FBI urges police to watch for people watching Animaniacs (kidding)

[Robb]

FBI urges police to watch for people watching Animaniacs
ROBB YAKKO, Associated Press Writer
Monday, December 29, 2003
©2003 Associated Press

(12-29) 11:26 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people watching "Animaniacs", cautioning that the popular cartoon show covering everything from pratfalls to parody songs could be used for terrorist planning.

In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use the Animaniacs "to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning, specifically that song they do with the nations of the world. You know, 'United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama....'"

It urged officers to watch during traffic stops, in-home drug searches and other investigations for anyone watching the Animaniacs, especially if the suspects are singing along, in suspicious ways.

"The practice of researching potential targets by getting high and watching cartoons is consistent with known methods of al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning," the FBI wrote, exhaling.

[pnorman]

1. I could have SWORN that came out of The Onion.

But I couldn't locate it anywhere on their webpage. But this is what a Google-search gave me:

Terrorists could be using almanacs to plan attacks
FBI tells police to be wary of suspicious people carrying book

By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press
December 30, 2003

WASHINGTON - The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning.

In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs "to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning."

It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways.

"The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning," the FBI wrote.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the bulletin this week and verified its authenticity.

"For local law enforcement, it's just to help give them one more piece of information to raise their suspicions," said David Heyman, a terrorism expert for the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It helps make sure one more bad guy doesn't get away from a traffic stop, maybe gives police a little bit more reason to follow up on this."

The FBI noted that use of almanacs or maps may be innocent, "the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities." But it warned that when combined with suspicious behavior - such as apparent surveillance - a person with an almanac "may point to possible terrorist planning."
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The FBI urged police to report such discoveries to the local U.S. Joint Terrorism Task Force.
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/national/article/0,1406,KNS_350_2538958,00.html

I suspect a little "editorial rewriting" on the part of "ROBB YAKKO", and hereafter I'll keep a wary eye on whatever else he posts from now on. (But you cracked me up, ROBB. THANKS; I NEEDED that!)

Pnorman

[elperromagico]

2. The Bookreading Menace must be dealt with.

[Robb]

3. Glad to give a giggle

This is, after all, my job. :)

I was inspired by an LBN thread. I used to really enjoy watching the Animaniacs... then I stopped smoking dope. ;)

[pnorman]

4. I'll STILL keep a wary eye

on anything sourced by ROBB (YAKKO) from here on. But it did crack me up, and I NEEDED that at that particular moment. Once again, THANKS. I imagine you coaxed a ruleful grin out of more than a few others here.

pnorman