CNN: Just Kidding, Big False Alarm

See, that's just the problem. We don't even listen to you anymore.

Wolf Blitzer could tell me that Zawahiri was under my bed, and I wouldn't believe it.

Told ya so, Part 1: CNN says "just kidding" after terror scare

From Attytood

Also, you should remember all that talk earlier this week about the terrorist dry runs at airports here in the U.S. Well, just kidding. It turns out it was all one big false alarm. We'll explain.

-- CNN anchor T.J. Holmes, at the top of Saturday morning newscast (via Nexis).

We hate to say we told you so, but....we told you so: Those terrorist "dry runs" at airports that bumped a slew of bad news for President Bush off the front page and scared a lot of summer vacationers in the process, were, as CNN itself confessed in a different report, "bogus":

(CNN reporter Brian) TODD: In fact, a U.S. government official familiar with the investigation now says there were valid explanations for all four incidents in that bulletin and no charges will be brought in any of these cases.

(on camera): TSA officials first told us the incident with Sara Weiss got put on that bulletin because of a systems error. But they also say they were right to put all these incidents on that alert because whenever they find suspicious objects, they have to run them to ground and tell law enforcement officials to look out for items like that.

The story also featured an interview with Weiss (pictured at top), the 66-year-old woman who had a leaky ice pack in her luggage visiting family in San Diego, and she confirmed that a federal agent asked her: "Do you know Osama bin Laden?" And you thought the government had stopped looking for him!

After searching the site, I did find a link to a video of Todd's report.

Two things here:

One, I generally like CNN anchor Holmes and his occasionally "flip" attitude today the news, but "just kidding"? How about, "we're sorry"? CNN in particular, had run wild with this story last week, when a lot more people are watching than on a Saturday morning.

Which is the other thing here: Not only did CNN air it's "just kidding" report over the weekend, when few folks are watching, but a visit to the online news section of its popular Web site finds the original scare story about terrorist "dry runs," but no mention of the later mea culpa. So they corrected the story quickly over the disappearing airwaves -- but except for diligent online searchers who could dig up that short video, they pretty much sent it right down the memory hole. In fact, a Google news search for "terrorist" and "dry run" mostly only turns up the original "news," not the debunking. The main exception is this story on the progressive news site, Raw Story.

Even though they were likely misled by government sources, CNN should still apologize for airing bad information, and correct it in the public record that matters most in 2007, and that is the Internet.

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. I.U. has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is I.U endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)

The Nazis, Fascists and Communists were political parties before they became enemies of liberty and mass murderers.

Thinking about another terrorist attack

They are going to have to be pretty desperate and martial law will have to be required, at some point and at some places, but not all.

There are far too many Americans who question the official story of 9/11. Another attack is going to send antennas skyward and unfurl red-flags everywhere.

Told a friend not long ago that I didn't believe that there would be another attack on U.S. soil, because that would be the end of the Republican Party, as we know it.

If investigations begin, into the shadier, if not out-right criminal actions of this administation, we might well get another attack.

That, however, does not mean that anyone should slack off on the Bushites.

Constant, consistent pressure.....


(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. I.U. has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is I.U endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)


The Nazis, Fascists and Communists were political parties before they became enemies of liberty and mass murderers.

So, we are safer, eh?

Tony Snow was right about one thing: The whole world is watching

The whole world is against us., as well.

This, all because of G.W. Bush and his happy band of delusional NeoCons.

Well, at least these terrorists, whomever they are, went after the government and not citizens.

Hey, W.! There are consequences for more than elections! You do not own the freakin' world!

By ANTHEE CARASSAVA

ATHENS, Jan. 12 — Shortly before sunrise today, a missile ripped through the United States embassy here, causing minor damage to the building but no injuries. The missile was fired from the street over a 10-foot high security wall, smashing the glass in front of the embassy and spraying debris inside.

“We have yet to locate the staging area of this rocket attack,” said Assimakis Golfas, the head police chief of the greater Athens area. “We are scouring the region, mainly buildings across from the embassy.”

Vyron Polydoras, the public order minister, said an anonymous caller, claiming to be a member of the Revolutionary Struggle terror group, had telephoned a local security company to claim responsibility for the attack, which occurred just before 6:00 a.m.

“We’re investigating whether in fact this claim is true,” Mr. Polydoras said after visiting the site.

Charles Ries, the American ambassador, said this morning that the embassy had not been warned of an attack.

“We can’t speculate who’s behind this,” Mr. Ries told reporters. “Still, treat it as a very serious attack. There can be no justification for such a senseless act of violence.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in Washington, was awakened to the news that the embassy in Greece “was under attack,” an embassy official said.

The embassy said in a statement that it was hit by a missile. Mr. Ries said that the site was not occupied at the time of the attack and that it was now a crime scene under investigation by Greek authorities.Revolutionary Struggle, a Marxist group with strong anti-American sentiments, emerged in 2003, bombing an Athens courthouse complex.

The group remains the most active Greek terror organization since the downfall of the country’s most deadly urban guerrilla group, November 17, blamed for killing 23 people — including American, British and Turkish officials — and for dozens of bomb attacks.

Today’s hit against the United States mission was not unprecedented.

On Feb. 15, 1996, an anti-tank rocket hit an outside wall of the embassy, damaging three diplomatic vehicles. While no group claimed responsibility, American officials believe the attack was committed by November 17.

The November 17 guerrilla group was dismantled in 2002. Since then, however, a string of copycat terror cells have emerged, striking government buildings and foreign business interests.

This morning’s attack forced the embassy to re-evaluate its security, already among the tightest at American diplomatic missions.

The mission is surrounded by a high steel fence. Guards are posted at every entrance and at street corners around it.

Authorities this morning were searching apartment buildings near the embassy, a hospital and a nearby construction site for evidence that could explain how terrorists managed to penetrate the capital’s most guarded district and attack the mission.

Local residents called in to state television saying they had felt the powerful explosion, which shattered windows in the front of the building.

This morning’s explosion snarled traffic for more than three hours, as scores of policemen cordoned off streets around the embassy. Police helicopters monitored the sky, circling over the building.

A strong anti-American sentiment runs through a segment of the Greek population. Still, senior Greek government officials condemned the attack.

“Such actions in the past have had a very heavy cost for the country — moral, financial and for the international standing of the country,” said Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who visited the embassy after the blast. “The Greek government is determined to undertake every effort to not allow such phenomena to be repeated in the future.”