# What If The Maryland Sniper Is A \*Real\* Terrorist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2002, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304 "2002-10-08T02:27:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/41 "2002-10-09T09:00:19Z")
I think it’s rather weak to argue that this couldn’t be an organized Al Qaeda effort because it’s _not their style_. From [Al Qaeda’s 1998 fatwa](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/terrorism/international/fatwa_1998.html): > [@](#): > > **The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies – civilians and military – is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it…** That said, I think that it’s more likely to be an Al Qaeda “sympathizer” with no links to actual members, if indeed it’s a “Real Terrorist” at all (in this case referring to Islamic fundamentalists). ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/42 "2002-10-09T09:24:02Z")
And given the fact they left a [note on a tarot card](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63073-2002Oct8.html) stating “Dear Policeman, I am God”, it’s unlikely to be an Islamic fundamentalist. Sorry for carrying this further away from the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Anahita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9a28c/32.png) [@Anahita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anahita)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/43 "2002-10-09T10:57:09Z")
I agree wholeheartedly with **reprise**. If **tramp’s** friend is really as high up as she claims, she would have a very high level of security clearance. Part of the training operatives, FSO’s and other goverment employees with this level of clearance get teaches them to not even mention anything about work. They wouldn’t risk their careers telling ‘someone they associate with’ anything that could be a security risk. My own sibling will not tell me anything at all about his work, much less tell a stranger his opinion of a possible terrorist threat. I think it’d be better if all of us wait until we are given official news from police/gov’t sources before jumping to conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/44 "2002-10-09T11:53:40Z")
Maybe so, reprise, but more people can yield more witnesses - except, of course, for those who don’t notice a darn thing other than the victim, which is probably how it usually goes. So never mind. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/45 "2002-10-09T13:48:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tramp \* > \*\*Collunsbury, take the stick out of your ass. > > She has worked for the CIA for 16 years. She has been stationed overseas doing espionage work until she came back to go to law school. She speaks 12 languages. > > She ain’t no secretary. Not that there’s anything wrong with being a secretary… > > And I didn’t say that she was right, I was just merely reporting what I had heard from her, someone who works in counter terrorism. \*\* Yeah, every third fucking idiot I met claims to have been Directorate of Operations. She’s either a liar or an incompetent security risk. You make the call. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/46 "2002-10-12T00:51:21Z")
To those who added to the debates, thanks a bunch. To those who enjoy getting off on tangents, especially ego wanking, your opinions are noted, too. While some of you stood fast to the belief that the shootings probably have no _real_ terrorist tie-in because it doesn’t fit the profile of terrorist activities, I hope you are correct. I did ask to think outside of the square on this one. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/47 "2002-10-12T01:14:28Z")
Oh, sorry. Next time I’ll be sure to agree with whatever wildly speculative theory somebody posts. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![flertbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e5b9ba/32.png) [@flertbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flertbert)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/48 "2002-10-12T02:20:23Z")
Okay, here’s a scenerio for ya: The snipings are terrorist related, and are dry runs for the BIG EVENT (whatever that might be). The snipings are to instill fear in the local populace and to get the police and other sources keyed up, and to measure response time. How will the police react to 30 odd days of frantic calls that someone’s been shot (along with the innumerable false alarms that go along with any highly publisized event)? How long does it take the police to converge on an area where an event’s been reported that they’re **hot** to capture the cuplrit? How many officers respond? How are they armed? These things are important to know. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/49 "2002-10-12T03:55:56Z")
You are entirely correct, **flerbert**? Am I far enough outside the square for you now, **Duckster**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/50 "2002-10-12T04:18:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > Oh, sorry. Next time I’ll be sure to agree with whatever wildly speculative theory somebody posts. :rolleyes: No, **minty** , I just wanted folks to think outside the square. Something akin to when the US military / law enforcement asked Hollywood some time after 9/11 to come up with any and whatever strange ideas and scenarios on how to combat terrorism because reasoning and logical thinking wasn’t good enough. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/51 "2002-10-12T04:31:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > **loosening gun control laws so people have a chance to protect themselves,** Name one of the victims that would have been able to protect themselves with a gun. Who would have a gun at the ready position while they were mowing the yard or gassing up their car? There haven’t been an abundance of witnesses. Those that have witnessed the events hardly had time to see a white van (and maybe they really didn’t), let alone get a shot off. I personally doubt the terrorist theory, but it probably shouldn’t be completely dismissed. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/52 "2002-10-12T05:12:46Z")
Do I think it currently a terrorist set up? No. ``` I am with **reprise** as well.. I doubt **tramp's** friend.is all that has been claimed. ``` I have had family memebers in various Intellegence work here and they have never been nor currently are so free with such “observations” \*\*\*\*\* Back to the OP \*\*\*\*\*\* Could the current situation be used as a blue print for terrorists in the future? Absolutely… Knowing how the police and other agencys will react is worth as much as gold to those wanting to bring fear to the masses. I do not care to elaborate any further on a public message board. Seeing how, I spend 6 weeks in a course “thinking outside the box” in regards to terrorism I understand the place our law enforcement and various agencys are currently in. I belive the our people involved (police etc.) will catch this individual they are doing a great job. I just hope the sniper screws up and makes a major mistake or someone is in the right place at the right time to stop him. IMHO if he is not caught soon, besides every crack pot wanting to copy cat this senario, we will have terroist organizations considering using this type of senario to further their goals. Oh and to cut things off at the pass. If someone wants to cal me out on this statement > [@](#): > > "…Knowing how the police and other agencys will react is worth as much as gold to those wanting to bring fear to the masses. I do not care to elaborate any further on a public message board. I can e-mail a mod or two for approval. I think the board is here for fighting ignorance not introducing new ideas for a bunch of sick fu… people. Osip ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/53 "2002-10-12T11:22:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duckster \* > Thinking outside of the convential square in law enforcement these days, but what if the Maryland sniper is a _real_ terrorist in the essence of an Al Queda terrorist? 😕 Why would a terrorist do that when he can do something a lot more destructive? Say placing bombs at various places? Wouldn’t that be a lot more effective? ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304/54 "2002-10-12T15:52:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \* > \*\* > > 😕 > > Why would a terrorist do that when he can do something a lot more destructive? Say placing bombs at various places? Wouldn’t that be a lot more effective? \*\* Because, the ammount of explosives a terrorist can obtain in a year is limited. Not by the quantity of materials out there… but by the fact obtaining to much bomb building materials will draw unwanted attention. 5.56 ammo or any other firearm ammunition is easy to obtain, you just go in pick up a box and off you go. Use what is handy… cause general chaos and what not with a rifle save your explosives for something spectacular! Not only that… IIRC (NBC or CBS news) it was reported the DC area residents are much more terrified now with the sniper loose than when the pentagon was hit, or the anthrax letters were abound in DC. Why? Because the average Joe is at the gas stations, malls and other places the sniper hits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-the-maryland-sniper-is-a-real-terrorist/131304.md?page=2)