Update 11:52 AM: It’s been explained, to my satisfaction at least. Apparently, the 7 proto-terrorists weren’t actually Al Qaeda (e.g. CNN), but rather just wannabes trying to do something flashy (from the picture, it appears they weren’t Arabs, either). I imagine the logic went something like, “terrorists blow up big buildings, so if we blow up the biggest building, we’ll be the biggest terrorists!” It also doesn’t seem like they’d gotten terribly far in their planning, or were at all likely to, which returns me to the belief that it’s probably best to regard this story as indiscriminate scare-mongering.
“Sears Tower terror plot foiled!“
Really?
That’s fucking weird.
I’m certainly not going to suggest that there exist forces which attempt to fabricate terrorism stories in order to scare the country into docile acceptance of the leaders who can bang the “we must protect you” drum the loudest. That would be paranoiac.
But I can’t quite believe this story even so. The FBI building in Miami and the Sears Tower? How are those logically paired targets? The 9/11 attacks were obviously symbolically important: the heart of the US military and the heart of world trade. But there’s no rhyme or reason for the FBI building in Miami and the Sears Tower, unless it’s something like “tallest building in North America!!!1! FBI center nearest Gitmo!!!one”
So basically, I guess what I’m saying is that I’m still not really living in mortal fear that my city is in imminent danger of terrorist death.
Maybe it’s just that famous Midwestern “if I don’t believe it, it won’t happen” mentality. Anyone who can give me reason to think that I should take this shit seriously is welcome to try.