2004 Preparations For Possible Homeland Islamic Terrorist Attacks

By Jim Croft

Recently the Department of Homeland Security has heightened the threat level for potential attacks during this election year. No American can afford to entertain a casual attitude about the severity of the threats for renewed assaults on our nation. There are specific reasons why all of us should initiate plans for what we are to do in the event of an attack anywhere within the USA. This article will provide you with elementary information about what you need to know and do to protect your family. It will cover the following: The realities of the potential for more attacks by Islamic terrorists; The various methods that they are apt to use; The effects and antidotes for bio-chemical and low-yield nuclear devices; And most importantly, how to prepare your family to get safely home in the event of future attacks. As Christians we have no reason to panic and are in fact forbidden to do so (Lk. 12:32). We can rejoice in our preparations, as the things that we are now experiencing are telltale signs that the Lord's coming is at hand.

Don’t Be Naïve About The Realities

No one can assume that the recent findings of security agencies in Pakistan, Europe and the USA are outdated and irrelevant. Terrorists groups are clever in their patience and plan years in advance. They are driven by religious ideology rather than by the necessity for direct commands from high level, global authority figures. These factors dictate several things. The death/capture of key operatives is irrelevant. The plans that were laid out years back can be initiated by anyone with leadership abilities who was privy to the plans. The discovery of such plans does not invalidate them. It simply alerts the enemy to go to an inevitable plan “B”. This could dictate utilizing the same procedures for cities unnamed in the documents found or by shifting to forms of attack that are less massive in scale. Bigger is not always better. Several years ago the Federal and local police agencies of three Atlantic States were totally distracted from other duties as they searched for the Islamic sniper John Malvo and his teenaged accomplice. Nearly every major American city has resident Muslim militants. Think of the death and mayhem that would be unleashed if they opted for sniper attacks in cities across the nation.

It is my conviction that it is unlikely that America will escape terrorism events during the remainder of 2004. The hyper-religious pride of our enemies compels them to prove that our security measures are inept at thwarting the vengeful hand of Allah. We must not be naïve. Without question Israel is the most alert and experienced of all nations in matters relating to homeland security. The news broadcasts each week exemplify that regardless of their intelligence gathering acumen they are still subjected to the loss of loved ones through Islamic terrorism. Can the USA, that Islamic clerics call the Great Satan, anticipate anything less?

Methods Of Attack

The most common and dangerous form is a direct assault. These would indicate an assailant that is in a close proximity to the given event. This would include: hijackings of public transportation vehicles (airliners, helicopters, cruise ships, buses etc.,); Bombings of soft targets (civic buildings, commercial hotels, shopping centers, nightclubs, sporting events, schools and hospitals); poisoning of water supplies; virus-laden mailings; spraying biological and chemical agents with crop-dusting aircraft; and random shootings by snipers using scoped rifles. In my estimation the terrorists have learned much from the insurgents in Iraq. Coordinated, small arms and low-yield bombing attacks at multiple sites across a country are effective in disrupting national harmony. I believe that it is highly probable that terrorists’ cells within America will employ similar strategies.
The best deterrent is an alert public. In public venues report any suspicious persons, packages, and abandoned luggage to the proper authorities. If you notice that a business owned by Islamics regularly has numbers of Muslims congregating there and if the clerks seem unusually hostile, notify the FBI. Do not allow your self or yours to cower in fear by entirely stifling your lifestyle. To do so would be handing a victory to the enemy. The key is to adapt and adjust to an alert observant posture. The Israelis are a wonderful example for us. Despite constant attacks for years Israel continues to be one of the most productive countries on the planet.

The weapons listed below could come into common use to incite terror. If you remain calm, you will likely survive. These weapons are far less scary than the media experts make them sound.

Chemical Weapons

Chemical weapons are categorized as nerve, blood, blister, and incapacitating agents. These seldom prove to be weapons of mass destruction, as they don't actually destroy anything. They are area denial ordinances. When you leave the area in which they have been dispersed, you almost always leave the risk.

These are not gasses they are vapors and/or air borne particles. The agent must be delivered in sufficient quantities to kill/injure, and that defines when/how it's used. Every day we have a morning and evening inversion where airborne substances get pushed down into a close proximity to those who reside in the lower elevations. This inversion accounts for generic pollen counts and air pollution being more severe in the morning and evening than at other times of day. Therefore, chemical attacks are most effectual during the period of an hour or so either side of sunrise/sunset. Vapors and airborne particles are denser than air and settle in low places like ditches, basements, and underground garages.

Chemical agents are extremely weather sensitive. They don't work well if it's freezing, don't last when it’s too hot, and are dissipated considerably if it’s too windy. In order for them to be effective it must get on your body or be inhaled in sufficient quantities. Terrorists might try to use these agents as acts of malicious desperation. However, it is difficult to encounter the ideally suited weather conditions needed to disperse sufficient quantities to kill and incapacitate masses of people.

There are three types of toxicants that are classified as nerve agents. One is made from cholinesterase inhibitors that cripple the nervous system’s capacity to send signals for the body to function properly. The second is produced from cyanide or arsine which hinders the blood's ability to provide oxygen to body tissue. The third are blister agents made from distilled mustard. All work best when coming into direct contact with the skin or when inhaled directly. If death does not occur within the first several minutes the victim will likely survive. Here are the symptoms for nerve agent poisoning: sudden headache; dimness of vision (victim will have will have pinpointed pupils); runny nose; excessive saliva or drooling; difficulty breathing; tightness in chest; nausea; stomach cramps; twitching of exposed skin where a liquid or glob is visible; woozy/falling down; blue under the fingernails accompanied by rapid breathing; and unusual blisters. If a person experiences any of these symptoms and has not been previously diagnosed with a corresponding medical condition, it might indicate a terrorist attack.

In such cases try to recall if any of the following has occurred: something out of the ordinary like a loud pop; did someone or an aircraft spray the crowd; are other people getting sick? Did the odor of new mown hay, green corn, something fruity, camphor, bitter almonds or garlic suddenly become evident? If the answer is yes, calmly leave the area heading outside or up wind. Cover your mouth and nose with the inner part of a piece of clothing or a handkerchief that was in an unexposed location. Do not panic, faster breathing intensifies the potential for increased harm. Fresh air is the best "right now antidote." If there is a blob of liquid that looks like syrup visible on your skin; blot it or scrape it off away from yourself with anything disposable. At the first opportunity wash the area thoroughly. If blisters occur, do not pop them as the fluid within causes the blisters to spread. Seek medical attention. The primary medical antidotes for all nerve agents are atropine, pralidoxime chloride, and amyl nitride. These put the body into overdrive until the agent is used up. The best immediate antidotes are fresh air, soap and water, and staying calm.

Biological Weapons

There is not a lot to cover in relation to biological warfare. Our own nation and Iraq have spent millions attempting to create devastating strains and methods to dispense them effectively to the masses. Deploying these weapons requires sophisticated delivery systems. Though Islamic terrorists would be delighted to use biological weapons against us, it is improbable that the sophisticated means needed to deliver them upon broad populations can be obtained.
Medical attention and the application of vaccines are the best treatments for those that have been contaminated by these agents. However, the general population of proximities under attack can do much to protect themselves. Good personal hygiene and sanitation practices will alleviate the need for most to get medical attention.
Wash your hands frequently. Don't share drinks, food, or intimate relations with strangers. Keep garbage can lids tightly secured. Contaminated mosquitoes, house insects, and rodents can be carriers of these agents. Use household insect repellents regularly. Avoid letting water collect in ditches, buckets and children's pools. Those that are in good health, eat and sleep well, and put cleanliness next to godliness have extremely decreased the risks of infection.

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear bombs are the only weapons of mass destruction on earth. Any that the Islamics might use would likely be low-yield devices that are incapable of leveling major cities. Under perfect conditions, these create about a half-mile circle of death and destruction. Flying debris and radiation has the potential to kill many (not all) people within a half-mile of the blast. Anyone that lives through the initial heat, blast, and burst of radiation will likely live to a normal age.
If you see a bright flash of light like the sun, where the sun isn't, fall to the ground! Cover your head with anything available. First will come the heat lasting only for seconds. Then there will be two blast waves, one outgoing, and another as it travels back to fill the vacuum of the first. Don't stand up to see what happened after the first wave. Anything that's going to happen will do so within two minutes. The Electro Magnetic Pulse from the blast will fry most electrical devices within several miles. Afterward, wash thoroughly and seek medical attention. It will be safe to eat foods that are canned or washed in uncontaminated water.

The good news is you don't have to stagger in panic, as there is much in your favor. First, provided that you were a sufficient distance from the detonation, your skin will stop alpha particles. Your clothing will stop the beta particles. You simply must attempt to limit deep breathing.

Family Plans Are Crucial

Every household needs to have a well laid out plan of what to do in the event of a terrorist strike.

1) Establish the policy that upon hearing of an attack anywhere in the nation every member of the family will return from away from home activities. Don’t presume that events occurring in another state will be limited to that location. Multiple strikes in diverse locations might easily be in progress. The moment news is received about an attack do the following: Pick the youngsters up from school; Students who drive should be pre-instructed to return home; And anyone who is employed should excuse themselves immediately.

2) Don’t rely solely on cell phones for communication, as the volume of calls could block your call from getting through. Keep land based phone line numbers on hand for locations where family members are apt to be. Pagers with text message capabilities are desirable, as they are not dependant upon the same towers as cell phones.

3) Family members whose vocations demand air travel should always have a back-up plan to return home in the event that flights are cancelled. It is wise to reserve a rental car and update the reservation from day-to-day during the period away from home

Home Preparations

If it becomes evident that the use of nuclear devices is viable it is prudent to select an area within your home to use as a safe room. Elderly folks and singles might opt to buddy-up and create a safe room with friends or relatives in their immediate neighborhoods.

1) The area selected should have toilet and bath facilities. Keep duct tape and plastic sheeting for windows, doors and air vents in the room.

2) With or without a safe room, assume that there might be shortages and maintain a one-month supply of food. Store plenty of non-perishables such as canned goods, dried fruits, bottled drinking water etc.

3) Set aside a month’s supply of all necessary medications and personal hygiene items.

4) Get each member of the family a T-shirt to use as a gas mask. When folded double and tied in a manner to cover the nose and mouth, a T-shirt is 80% as effective as the best of gas masks.

5) Purchase an ample number of flashlights, transistor radios, and batteries. If possible have a small gasoline generator prepared for connection to lights and TV, etc.

6) Keep enough water on hand to allocate each person 3.5 gallons per day for at least a week.

7) To minimize boredom secure board games, crafts and reading material.

Conclusion

Again, we need not fear. The joy from the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10). We can rejoice, because He has not given us over to the hands of our enemies (Psa. 30:1).

To purchase Jim Croft's book, The Muslim Masquerade, go to www.booklocker.com and type in his last name. His teaching newsletter, In Search of Truth, may be read online at www.pccchurch.org/jc_ministries.htm

Jim’s e-mail address is
jcroft8942@adelphia.net

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