(Updated X2, scroll down)

OK, I’ll be the first to utter the heresy of the terror suspect video: removing your sweater in public could make you a terror suspect.

Certainly this is not something that you’d expect to hear from a kill-em-all, let-God-sort-em-out National defense policy hawk conservative, but there must be more to the video than the edited few seconds of security cam footage pointed out a window. (Best quality embeddable  version I could find was from ABC, below):

But taken completely at face value, without seeing this man exit the vehicle or do anything else other than walk by it does nothing to incriminate him. I’ve heard various sources describe his actions as “suspicious,” “furtive,” “nervous” and other adjectives to describe his demeanor in this video, but these same commentators easily admit to the fact that the quality is not enough to discern facial features, details of his bag and clothes other than the red color of his undershirt, type of shoes or ought else. Yet the video is good enough to show subtle intonations of facial expression and diversion of eyes that indicate these adjectives?

It’s not the pundit in me that asks these questions; it’s the empiricist. Now if there is a longer version that more directly associates this individual to the vehicle, then so be it, and issue resolved. But until then…

UPDATE: So much for that “white guy Bubba” thing that the MSM has been going on about. Although they’re not releasing the identity, they’re saying the person of interest is a “naturalized” (read: foreign-born) US citizen who has recently spent several months in Pakistan. I wondered if all of the assumptions made on this video would be shown to be a rush…

UPDATE: AP at Hot Air points out that new information leads to a second suspect was taped running away from the vehicle. So far, this tape/video/photo hasn’t been released, but it ought to be interesting to take a gander at it. HA also throws a name into the mix that has been bandied about since last night: a one  Younus Abdullah Muhammed, a guy that lives close by and is known to be involved in the South Park / Mohammed threats. Interestingly, Viacom (which owns South Park) has a building very close by. Probably not related, in my mind, in that there are perhaps half a million people who hate America within a ten mile radius of the site of the attempted bombing (this is NYC, not Branson, MO here). But interesting nonetheless; also call it a little bit of hometown pride: I’d like to think our American, domestic terrorists are more capable than these clowns.

Quickie screenie from the WashPo as they don’t have a perm. link to the pageheader alert:

I saw the released surveillance video of the guy changing his shirt on the sidewalk, and I was unimpressed with the quality of the video and how “racial” traits of “white man” was even possible. I see the figure of a guy (most likely), but beyond that, it’s still up in the air.

What gets me is the ineptitude of the bomb maker. M-88s are pretty, but not terribly destructive (I still wouldn’t hold one in my hand and let it go off, but you get the idea). The two full gasoline containers indicate that the assembler isn’t aware of what any auto repair guy will tell you, and that is gasoline (as a liquid) is not explosive; merely flammable. It’s the gas/air mixture, regulated by a carburetor or fuel injection system that goes “boom” in an engine. Three full barbecue grill-style LP or propane gas tanks  could create a good fireball, destroying the car and generally causing havoc, but would in no way endanger the structural integrity of a proximate building. More, as they were still sealed (valves were shut) it would take as long as several minutes for the car to be aflame (e.g., from the gasoline tanks) before the tanks would blow, allowing bystanders the time to leave the area.

Lastly there is there is the multiple bags of powder which turned out to be low or denatured-content ammonium nitrate, which is incapable of detonation. Someone “heard” that fertilizer is explosive and so took a jaunt down to the local DIY store to stock up.

All that it was missing to make this an Andy Warhol-esque terror attempt is a Snoopy Sno-Cone maker in the timing mechanism.

Everything about this attack is one huge, ruddy FAIL- except the intent of the bomber. Someone (or some people) planted this, thinking that they’d be the next McVeigh or Atta. “Honor the threat” is a term I’ve heard before, and it bears repeating. Who knows? Thank God that this time, it was carried out by a technical idiot. Next time, I’m thinking, we will not be as lucky.

…This is possibly the funniest thing that is likely to come out regarding the Austin Pilot tragedy. Definitely getting added to the links for future Teh Funny.

[UPDATED]

The headline contains a non-intentional alliterative quality, but I’m certainly not being humorous about this story at all, as it strikes close to my heart. First, the facts, and a link to JammyWearingFool who gets the Johnny-on-the-spot award.

Apparently there has been an investigation started two months ago involving as many as five soldiers in Fort Jackson, South Carolina (it abuts SC’s capitol city Columbia) in a plot to poison the fort’s food supply. No word is given in the Fox News report that outs the investigation, and no arrests have been made, or at least verified. The soldiers were reported to be Muslims that were involved in a special Arabic-language program within the military called “09-Lima.”

So, expect a lot more digging in the next few days.

Now, for the reasons I have a special draw on this story… My “adopted hometown” is Columbia, SC. I moved there when I was a wee lad and grew up there; Fort Jackson to natives and long-term residents is like just another section of the city and an integral part of life there; indeed I even worked for a summer or two as a civilian employee on base during college; I’d hate to think of anything bad happening to it or it’s soldiers. Although I’ve never had the honor to serve in the nation’s Armed Forces, I have a personal attachment to Fort Jackson and the thought of barracks full of sick recruits on Tank Hill is infuriating.

UPDATE: Erick Stakelbeck at CBN reports that the five suspect were indeed arrested just before Christmas, but it was unclear if they are still in custody or where the investigation has gone since then.