U.S. Plans Law Enforcement 'Surge' On Trains

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Stepped-Up Security on Amtrak Trains; 12 Suspects Arrested in France

U.S. authorities plan a law enforcement surge this week along Amtrak routes, an exercise called RailSafe, and the heads of the country's biggest mass transit systems were briefed today on the possible terror threat, all part of what is being called an abundance of caution.

Amtrak is holding a high-security exercise Friday in which uniformed officers will be a visible presence on national transit routes. RailSafe will include all the local police agencies along the Amtrak routes involved in the exercise.

"If al Qaeda is planning simultaneous attacks in Europe," said Richard Clarke, former White House national security official and now an ABC News consultant, "there's nothing to say they could not also include the US on that list of simultaneous attacks."

A senior DHS official said the rail exercise is "long-planned" and "is not connected in any way" to the terror threat in Europe.

The stepped-up security comes as the French arrested 12 terror suspects in Bordeaux and Marseilles, and as the U.S. used CIA drones to attack a suspected center of the plot in Pakistan.

The target hit Monday was one of the terror training camps in the Waziristan region where U.S. officials say a contingent of German citizens of Afghan and Turkish descent have been preparing for jihad against Europe.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/europe-terror-plot-us-plans-law-enforcement-surge/story?id=11797735

[madrchsod]

1. just when railfans thought it was safe to...

watch trains and take pictures....

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. I nearly got busted last December at Union Station in DC.

Really, I came this close: --->[]<---.

I was looking at an Acela. They sent out three cops and a dog. I didn't have a camera with me, as what's the point of taking a picture of an Acela? I did, though, have a scanner, and they made note of that fact when they radioed back to their HQ.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Howcum we got all this money to protect trains, but none to build or run trains?

[smiley]

4. be afraid....

be very afraid....

:sarcasm:

[peace13]

5. This is nothing new and does not have anything to do with terrorists!

I traveled across country and back by train twice last year. On one trip the drug zars went through in Grand Junction, CO and the next visit was from Homeland 'security'. Home security wanted to search the compartment of a man with a Latino sounding name. They had already searched his space in Reno! That poor man was shaking. The porter who was a feisty guy told 'security' that they had already searched that unit this trip and suggested that they were harassing the passenger. To say nothing of the 'bomb' dogs that they walked across the top of the train. It was quite something.

Don't be fooled folks, these new inspections will be targeted against all passengers and when they search your berth, you can not be there to watch them. We were concerned about planting or possibly another passenger stashing stuff in our space. Fortunately the train community is strong and we had some great discussions after we got back under way. Traveling by train is the best and the people out there running the trains protect their passengers!

[awoke_in_2003]

6. "Traveling by train is the best"

I'd agree, if it didn't cost the same as flying and take 4 times (or more) as long.

[peace13]

8. To each his own.....

[awoke_in_2003]

11. I would love to travel by train...

but I just couldn't get my mind around the price. But then, I am a cheap bastard.

[pscot]

9. Your papers, please!

They're training us to accept the police state. They want to establish tight control before we wake up to what's being done to us.

[truebrit71]

10. Bingo!

You got it in one..

[bemildred]

7. Gestapo tactics. "Your papers please!" nt