# Innocent accident...or are terrorists up to something new? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 23, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320 "2004-12-23T12:41:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/1 "2004-12-23T12:41:25Z")
> [@](#): > > [Washington Times](http://washingtontimes.com/metro/20041222-104117-5477r.htm) (bolding mine) > A fuel tanker crashed near the Pentagon early yesterday, sparking multiple explosions that sent flames nearly 50 feet in the air and shut down a major highway for several hours overnight. > > ``` > The driver, Michael Jerome Guess, 31, of Rockville, died in the accident, authorities said. Mr. Guess worked for Quarles Trucking in Manassas. > > "You can't even recognize it anymore, it's basically a pile of steel," Arlington County Chief Fire Marshal Carol Saulnier said of the 8,500-gallon gasoline tanker's condition. > > Gas from the burning tanker flowed into storm drains, sparking smaller fires. > > The blasts — less than a mile from the Pentagon — terrified several nearby residents who were reminded of the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. > > "It was quite impressive, it makes you think of a Bruce Willis movie or something like that," said Mike Laba, who lives nearby. "The last time I saw something that impressive was when I was at the Pentagon on September 11." > > Much of the interstate was closed while the fire burned for more than three hours. > > **The flames were so intense that they melted asphalt and part of a street lamp, and charred the underside of an overpass ramp** , said Ryan Hall, Virginia Department of Transportation spokesman. > > ``` I wonder someone might be planning to take down vital highway structures. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/2 "2004-12-23T16:21:12Z")
If they did it this way, they would have to first learn how to drive those rigs. Then, either get jobs in the industry or plan to steal a truck. (not as easy as it sounds) Oh and then you have to have a target. Or several targets. There are that many vital places where traffic could not easily be diverted. Yes it may be a hassel for several months while the bridge was being repaired but big whoop. And this sort of attack doesn’t accomplish killing very many infidels, which is something terrorists seem to enjoy doing. In fact they would probably rather blow a vital pizza joint with lots of people in it rather than a bridge. So dont’ worry about the bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/3 "2004-12-23T16:32:27Z")
Y’know, I’ve often wondered about terrorism along these lines. Think of the chaos you could cause by stealing a semi, jack-knifing it or even flipping it accross traffic immediately before rush hour and then just wandering off. And if you had 5 buddies doing the same thing at strategic points all over town…talk about disruption! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/4 "2004-12-23T16:44:12Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > If they did it this way, they would have to first learn how to drive those rigs. Then, either get jobs in the industry or plan to steal a truck. (not as easy as it sounds) Or rent one. A big U-Haul or two full of AMFO could do a hell of a lot of damage. > [@](#): > > Oh and then you have to have a target. Or several targets. There are that many vital places where traffic could not easily be diverted. Sure there are. Washington, DC only has five bridges leading in from Virginia, not couting the ones on the Beltway. Closing them would effectively shut down our capital indefinately. > [@](#): > > And this sort of attack doesn’t accomplish killing very many infidels, which is something terrorists seem to enjoy doing. In fact they would probably rather blow a vital pizza joint with lots of people in it rather than a bridge. Have you forgotten about 9/11? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/5 "2004-12-23T16:50:27Z")
BTW: it doesn’t have to be Middle Eastern terrorists. A group of Timothy McVeighs can have the same effect. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/6 "2004-12-23T16:55:06Z")
Indeed, in the 1980s and 1990s, the IRA used to perform “economic sabotage” in London by blowing up infrastructure points, not people. Assuming that the only intention behind Al Qaeda is to kill “infidels” is to get the wrong end of the stick. I recommend subscribing to the newsletter at [Stratfor](http://www.stratfor.com/). ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/7 "2004-12-23T19:04:25Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > If they did it this way, they would have to first learn how to drive those rigs. Then, either get jobs in the industry or plan to steal a truck. (not as easy as it sounds) Can’t be much harder than breaking into a cockpit and learning how to fly. Since there aren’t any metal detectors around trucks, it shouldn’t be very difficult to pull a Saturday Night Special out of your pocket and convince a truck driver to hand over the keys (If they’re not still in the ignition) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/8 "2004-12-23T19:18:09Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Or rent one. A big U-Haul or two full of AMFO could do a hell of a lot of damage. Sure there are. Washington, DC only has five bridges leading in from Virginia, not couting the ones on the Beltway. Closing them would effectively shut down our capital indefinately.Have you forgotten about 9/11? No I haven’t forgotten about 9/11 and the 3000 DEATHS! And I live in NYC and my traffic pattern was hardly disrupted. My train was making it’s regular stop at WTC in a very short time. Blow up all the bridges leading into DC and the army core of engineers will have at least one temp bridge up in less than 12 hours. Look at the bridges they built during WWII in combat zones. Al Quada has better things to do than tie up traffic. McVeigh didn’t do much to tie up traffic but he did KILL LOTS OF PEOPLE. Terrorism is about KILLING PEOPLE, not causing delays. If they blew up the Lincoln Tunnel they would do it when it was full of people and they would do it to kill those people, not to cause traffic delays. Yes I know that Al Quaedia also has other things on it’s mind than killing people. The WTC was also an economic target as were the embassy bombings. There is a difference however, between terrorism and an inconvenience. Diverted traffic is an inconvenience. Jack knifing several semis and walking away is a inconvenience. Seeing new terrorism where it is just an inconvenience is silly and going around trying to scare people by calling it terrorism is, IMHO irresponsible. This truck didn’t even take out the bridge. It ‘charred the underside of an overpass ramp’, what is the big deal? Why does this make the NEW TERROR POSSIBILITY alarm go off? It is just a traffic accident! ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/9 "2004-12-23T19:43:43Z")
Well before this accident here in DC, there was a much more devastating occurrence in Baltimore that was basically identical to this one except for the overall amount of damage. Up at the intersection of I-695 and I-83, a tractor-trailer came around a downhill ramp too fast, lost traction, and slid into the pillars of the underpass, engulfing the I-695 deck and pavement in a fireball. The overpass was usable but considered a total loss in terms of structural integrity – the fireball had cooked the steel, asphalt, and concrete and put all manner of unnatural stresses on them. They had to rebuild the overpass, and traffic up there was awful for almost a year while they routed both directions of flow over the one remaining span. But you know what? People still got to work, and other than the four or five people who died in the crash, and maybe someone who had a heart attack because of high blood pressure caused by the bad traffic, it was basically a non-event. This accident was the same thing: an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/10 "2004-12-23T20:51:11Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > No I haven’t forgotten about 9/11 and the 3000 DEATHS! The hijackers’ ultimate goal was to wreck a symbol of capitalism, not killing people. > [@](#): > > Blow up all the bridges leading into DC and the army core of engineers will have at least one temp bridge up in less than 12 hours. Look at the bridges they built during WWII in combat zones. Do you have any idea of how bad traffic is in the DC area? Second only to Los Angeles. > [@](#): > > Al Quada has better things to do than tie up traffic. Again, why’s it have to be Al Quada? > [@](#): > > McVeigh didn’t do much to tie up traffic but he did KILL LOTS OF PEOPLE. He was pissed at the IRS, not trying to kill people. > [@](#): > > Terrorism is about KILLING PEOPLE, not causing delays. If they blew up the Lincoln Tunnel they would do it when it was full of people and they would do it to kill those people, not to cause traffic delays. No? A few months ago, the FBI took a videotape out of the hands of a couple with ties to Hamas. That video reportedly contained closeups of the structural work of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, not your typical vacation scene. > [@](#): > > This truck didn’t even take out the bridge. It ‘charred the underside of an overpass ramp’, what is the big deal? Why does this make the NEW TERROR POSSIBILITY alarm go off? It is just a traffic accident! There’s a bit more than what’s in the article. That area has three levels of overpasses, two of which were closed for several hours while engineers studied them to make sure they were safe to reopen. What if this wasn’t just some routine accident but the first step in discovering what would it would take for a single truck to bring down a section of highway? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/11 "2004-12-23T23:02:34Z")
Ya know, all I really wanted to say was, “_If_ it turns out something bigger is afoot, you heard it here first.” Since this thread has taken a different tack, perhaps it should be kicked over to GD. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/12 "2004-12-24T01:19:00Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > The hijackers’ ultimate goal was to wreck a symbol of capitalism, not killing people. Really?!?! So why didn’t they do it on a Sunday or at night when the buildings would be empty? That is the absoulute first time I’ve heard the idea that the goal was to destroy a symbol of capitalism and that killing was accidental. > [@](#): > > Do you have any idea of how bad traffic is in the DC area? Second only to Los Angeles. Gee, you just might have to use the subway there in DC for a day. > [@](#): > > Again, why’s it have to be Al Quada? No it doesn’t have to be them but WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE TERRORISM? > [@](#): > > He was pissed at the IRS, not trying to kill people. Really? It was the ATF/FBI he was pissed at and yes he wanted deaths or he could have struck on the weekend as well. Are now a McVeigh apologist? \*He wasn’t trying to kill people?!?! - Tell that to the girl I went to HS with, OH wait, you can’t because Timmy blew her to bits. > [@](#): > > No? A few months ago, the FBI took a videotape out of the hands of a couple with ties to Hamas. That video reportedly contained closeups of the structural work of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, not your typical vacation scene.There’s a bit more than what’s in the article. That area has three levels of overpasses, two of which were closed for several hours while engineers studied them to make sure they were safe to reopen. What if this wasn’t just some routine accident but the first step in discovering what would it would take for a single truck to bring down a section of highway? You know with that whole six degrees of seperation thing you have ties to Hamas. Oh and here in NYC people take pictures of bridges all the time. It actually is a rather typical vacation picture to take. But they have nothing to do with today’s accident now do they? It is just alarmist to claim otherwise. > [@](#): > > Ya know, all I really wanted to say was, “If it turns out something bigger is afoot, you heard it here first.” Since this thread has taken a different tack, perhaps it should be kicked over to GD. So, any new developments? Does the driver have ties to the Red Brigade? Maybe a radical splinter group of Ayn Rand readers? Look, saying 'this could be a new 9/11 anytime something goes BOOM is not a real sensible way to live your life, and if someone disagrees with you, saying “Don’t you remember 9/11?” is a fairly idiotic response, which, btw, really pissed me off. I don’t know if you ment to offend me by asking me that question, but you really did. To me, in this thread, you have come off like one of those people passing around those emails right after 9/11 about “MISSING UPS UNIFORMS” or “ARAB GUY BUYS LOTS OF CANDY AND MAY POSION ALL OUR KIDS THIS HALLOWEEN”. Except you are doing it here. The other night, I noticed an abandoned suitcase on the subway platform. This is a classic, well documented terror tactic. The Madrid train bombers left backbacks on the train. I alerted the booth clerk and stayed till the police came and took the suitcase out. It was just a lost suitcase. Terrorists do not go after symbols. Not OBL. He and his gang have definite tangible goals in what they do. But taking lives is always part of it. The Bali bombings hoped to lessen the influence of Austraila on the people of Bali by making them not come to the country. It also killed a lot of people in a night club. The destruction of the embassys in Africa, not only killed people but stopped the work that the embassys do, like getting people visas to come to America and promoting US business interests in the region. Probably the attack on the USS Cole may be seen as symbolic but not if you consider how much money the US pays to refuel it’s ships in the region and the US stopped refueling there for a while. This cuts ties between the US and another Arab world nation. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/13 "2004-12-24T03:11:30Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Really?!?! So why didn’t they do it on a Sunday or at night when the buildings would be empty? If it was to KILL PEOPLE, why not do it when the buildings were COMPLETELY FULL? > [@](#): > > _That is the absoulute first time I’ve heard the idea that the goal was to destroy a symbol of capitalism and that killing was accidental._ > [@](#): > > The Associated Press, 9/12/2001 (bolding mine) > In an unprecedented show of terrorism, the 110-story World Trade Center towers collapsed in a shower of rubble and dust yesterday morning after two hijacked airliners carrying scores of passengers **slammed into the sides of the twin symbols of American capitalism.** > [@](#): > > _Gee, you just might have to use the subway there in DC for a day._ Yeah, right. The subway is barely adequate to handle 4th of July crowds. They weren’t operating at all after 10am on 9/11 and most people stayed home on 9/12. You expect them to handle a massive influx of commuters? > [@](#): > > - No it doesn’t have to be them but WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE TERRORISM?\* You tell me. I never said it did. > [@](#): > > _Really? It was the ATF/FBI he was pissed at_ Terry Nichols, then. > [@](#): > > _He wasn’t trying to kill people?!?!_ He was targeting a building, just like the hijackers on 9/11. People were ancillary. > [@](#): > > \*Oh and here in NYC people take pictures of bridges all the time. It actually is a rather typical vacation picture to take. Including closeups of structural supports? I think not and neither did the FBI. \* > [@](#): > > _But they have nothing to do with today’s accident now do they?_ No, just a counter to your position that a terroist’s only goal is to kill. > [@](#): > > _So, any new developments? Does the driver have ties to the Red Brigade? Maybe a radical splinter group of Ayn Rand readers? Look, saying 'this could be a new 9/11 anytime something goes BOOM is not a real sensible way to live your life,_ Now you’re just getting carried away. > [@](#): > > _and if someone disagrees with you, saying “Don’t you remember 9/11?” is a fairly idiotic response, which, btw, really pissed me off. I don’t know if you ment to offend me by asking me that question, but you really did._ I disagree with you on the point that a terrorist’s goal is to KILL LOTS OF PEOPLE. > [@](#): > > _To me, in this thread, you have come off like one of those people passing around those emails right after 9/11 about “MISSING UPS UNIFORMS” or “ARAB GUY BUYS LOTS OF CANDY AND MAY POSION ALL OUR KIDS THIS HALLOWEEN”. Except you are doing it here._ Hardly. Those are urban legends. > [@](#): > > _Terrorists do not go after symbols._ Really? What about the World Trade Center (a symbol of Capitalism), the Pentagon (a symbol of our military), the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building (a symbol of the government in general), and the Los Angeles IRS office (another government symbol - which survived because the bomb was a dud)? > [@](#): > > _But taking lives is always part of it._ Yes, but taking lives doesn’t have to be a primary goal, as indicated by **jjimm**. > [@](#): > > _The destruction of the embassys in Africa, not only killed people but stopped the work that the embassys do, like getting people visas to come to America and promoting US business interests in the region._ If DC area traffic is brought to a standstill, the government would be effectively shut down until Congress can set up shop elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/14 "2004-12-24T06:14:58Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Y’know, I’ve often wondered about terrorism along these lines. Think of the chaos you could cause by stealing a semi, jack-knifing it or even flipping it accross traffic immediately before rush hour and then just wandering off. And if you had 5 buddies doing the same thing at strategic points all over town…talk about disruption! I thought I was the only one thinking along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/15 "2004-12-24T10:14:05Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > If it was to KILL PEOPLE, why not do it when the buildings were COMPLETELY FULL? Because security at Boston was most stretched, and therefore least capable, during the morning rush. > [@](#): > > Including closeups of structural supports? Yep, I’ve seen that happening in Britain. And anyway, have you got a cite for this Hamas tale? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/16 "2004-12-24T12:14:49Z")
Um, in the case at hand, the gentleman who died was a local who was making a scheduled delivery to the gas station just south of the Pentagon. It was indeed a tragic accident. So no _Hunt The Boeing_ or _They Walk Among Us_ here. It’s in the _Washington Post_ if you want more details. I normally commute on Washington Blvd. to my job in Crystal City. I had to detour around that area that day. They were still working on the inbound lane when I drove past on the way home. Now, of course, the terrorists most certainly could use such a tactic to inflict mayhem, but I don’t see it being all that likely, since like some have said, it’s not big and scarey enough, or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/17 "2004-12-24T14:50:58Z")
And seeing how there are many other ways to cross a river other than a bridge, it wouldn’t even effect the operation of our government. Subway under the river. Boats across the river. Temp bridge across the river. Helicopter over the river. Sure **Lute** may be inconvenienced, and that feeling of being stuck in traffic may induce terror in him but not very many other people. OH in (In response to me asking why this is terrorism) > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You tell me. I never said it did. What is the title of YOUR THREAD? Is it: **Innocent Accident…or are terrorists up to something new?** You have been wondering if this is a terror attack all along. > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Ya know, all I really wanted to say was, _“If it turns out something bigger is afoot, you heard it here first.”_ Since this thread has taken a different tack, perhaps it should be kicked over to GD. (emphasis mine) You are the one wondering if this is terrorism. I came in and said it’s not and you have been argueing with me ever since. Even to the point of saying that McVeigh and the 9/11 terrorists didn’t really want to kill people. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/18 "2004-12-24T16:03:54Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > And seeing how there are many other ways to cross a river other than a bridge, it wouldn’t even effect the operation of our government. Wrong. It would be worse than when the government tried to reopen three days after a blizzard dumped three feet of snow on the area. Traffic was so bad that they decided to close again the next day. Subway, boats, ACE, and helicopters are not a viable solution for transporting hundreds of thousands of government workers if a majority of the bridges are cosed. > [@](#): > > You have been wondering if this is a terror attack all along. The key word being _if_. Where did I say it _has to be_ a terror attack? > [@](#): > > I came in and said it’s not and you have been argueing with me ever since. Yes, arguing that terrorists aren’t always _just_ trying to kill. > [@](#): > > Even to the point of saying that McVeigh and the 9/11 terrorists didn’t really want to kill people. No, I’m saying that killing people isn’t necessarily their only, or even primary, goal. And I’m not the only one. Why is this so hard for you to accept? > [@Gorillaman](#): > > anyway, have you got a cite for this Hamas tale? [Two](http://www.nbc4.com/news/3679213/detail.html) [cites](http://wjz.com/localstories/local_story_237080726.html). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/innocent-accident-or-are-terrorists-up-to-something-new/281320/19 "2004-12-24T16:47:54Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Um, in the case at hand, the gentleman who died was a local who was making a scheduled delivery to the gas station just south of the Pentagon. It was indeed a tragic accident. So no Hunt The Boeing or They Walk Among Us here. It’s in the Washington Post if you want more details. Thank you for the reasonable response. 🙂 > [@](#): > > Now, of course, the terrorists most certainly could use such a tactic to inflict mayhem, but I don’t see it being all that likely, since like some have said, it’s not big and scarey enough, or whatever. You sort of get what I’ve been saying. Yes, it could happen. As for the likelyhood, who knows? Who’s to say what is big and scary enough and what isnt? Who would have thought it likely that four planes would be hijacked within minutes of each other then purposely crashed into buildings?