember) plane that set there transponder to "711" which means highjack. As you can guess, people at Air Traffic Control freaked out. They pliot didn't answer the ATC request to turn around. They were head to Anchorage, were 70% of the population lives. So, the Air force sent 7 fully armed F-16 to the plane. When, 7 F-16 planes pull up next to your plane you get the idea. It finally got the idea to turn around. I think it landed in Whitehorse, Canda. Actually, the planes had orders to shoot the plane down, but for some reason, It got lost in translation.