U.S. Terror Targets: Petting Zoo and Flea Market?

[Richard Tafoya]

NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/wa...age&oref=login

It reads like a tally of terrorist targets that a child might have written: Old MacDonald’s Petting Zoo, the Amish Country Popcorn factory, the Mule Day Parade, the Sweetwater Flea Market and an unspecified “Beach at End of a Street.”

But the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, in a report released Tuesday, found that the list was not child’s play: all these “unusual or out-of-place” sites “whose criticality is not readily apparent” are inexplicably included in the federal antiterrorism database.


The National Asset Database, as it is known, is so flawed, the inspector general found, that as of January, Indiana, with 8,591 potential terrorist targets, had 50 percent more listed sites than New York (5,687) and more than twice as many as California (3,212), ranking the state the most target-rich place in the nation.

...


In addition to the petting zoo, in Woodville, Ala., and the Mule Day Parade in Columbia, Tenn., the auditors questioned many entries, including “Nix’s Check Cashing,” “Mall at Sears,” “Ice Cream Parlor,” “Tackle Shop,” “Donut Shop,” “Anti-Cruelty Society” and “Bean Fest.”


Even people connected to some of those businesses or events are baffled at their inclusion as possible terrorist targets.


“Seems like someone has gone overboard,” said Larry Buss, who helps organize the Apple and Pork Festival in Clinton, Ill. “Their time could be spent better doing other things, like providing security for the country.”


Angela McNabb, manager of the Sweetwater Flea Market, which is 50 miles from Knoxville, Tenn., said: “I don’t know where they get their information. We are talking about a flea market here.”

[db44]

...So flawed, but why not announce it to give the country that feeling that noplace is safe? Fits into my Bush philosophy of scare 'em into submission... And if the polls are right, it seems to work. What else did Bush do to earn the numbers Brad posted.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

....718 mortuaries

Alrighty then.

[db44]

Well, you gotta keep the infidels from the virgins somehow.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

Oh my god, Dave. That's bad.