# Next alleged terror plot "bigger" than 9/11; okay, what could possibly be worse? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142 "2001-11-02T16:29:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/1 "2001-11-02T16:29:23Z")
The New York Times > **[A NATION CHALLENGED: THE ALERT; In Overheard Calls, Terrorists Spoke of Major...](https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/02/us/nation-challenged-alert-overheard-calls-terrorists-spoke-major-attack-officials.html)** > > Government officials intercept telephone conversations in which members of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, Al Qaeda, spoke urgently of imminent attack against American targets larger than Sept 11 attacks; this precipitated Atty Gen John... reports that the communications the Feds intercepted that prompted them to issue their general warning indicated that the terrorists might be planning an attack “bigger” than 9/11! My question is- what the hell can be worse??? I think we all know that California has issued a general threat on their bridges; security is heightened at nuclear power plants. The Hoover Dam has been discussed on the Board as well. Out of these three, I’d imagine a well placed airliner into one of the weaker nukes would be quite a mess, though hard to pull off. I brought up the possibility of a suitcase nuke, but a very credible source I got an email from said that if bin-laden had nukes, why would he have his stooges hijack a plane with boxcutters? Another obvious choice is a major sporting event. While there are no fly zones around stadiums, my fear is indoor arenas might be targeted for gas or bombimg attacks. Though I have to admit, I went to a concert a few weeks back, and security was TIGHT. There’s a conspiracy theorist [http://www.almartinraw.com/column38.html](http://www.almartinraw.com/column38.html) that alleges the FBI found a note saying the first attack would be similar to the WTC, the second anthrax, and the third a cyber strike. While I question the credibility of that source, I imagine a cyber strike would definitely mess things up, though I’m not sure how you would do that . . Any theories out there? My vote is for a bridge bomb; unless they stop every single car going over, it would be hard to stop. Not that I’m rooting for it or anything, it would be nice if we can catch these ass clowns. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/2 "2001-11-02T16:45:20Z")
I agree it would be hard to pull of something bigger. They may have, at one time, believed their anthrax would have been bigger. If the FBI heard phone calls about something bigger in the past week, my guess is that it’s head games. Osama bin Laden is trying to win Muslim support across the globe; he may figure it would do more to help his cause if he doesn’t pull any attacks but makes sure we think he’s going to. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/3 "2001-11-02T17:00:07Z")
[list=A] [li]The Atomic power plants. 'Nuff said.[/li] [li]Oil Refineries–like in Kuwait. Smoke fire & horror. Easy to do, too.[/li] [li]Hospitals. :eek:[/li] [li]Missile silos. Even if it **failed** , the panic…[/li] [li]Assassinations. 'Nuff said.[/li] [li]Suicide air attack on one of our aircraft carriers. A 747 might just take one out.[/li] [li]Smallpox. 'Nuff said[/li] [li]Destruction of a major TVA or Mississippi dam. Major damage & loss of life by flooding.[/li] [li]Chemical plant. Remember Bhophal India? The gas leak? Think insecticde plant.[/li] [/list] Too damn many, not too few. ---
**Author:** ![kpm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@kpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kpm)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/4 "2001-11-02T17:04:27Z")
Flying a plane or dropping a bomb on a stadium with 100,000 people would be very bad. There would be almost no time for anyone to get out. There are at least 3 college stadiums that large - Penn State, Tennessee, and Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/5 "2001-11-02T17:15:04Z")
Great. Really makes me want to go to that Bears game. Someone told me it would be VERY difficult to fly a plane into a Nuclear Power Plant and do damage to core. This isn’t true? And what’s this in the paper about Bin Laden perhaps having “dirty” nukes. What’s a ‘dirty’ nuke? jar ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/6 "2001-11-02T17:20:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > \*\*What’s a ‘dirty’ nuke? > > jar \*\* It’s a nuke that produces lots of fallouts, which would be the case anyway with a ground level detonation. Want another one ? How about sailing a ship-sized fertilizer bomb in a port ? ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/7 "2001-11-02T17:22:25Z")
Great ---
**Author:** ![Payne\_N.Diaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/8 "2001-11-02T17:35:34Z")
The ship bomb happened already, although by accident in 1945, when a cargo ship full of fertilizer caught fire in Texas City, TX. Some genius had moored it next to a boatload of ammunition, and when the fertilizer blew, so did the ammo. It wiped out the port (I think there was a chemical plant involved, just for good measure)and killed a mess of people. So it could work as a terrorist device. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/9 "2001-11-02T17:49:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Payne N. Diaz \* > \*\*The ship bomb happened already, although by accident in 1945, when a cargo ship full of fertilizer caught fire in Texas City, TX. Some genius had moored it next to a boatload of ammunition, and when the fertilizer blew, so did the ammo. It wiped out the port (I think there was a chemical plant involved, just for good measure)and killed a mess of people. So it could work as a terrorist device. \*\* Actually, it worked another times also (another accident), the [Halifax](http://www.region.halifax.ns.ca/community/explode.html) harbour explosion in 1917. ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/10 "2001-11-02T17:57:06Z")
Here’s a thought, why don’t we just post all of the horrible possibilities in case the terrorists haven’t actually thought of ALL these ideas yet. Please people, give more details so that they know just what to do, where to go, and what to bring. (you should be sensing my sarcastic tone here!!!) SHEESH You people are worse than the news media. I’m dissapointed! ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/11 "2001-11-02T18:00:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by detop \* > Actually, it worked another times also (another accident), the [Halifax](http://www.region.halifax.ns.ca/community/explode.html) harbour explosion in 1917. \*\* Sorry about the link. ---
**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/12 "2001-11-02T18:24:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > **Someone told me it would be VERY difficult to fly a plane into a Nuclear Power Plant and do damage to core. This isn’t true?** Actually, I personally find this reassuring. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/13 "2001-11-02T18:26:27Z")
I’ve heard rumors that they are planning on coercing Rosie O’Donnell to run naked through Times Square. Now that my friends would be a black day indeed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BlueMoonofKentucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@BlueMoonofKentucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMoonofKentucky)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/14 "2001-11-02T18:27:05Z")
What if they distroyed some key points on the power grid? That would indeed rival 9/11 and since so much of the distribution stuff is located in remote areas it seems would be hard to protect it. **Bosda** Several months before it seems that Atta was here in the TN Valley and asking questions about TVA, the now closed and mothballed Volunteer Amunition Plant and the old copper mine acid plants in Ducktown. There was a story on [KnoxNews.com](http://KnoxNews.com) about this, but I cant find it now. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/15 "2001-11-02T18:29:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pucette \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > > **Someone told me it would be VERY difficult to fly a plane into a Nuclear Power Plant and do damage to core. This isn’t true?** > > Actually, I personally find this reassuring. \*\* I used to, but Bosda puts it on his list of possibilities for high damage up there. jar ---
**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/16 "2001-11-02T18:35:04Z")
Well I would have put it on my list as well, because it didn’t seem to be something difficult to pull off. I’m going to google this one for some cites… ---
**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/17 "2001-11-02T18:38:57Z")
Ok, [here’s](http://www.world-nuclear.org/news/resistance.htm) one. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/18 "2001-11-02T18:42:49Z")
Thanks Pucette. I’ve just never been able to shake my cousin the fireman telling me that if the power plant near my house ever blew up I’d only be alive long enough to watch my skin fall off like water. That’s nice to tell a nine year old. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/19 "2001-11-02T18:47:29Z")
Although I basicly agree with Breezy I must add anything that has to do with our children. Though I have to say from the TV news the Tallyban and Afgans seem to care very much about children and terrorists don’t seem to target children. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2001, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142/20 "2001-11-02T18:48:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Breezy \* > \*\*Here’s a thought, why don’t we just post all of the horrible possibilities in case the terrorists haven’t actually thought of ALL these ideas yet. Please people, give more details so that they know just what to do, where to go, and what to bring. (you should be sensing my sarcastic tone here!!!) > > SHEESH > > You people are worse than the news media. I’m dissapointed! \*\* Right. Because we know that these people responsible for the 9/11 events could never think of things like this on their own, and they read the SDMB because they know that the 10-20 years of terrorist/guerilla warfare networking and training they’ve had is NO match for a bunch of (admittedly bright) average Joes sitting around thinking of things off the top of their heads. Overreact much? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-alleged-terror-plot-bigger-than-9-11-okay-what-could-possibly-be-worse/91142.md?page=2)