Tube terror threat hoax (via Facebook)

[telstarbox]

I've seen the following message shared on Facebook by a family member in good faith:

Don't travel on the tubes tomorrow. Every single police officer in the met has been called into work from 4am onwards, even people on holiday are being told to catch the next flight home. They think there's a terror threat and that it will happen on the tubes tomorrow around the west end area. So don't go travelling on tubes!! It's better to be safe than sorry. Send this to All urs

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28986271 (broadcast)

The link is to a BBC report about the threat level being raised to severe but contains nothing specific about London or police response.

It really annoys me when people start unfounded rumours like this and they then get spread around and cause unnecessary panic, as well as the obvious holes:
- If the police did have such specific intelligence the Tube network would be shut down.
If every police officer was on duty at once, how would they be relieved?
- How would all police be able to report for duty in central London at 4am?
- How likely is it that employers would accept people staying away from work on the off-chance of a potential terrorist attack?
- One of the 7 July bombings targeted a bus - as the mode with the least protection and surveillance, what's to stop a similar attack in the future?

 

[Saint66]

Sadly, people will believe anything these days.

 

[edwin_m]

The airline liquids ban in 2006 (?) demonstrated that if this sort of specific threat information is available, the authorities will act to minimise danger to the public.

 

[Monty]

Well my Father In-law hasn't mentioned anything and he is an officer in the met. So sounds like someone is foolishly trying to whip hysteria, though even if it was true would extra police officers on duty actually prevent an attack? I wouldn't of thought so.

 

[user15681]

I heard of this 'threat' on Sunday evening. Tomorrow came and went with nothing...

 

[Hornet]

The airline liquids ban in 2006 (?) demonstrated that if this sort of specific threat information is available, the authorities will act to minimise danger to the public.

The experience of passing through airport security on a regular basis leads me to believe that 20% of the population live in caves, with no contact to the outside world, such is the regularity of people in front of me having their liquids confiscated at security, despite all the warnings and notices that state what can and cannot be taken through, both at the airport and in the news. (Or else 20% of the population is educationally challenged).

 

[Abpj17]

It's nonsense and the police confirmed that earlier this week.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...tan-police-deny-tube-attack-hoax-9702964.html

 

[tsr]

I concur. The rumour, in and of itself, is utter nonsense. My source: BTP, in person.

That's not to say vigilance isn't to be encouraged and indeed heightened overall.

 

[scotsman]

Couldn't the terror attack have been the text? The intention is to scare, and cause as many to deviate from the norm as possible - that text did that to some extent with none of the hassle that would presumably come from other forms of terrorism?

 

[Clip]

Couldn't the terror attack have been the text? The intention is to scare, and cause as many to deviate from the norm as possible - that text did that to some extent with none of the hassle that would presumably come from other forms of terrorism?

Yes exactly that. The amount of people I had to sit there and repeat that it was a hoax too got me fully bored and some of the replies were 'It must be real, so and so sent me it and their dad works in the Met' to which a quick 'you're thick' reply and delete from my friends from me.

 

[Minilad]

And this is exactly why I would never use Facebook.
And just a point of order on the original post. The bus wasn't targeted as such. The bomber was intending going on another tube but was prevented from doing so so went on the bus instead

 

[ExRes]

I'd never realised how useful facebook could be, as so many people on RailUK forum seem to think their lives are being blighted by all these nasty politicians, police and members of the security forces, maybe this is the ideal opportunity to make them all redundant and rely on social media instead

 

[Clip]

And this is exactly why I would never use Facebook.

Stupid people are just stupid people no matter what medium they use.

The fact that they would suddnely believe a post that would contain something on someone elses heresay just makes them look stupid to the rest of their friends when they get telt.

 

[meridian2]

Stupid people are just stupid people no matter what medium they use.

The fact that they would suddnely believe a post that would contain something on someone elses heresay just makes them look stupid to the rest of their friends when they get telt.

But that's where the danger lies of making such posts; it may be a practical joke but it isn't funny, and that's not the fault of an individual's stupidity, just your condescending nature immediately discounts that.

 

[GarethJohn]

If someone wants to blow up a Train and cause maximum injury and disruption they are not going to tell someone on Facebook first.
When it comes to blowing up an Aircraft we probably wont know what they will use in till it works or gets discovered by security. When agencies discover a plot or method that the Terrorists are planning then the Terrorists will move on to the next device. The terrorists gain a few victories by creating extra inconvenience and fear to the ordinary traveler.
Intelligence and Security must be pretty good as intentionally attacking Public Transport/places appears to an outsider that doing so would be a pretty easy thing yet it's an extremely rare occurrence.
I've always wondered how easy it would be to shoot an Aircraft as it's landing/taking off yet we hear little about any attempts. Even hijacking a Train doesn't look too difficult.

 

[D2022]

If someone wants to blow up a Train and cause maximum injury and disruption they are not going to tell someone on Facebook first.
When it comes to blowing up an Aircraft we probably wont know what they will use in till it works or gets discovered by security. When agencies discover a plot or method that the Terrorists are planning then the Terrorists will move on to the next device. The terrorists gain a few victories by creating extra inconvenience and fear to the ordinary traveler.
Intelligence and Security must be pretty good as intentionally attacking Public Transport/places appears to an outsider that doing so would be a pretty easy thing yet it's an extremely rare occurrence.
I've always wondered how easy it would be to shoot an Aircraft as it's landing/taking off yet we hear little about any attempts. Even hijacking a Train doesn't look too difficult.

If someone had plans to hijack a train, everything they need is on a certain auction site. Keys, manuals, hi vis etc...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And this is exactly why I would never use Facebook.
And just a point of order on the original post. The bus wasn't targeted as such. The bomber was intending going on another tube but was prevented from doing so so went on the bus instead

Facebook is an incredibly useful tool. Like for me, it helps me keep in touch with relatives abroad, see what my other bike restoring chums have done lately. I've been to many a meet organised through Facebook, seen more or less live travel from people actually in the traffic, not the BBC control room.

etc

 

[Clip]

If someone wants to blow up a Train and cause maximum injury and disruption they are not going to tell someone on Facebook first.
.

Well you must not have read the first story as it says nothing about it coming from someone who wants to blow something up just that the rozzers have all been called into work because of the threat.


I swear this happenned a couple of years back too.

 

[GarethJohn]

Well you must not have read the first story as it says nothing about it coming from someone who wants to blow something up just that the rozzers have all been called into work because of the threat.


I swear this happenned a couple of years back too.

I said it wouldn't!! because it wouldn't and it hasn't. A hoax phonecall would be far more effective than a Facebook message.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If someone had plans to hijack a train, everything they need is on a certain auction site. Keys, manuals, hi vis etc...

Why go too that bother my Bedroom Cupboard door is more secure than some Train Cab doors. I've lent on some and they've opened. Or just Boot it down, Stab/shoot driver, press the warning devices and off you go, or just wait for the driver to pop out for a second.
If it is that easy and hasn't happened could it be that the Terrorist threat isn't as great as it's lead to be?

 

[ExRes]

Why go too that bother my Bedroom Cupboard door is more secure than some Train Cab doors. I've lent on some and they've opened. Or just Boot it down, Stab/shoot driver, press the warning devices and off you go, or just wait for the driver to pop out for a second.
If it is that easy and hasn't happened could it be that the Terrorist threat isn't as great as it's lead to be?

Why on earth did I have to go through all that training when I could have just pressed the warning devices and off I'd have gone

Maybe none of the terrorist gangs have realised just how easy it would be and they're actually running Network Rail approved training courses

:roll:

 

[edwin_m]

Then again why not do the same with a road tanker - go anywhere, difficult for anyone to stop you and a built in big bang when it gets there.

 

[GarethJohn]

Why on earth did I have to go through all that training when I could have just pressed the warning devices and off I'd have gone

Maybe none of the terrorist gangs have realised just how easy it would be and they're actually running Network Rail approved training courses

:roll:

Would learning to drive a train be more difficult than flying a 747?

 

[ExRes]

Would learning to drive a train be more difficult than flying a 747?

I should jolly well say so

 

[GarethJohn]

I should jolly well say so

So all that practice I've had trying to Crash the Queens Jubilee train into a Nuclear Flask & Petrol Tankers on Train Sim has all been in vain?