Driver's Surrender Ends Standoff Near White House,Threatened Explosion WP

[diamond14]

Driver's Surrender Ends Standoff Near White House
Man Threatened Explosion, Prompting Evacuations

By Del Quentin Wilber and Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, January 19, 2005; Page A01

-snips-

A man threatening to blow up his van waged a standoff with authorities a short distance from the White House yesterday, triggering the evacuation of several blocks of downtown on the first day of inaugural activities. Police said that they found homemade "devices" that appeared to be hazardous in the van.

The White House remained open throughout the ordeal, but police swept through office buildings on 15th Street NW, evacuating many of them. An armored vehicle rode up and down 15th, and hazardous materials vehicles, ambulances and other emergency equipment took over the streets. At least three command vehicles were on the scene, which was being monitored by the Department of Homeland Security.

Commuters, already facing a rough week because of the inauguration, were stuck as several critical downtown streets were closed at the beginning of the evening rush hour. Backups extended for miles and dragged on for hours. Those who chose to leave their cars downtown in favor of Metro also got a shock: The platforms were overflowing.

The trouble began about 3:30 p.m. at 15th Street near Pennsylvania Avenue NW -- just off the route that will be used for the inaugural parade. Police said the man drove a van to the Secret Service security shack near the White House and made some demands. He claimed to have 15 gallons of gasoline, along with a triggering device that he said he was holding, they said. Officials were analyzing the liquid last night.

The man, whom police identified last night as Lowell Timmers, 54, of Cedar Springs, Mich., about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18505-2005Jan18.html

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. I hope the test of the operations center went well

at least no one got killed.

[diamond14]

4. not so sure about that....I haven't seen a single photo of the surrendered

guy....even the "tractor-man" was shown surrendering on all the TV's here in DC.....this guy 'apparently' surrendered, but no photos of that....it's real common in DC to get POPPED by the police (sometimes for absolutely nothing)....so far, I'm not sure that the terrorist is still alive....

[Kolesar]

9. Skepticism IS in order here. eom

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. Oh, in that case, he is an undercover and it was all BS

to test the system.
There was no real threat.

[diamond14]

2. Orders from bush*: THIS is NOT TERRORISM...do NOT call this

a vehicular-BOMB....do not, repeat do not, call this TERRORISM....

repeat: THIS was not a threat against the pResident....

THIS was not an act of terrorism....



....it's just a White Man from a reTHUGlican part of Michigan....nothing to worry about....

[GetTheRightVote]

3. Hey, they have them in Iraq, what are they called, suicide bombers

right ?? They said * gets many death threats now but this really brings it home to the WH, wow.

:mad:

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. This was just a test, we repeat this was just a test

Now where the hell is Ridge, didn't he lower the national mood ring, and UNDER NO CIRUCUMSTANCES call this terrarism!

[diamond14]

6. THIS is not terrorism...repeat, THIS is not terrorism...terrorism is

ONLY about Muslims, not about white men from Michigan...like tim mcVeigh, or the current vehicle-bomber, Michiganer Lowell Timmers, 54, of Cedar Springs, Mich., about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids...


ALSO, this was NOT a threat against the pResident....it was just a little dispute with his wife....we have NO IDEA why he drove all the way to the WHITE HOUSE with 15 gallons of gasoline and "homemade" devices that appeared to hazardous, and spent FOUR HOURS yelling threats....NO, this was NOT a threat against the pResident, this was just a little domestic dispute....those THREATS were NOT against the pResident....


DO NOT CALL THIS a vehicular-BOMB.....repeat DO NOT CALL THIS a vehicular-BOMB....

[NYC]

8. I would never call it a vehicular bomb.

I prefer "car bomb".

[0007]

13. My first car in 1951 was a 1935 Ford

It was an automobile bomb for sure!

[Dover]

7. Suicide bombers don't alert their targets of their intent.

Ah, but here's the moral of this story...lest you don't form this conclusion on your own:

"They can go do whatever they need to do to secure our safety," said Jennifer Brooks, who works for a brokerage firm. "It is an inconvenience, but I would gladly sacrifice that."

[Judi Lynn]

12. It would be a first, if it ever happens, wouldn't it?

There’s an old saying in Tennessee, I know its in Texas probably Tennessee too, that says ‘Fool me Once...shame on...shame on you...Folmuah can’t get fooled again’




Keep that plastic sheeting & duct tape handy.

[sarcasmo]

10. True story, Cedar Springs man this was on the local news.

Living in the Grand Rapids Michigan are this was on the local news. This guy was upset over his sons fiance' being deported to Guatemala.
The sad thing if this dummy could get this close just think what the suicide bombers could do.

[pinniped]

11. The F-16 was probably ready to drop so-called smart bombs on him.

.

[Ian David]

14. One van snarled traffic for hours in DC

Imagine what a couple of innocently disabled vehicles on a couple of exit ramps could do the day of the inauguration?

[Vidar]

16. "Dream--when you're feeling blue..." nt