FEAR Unit Having a Banner Week

Federal Even-yeared Anti-terror Response (FEAR) Unit is on the ground, in the skies, and at the ports, making sure that wherever there's the faintest hint of terror, they'll ensure that it's hyped, overblown and put on a silver platter for the news media.

Earlier in the week they got hundreds of reporters to hype a threat to the Mackinac Bridge, and two days later the FBI had to admit that there was no terror connection in the arrest. Today, fighter jets were scrambled to divert a plane from Heathrow that had a disturbance on board. I support discretion being the better part of valor. What I do not support is the fact that initial report claimed the female passenger was carrying "a screwdriver, Vasoline, and a note referencing Al Qaeda," and later reports determined that there was nothing of the sort.

Officials denied earlier media reports that the woman had been carrying a screwdriver and a note that made a reference to Al Qaeda. The T.S.A. confirmed this afternoon that the woman was carrying hand cream, which is prohibited under new carry-on rules, and matches.

But, Mr. White said: “There is no nexus to terrorism with this event at this time.”

But the desired effect has already been made. People got scared today because the word "Al Qaeda" was brought up in the context of a diverted plane. How did "Al Qaeda" make it into the report in the first place? Who knows. But the media is an all-too-willing co-conspirator in hyping any threat, no matter how miniscule or unrelated to terror. That's what FEAR Unit banks upon. In fact, they've already moved on to the next threat that may or may not end up being germane.

Since last week's foiled civil aviation plot came out of Britain, I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. But clearly there's a problem with FEAR Unit meddling in these investigations, and making mountains out of molehills. In fact, Craig Murray is wondering what the hell's going on over there:

None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time.

In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms.

What is more, many of those arrested had been under surveillance for over a year - like thousands of other British Muslims. And not just Muslims. Like me. Nothing from that surveillance had indicated the need for early arrests.

Then an interrogation in Pakistan revealed the details of this amazing plot to blow up multiple planes - which, rather extraordinarily, had not turned up in a year of surveillance. Of course, the interrogators of the Pakistani dictator have their ways of making people sing like canaries. As I witnessed in Uzbekistan, you can get the most extraordinary information this way. Trouble is it always tends to give the interrogators all they might want, and more, in a desperate effort to stop or avert torture. What it doesn't give is the truth.

The gentleman being "interrogated" had fled the UK after being wanted for questioning over the murder of his uncle some years ago. That might be felt to cast some doubt on his reliability. It might also be felt that factors other than political ones might be at play within these relationships. Much is also being made of large transfers of money outside the formal economy. Not in fact too unusual in the British Muslim community, but if this activity is criminal, there are many possibilities that have nothing to do with terrorism.

I'm not willing to call it a hype job just yet, but in the age of FEAR Unit you have to let these things play out to get to the truth. This was a year-long investigation that could be shut down at any time, according to sources in Britain. The timing of the arrests can legitimately be questioned. I don't mind a little overreaction (from the perspective of prematurely shutting down terror plots, etc.) in the name of national and international security. I mind the way this information gets used to ramp up fear to its absolute maximum effect right off the bat, and then over time the veracity of the initial claims dissipate. This has happened literally dozens of times over the last 5 years.

It means FEAR Unit is doing their job.