There’s no biz like the angst biz: Unconfirmed terror threat rattles pre-9/11 NYC

Speaking of angst, here was the phys-ops circus again. Thursday, Sept. 8, three days before 9/11: full-dress cammo-wearing, armed soldiers, police and police cars galore, helicopters buzzing overhead, airport personnel opening bags, scanning bodies, old folks shivering with fright at attack dogs, a wide shot of the Brooklyn Bridge, icon of Walt Whitman and Hart Crane’s downgraded America on the TV screen, mainstream media poised for the event . . . a field-day for Homeland Security, defense stocks climbing, just like a decade ago, and . . .

CBS anchors giving us their most serious voices: “U.S. officials said Thursday they were investigating a credible but unconfirmed threat that al Qaeda was planning to use a car bomb to target bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington to coincide with the 10^th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the first tip of an ‘active plot’ around that date.” Well, I’ll leave it to theologians to tell me what credible but unconfirmed threat’ means. It’s serious but not? It is but it ain’t? It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing,” or what?

The anchors went on, “U.S. officials said Thursday they were investigating a credible but unconfirmed threat that al Qaeda was planning to use a car bomb to target bridges or tunnels.” I thought, didn’t the Dancing Israelis do that in 2001, then the Times Square Car-Bomber in New York City to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the first tip of an “active plot” around that date, meaning what, the plot was moving forward, where, when, up or down?

And then they repeated again, the only semi-fact they had, “According to CBS News correspondent Bob Orr, this threat is specific and credible but unconfirmed, meaning that intelligence agencies across the government have picked up a threat stream from overseas and that there is a full court press by the FBI, CIA and others to refute or corroborate the information.” In other words, nobody is talking to anybody, just like on 9/11, and another 3,000 could get smeared, or not.

Orr added, “Law enforcement officials were investigating three people” (only three, I thought, for such an important event) “who recently entered the U.S. The threat was received by the U.S. intelligence community late Wednesday night, officials said.” So why did they wait for more than a week to pass it on?

“There is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information,” repeated Janice Fedarcyk, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York division. “As we always do before important dates like the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more reporting in the coming days.” I’m sure you will, from some wing-nut somewhere.

“Sources told CBS News that the threat specifically has come from Pakistan [new fact], which is home to terror groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, the organization behind the failed Times Square bombing attempt.” So it’s a good thing we’re drone-bombing them into the stone-age and showing them what tough guys we are. Isn’t that what the War on Terror has degraded into, a third war.

The anchors said, “A federal law enforcement source told CBS News that operatives are acting on Osama bin Laden’s wishes to time an attack to the anniversary.” You see, they didn’t forget the Boss. It’s like he wrote it in a will; “hey, bomb them on holidays and 9/11. These people revel in it so they can start some new wars.”

“While the report is unconfirmed, a number of officials say that there are enough elements lined up to have them concerned about this threat stream more so than the others they have seen in recent days.” All very vague and gauzy, but nevertheless, be frightened.

Bloomberg to the rescue

Then “At a news conference Thursday night, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said [again] ‘a terror threat against the city is credible but not corroborated.’” He said at police headquarters, the New York Police Department is “deploying additional resources around city to keep residents safe.” What would we do without this guy? Now, we’ve got a cop in every public nook and cranny and a soldier, both with machine-guns. Quality of life is way up. We’re so safe we can’t go out the door without cops giving you the eye.

“Bloomberg also said that there was no reason for people to change their daily routines, but mentioned: ‘If you see something, say something.’’’ I don’t believe he said it; the most overused advertising cliché in the city. In the TV ad campaign, people leave backpacks on buses and trains and walk away. Then the spooky announcer intones, “When you see somebody leave a package on a bus or train, it may not be by accident. So ‘IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.’” I keep hearing Jerry Lewis’s funny voice shouting “Laaaady, Laaaady, you forgot the bomb, you . . .” And she says, “Shuddup, schmuck, it’s just a big kreploch.”

Then there were flashing lights on TV and: “NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said he’s increasing patrols and the towing of illegally parked cars” (great news for all the poor people without garages). “He said there will be more bomb-sniffing dogs on the streets and an increased focus on bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure.” Again, that’s the storyline of the Dancing Israelis. But now we have EZ-PASS and cars or vans can just zip by toll booths. The statement was, do be afraid of using bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure. But the subtext was, stay in your house in a closet with blinders on. You’ll feel great. It’s good for the skin.

What’s more, “A federal source told CBS News that FBI and intelligence authorities are currently tracking two distinct threat streams—one involving a car bombing threat in New York or Washington and a separate threat against bridges and tunnels in New York. It is unknown if there is a correlation between the two threats.” They’ve got all the bases covered but a lot of unknowns and unconfirmeds, reminding me of the first idiots who let the whole thing happen in 2001 and couldn’t even shoot down one airliner, except Flight 93, on 9/11. Lucky us. Poor victims. Or are we more of the same?

But then, “A White House official told CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller that President Obama was briefed about the threat Thursday morning and had been updated all day.” Between you and me, this would kill Obama’s speech ratings. But, “The United States government has already significantly enhanced its security posture in advance of the 9/11 anniversary to protect the country against possible terrorist threats,” said the official.

Like Wow! There were more cops down at the new WTC than people on Sunday, 9/11, with every side street cordoned off, so you couldn’t get to see the new WTC unless you were a Victim Family member. First Responders were banned because they might make a fuss over not getting covered by the Zagroda act for cancer. Clergy were banned perhaps because of all the fuss over the proposed mosque last year.

Some WeAreChange young people and I were stuck in front St. Peter’s Chapel on Broadway and Vesey Street, trying to pass out “9/11 was an Inside Job” literature to the dumbed-down crowds rolling by, many who did stop to ask questions about our claim, including members of a large motorcycle gang, straight from central casting. This was a new adventure in the police state, by any criteria.

The anchors had said, “Nevertheless, the president directed the counterterrorism community to redouble its efforts in response to this credible but unconfirmed information.” Remember those three words and nothing else. And do as you are told. Just then, a white-shirted police captain saw us passing out literature and talking to people, and said as he pointed to us, “You, you guys, across the street. That’s where you can picket. Not here. Go!” And so, we were “allowed” to push back a heavy metal stanchion, cross the street, and join more WeAreChange members in front of the Chase Bank (the financial terrorists), as crowds looked at us in awe as the chants went up, “9/11 was an Inside Job, 9/11 was an Inside Job.”

Curiously, we were joined by two Native Americans in native dress, one wearing a T-shirt that showed Sitting Bull and three armed sidekicks. It read “Homeland Security—Fighting Terrorism Since 1492.” There was also a young Orthodox Jewish man, black fedora and beard who hadn’t swallowed the Zionist Kool-Aid, and was shouting pieces of history on previous false-flag attacks, including how Hitler took over in Poland with Operation Himmler, having SS troops dressed as Polish troops storm a German border post and kill several Germans. That was used as a premise to attack Poland (full tale linked). Ah, but life is full of surprises.

But “White House officials said there were no plans to change Obama’s travel schedule on Sunday in light of the threat. The president is scheduled to mark the 9/11 anniversary with stops at New York’s Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., He will also deliver remarks Sunday night at a memorial concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington.” Ah, the sound of music to wash all the pain and suffering and insanity away.

“It’s accurate that there is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information,” Homeland Security Department spokesman Matt Chandler said in a statement; “As we always do before important dates like the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more reporting in the coming days.” Undoubtedly, more and more and more and more . . . to burn in more hatred, anger, and fear, and erase sanity altogether.

Chandler added, “The nation’s terror alert level has not changed, but raising it was under consideration Thursday night.” So, did they change it or not? Are we safe or not? Or is this all make-believe? Stay tuned. You never know. Better safe than sorry and all the usual clichés.

In fact, “Earlier, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said there was no information about a specific threat around the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks but there is ‘a lot of chatter.’” Oh those damned “chattering terrorists! Napolitano told reporters Thursday that “in the intel world there is lots of chatter and we are taking it very seriously.”

And the parade of the dumbed-down passed, led by our protectors one more time, to kill more people and take all our rights away anywhere on any given day. I felt so safe I dared to stare back at the police captain and his brutes. He winced.

And this is why, “CBS News reports that the secretary said more federal air marshals would be deployed for the anniversary but wouldn’t specify other measures being taken by Homeland Security and other agencies other than that they were ‘preparing accordingly.’”

And there was the icing on the cake. More “security,” god help us. As suddenly a roaring column of police motorcycles zoomed up Vesey Street followed by black, lights flashing, dark tinted windowed SUVs, one of them carrying Obama to the airport? And Bugs Bunny appeared in my mind saying, “That’s All Folks” as the Loony Tunes music faded over and out.

Jerry Mazza is a freelance writer, life-long resident of New York City. An EBook version of his book of poems “State Of Shock,” on 9/11 and its after effects is now available at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. He has also written hundreds of articles on politics and government as Associate Editor of Intrepid Report (formerly Online Journal). Reach him at gvmaz@verizon.net.