I just don't know what it was...

[douglasw32]

Okay so we live in small town USA, everyone knows everyone, unfortunatly not very racialy mixed...so this stood out like a sore thumb...and I just don't get it.

We ar at the "salvation Army" of all places, in our town that a very small place...and there are at least 7 folks form some arab nation, none speak english, all being very quiet and trying to "fit in" buying obvious amrican looking used clothes like jeans, jackets,etc...

Heres the od part to me, they had what I would call a babysitter, "a watcher" an american dude, looked like the average joe with a cell phone on his hip, sneakers, jeans, driving a big travel van, telling them all when and where to go, making sure everyone was back in the van (all young males), one even did some worshiping on his coat in the yard by the van.

Oddest part for me, all acted suspicious and in a hurry, none spoke, except wuitly to one another my guess (non english) and... the Van had USA Goverment Plates.

Now WTF was that?

[twindouble]

Did you report it?

[douglasw32]

They weren't doing anything wrong...and it was a goverment van.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by douglasw32

They weren't doing anything wrong...and it was a goverment van.

This is why I carry a digital camera..............just kidding. Depending on what branch of government they were riding with.........I might think it was a little weird..........

[kenwoodallpromos]

Most likely that dude was a US Marchall and the Arabs were in some kind of witness protection program.

[lsbets]

I would tend to think if they were up to no good they would try to appear as benign as possible, so stopping to pray before getting in the van would be a no-no. That would draw unwanted attention to someone and flag them as a possible "religious fanatic".

The military hires a lot of Iraqis who live in the US to help train our troops before they deploy. Its very possible that could have been where they were headed. Not ruling anything out, just tossing something out there. Are you in between any airports and military bases or training centers?

[Tom]

Or..........

Never hurts to report suspicious things, and you never know.
Did anyone buy an aviator jacket?

[douglasw32]

Actually we do live near an airport, 5 miles away.
and there are reserve bases, airforce.

We are on the way to alot of places (upstate ny)

And yes the praying was out of sorts if you were trying to fit in..

It is more just a curiosity of what I saw not a fear of what was going on, the behavior of everyone was just odd, like the american guy was not so much whatching what They were doing but protecting them from what we might do.

And the whole shopping at salvation army and not the GIANT and I mean GIANT MALL right near the airport.

Just strange.

[Snag]

Don't ask how I know, but this was maybe a group over here to train at a military base. They have to buy their own civi cloths and the best place to start is the SA or Goodwill. They can't leave the base without assistance. If you have any government training sites close by, I would guess that is what you saw.

[douglasw32]

Cool, that makes sense then.
DOn't know where a training site would be other than the reserve station but maybe up the road somewhere.

[Tom]

Tuesday, Sepember 11, 2001.
Two muslem men on the terror watch list, failed airport security multiple times and were still allowed to board planes. They probably thought, gee no terrorists would be that stupid in broad daylight!

[douglasw32]

True Tom-True

[douglasw32]

Okay it just happened again...

I am in STAPLES office store...5 miniutes before they are closing, rushed in to get a thumb drive for work, and outside a Blue passenger van, no markings,driver american, passenger (india, iran, arab) inside, same deal this time well dressed american looking all talking a foreighn language looking for 2gb thumb drives, one buying a phone.

Not as "watched Over" as the last group, and not as many only 4.

A worker comes up asks if they have everything they need and BETTER FREAKIN ENGLISH THAN I SPEAK COMES POURING OUT WITH ABSOLOUTLY NO ACCENT....


I swinf around check the plate, "G43", means cargo van, etc..interagency transport.

small town usa...small airport...so whats up?

I am sure it is innocent, I am just nosey.

[PaceAdvantage]

Innocent? Don't be so sure....

[Tom]

Be on the safe side.....NUKE 'EM!