# Al Queda sleeper cell in Denver **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666 "2009-09-19T00:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/21 "2009-09-19T22:20:10Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > Denver is 5,280’ above sea level. Aaaah, ok. I guess if I actually had the feet in a mile memorized I would have caught on. I was trying to associate 5280 with some kind of terrorist thing or something. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/22 "2009-09-19T22:36:20Z")
> [@Shig](#): > > Aaaah, ok. I guess if I actually had the feet in a mile memorized I would have caught on. I was trying to associate 5280 with some kind of terrorist thing or something. Did you get enough answers? 😃 The latest CNN story, while sketchy in parts, suggests that Zazi was under surveillance, but that the traffic stop was unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/23 "2009-09-20T00:13:51Z")
[From ABC News.](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/suspects-computer-show-sports-stadiums-fashion-sites/Story?id=8618732&page=1) > [@](#): > > The officials said text messages sent by Zazi suggest the plot was nearing the attack phase. One message said the “wedding cake is ready,” which authorities say may have been code to indicate the attack was ready. Al Qaeda operatives have frequently used references to weddings to disguise planned terror attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/24 "2009-09-20T04:45:30Z")
I think I’d like to be in a sleeper cell, it might help my insomnia. What? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/25 "2009-09-20T05:11:45Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > ..and is looking to cut a deal with the Feds. More virgins? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/26 "2009-09-20T05:20:11Z")
They’d apparently tried to rent a U-Haul, but were rebuffed due to credit card issues. … If they were up to anything, that’s kind of a suggestion that it was real darn close. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/27 "2009-09-20T12:46:48Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > They’d apparently tried to rent a U-Haul, but were rebuffed due to credit card issues. > > … If they were up to anything, that’s kind of a suggestion that it was real darn close. I’m picturing a new Free Credit Report dot com commercial! ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/28 "2009-09-20T12:59:35Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > They’d apparently tried to rent a U-Haul, but were rebuffed due to credit card issues. > > … If they were up to anything, that’s kind of a suggestion that it was real darn close. I guess we are lucky that terrorists are too dumb to use cash, eh? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/29 "2009-09-20T15:30:30Z")
Ivan, the guy before last who blew up the World Trade went back to U-Haul and demanded a refund on his truck since it got blown up in the bombing. Actually, in New York, using cash might get more attention than using a card. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/30 "2009-09-20T15:43:12Z")
Zazi, his father, and a New York man have been [arrested](http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/20/terror.probe/index.html) for giving false statements. Sounds like a holding charge to me. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/31 "2009-09-20T17:05:55Z")
Hmm, lessee here… GWB Admin: Numerous “terror alerts”, with no specified details, resulting in lots of fearmongering and longer waits at the airport, no actual plots uncovered, no people arrested. At the same time, there are successful, coordinated terrorist attacks in NYC, London, and Madrid. Not a single attack was thwarted (random shoe bombers aside) and at least one CIA operative was “outed” for purely political purposes. Obama Admin: Major plot uncovered, with arrests made, plenty of evidence made public, no terror alert issued, no fearmongering. I think it’s obvious which party actually cares about our safety. Oh, and the economy’s doing better, too. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/32 "2009-09-20T19:59:19Z")
I keep reading articles about this trying to get to the meat of the matter, but there doesn’t seem to be any meat there. It is interesting what “making false statements” can get you if you are exactly the wrong kind of person. Because making false statements is a huge industry in the US. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/33 "2009-09-20T20:14:07Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Ivan, the guy before last who blew up the World Trade went back to U-Haul and demanded a refund on his truck since it got blown up in the bombing. > > Actually, in New York, using cash might get more attention than using a card. I imagine that in most places these days, using cash to rent a car, buy a plane ticket etc. is going to get you noticed/checked out by the powers that be MUCH more closely than a credit card transaction would. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/34 "2009-09-20T20:21:12Z")
> [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](#): > > I keep reading articles about this trying to get to the meat of the matter, but there doesn’t seem to be any meat there. > > It is interesting what “making false statements” can get you if you are exactly the wrong kind of person. Because making false statements is a huge industry in the US. Well, we can hold you for 72 hours for **nothing**. If there’s good reason to believe that these guys were about to pull off _9/11 2: The Revenge_, then I’m not too concerned with slapping an ambiguous charge on them to hold them a few extra days while the situation is sorted out. If they’re innocent, they will (hopefully, though I realize not necessarily, unfortunately) be fully exonerated. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/35 "2009-09-20T23:44:14Z")
> [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](#): > > It is interesting what “making false statements” can get you if you are exactly the wrong kind of person. Because making false statements is a huge industry in the US. Well, it did take down that notorious criminal Martha Stewart. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/36 "2009-09-21T00:52:53Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Which after the novelty of sitting exactly 5280 feet, and the incredible view wear off you realize they are really crappy seats, and you can’t see anything. Which is it, an incredible view or can’t see anything? ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/37 "2009-09-21T01:12:08Z")
You can see the mountains better than the game. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/38 "2009-09-21T01:15:17Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Which is it, an incredible view or can’t see anything? “It’s incredible–I’m up this high, and I still can’t see anything!” ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666/39 "2009-09-21T04:37:17Z")
You wanna create terror in Denver? Pave I-70 properly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-queda-sleeper-cell-in-denver/510666.md?page=1)