Comments on: Cell Phone Service Cut Off to NYC Tunnels Following London Blasts

By: Danial

Danial — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 03:09:33 +0000

Just wondering, What about an emergency situation when in the middle of the tunnel, say, a rider gets a heart attack (knowingly lack of xygen in the tunnels), or a pregnant woman gets into critical condition or something like that… How many operating emergency tel. are in the tummels - we all know that all above mentioned tunnels get crowded on times… Regards

By: lee

lee — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 17:45:41 +0000

Re: cell phones cut off in tunnels.. at least the bomber puke will die for sure if they can’t do a remote ignition .. one less tool for them to use.

By: Ville

Ville — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 16:40:05 +0000

Mike, the odds of the terrorists not knowing the tunnels have no cell phone service, and having their plan fail because they relied on having cell phone service in the tunnels are… Rather remote, don’t you think. When you know there is no cell phone service, you just use something else as a trigger. It’s not a problem. In fact, you can even use the lack of cell phone service as a trigger.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:55:39 +0000

hey Auntie, the two bombs on the Spain train bombings that did NOT explode were connected to cell phones for detonation so YES that option is still out there for the terrorists and I applaud the NYCTA for taking this precaution.

By: Ville

Ville — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:06:52 +0000

FvB, your argument seems to be based on the way suicide bombers are used in Israel and Iraq. In reality the normal MO of Al Qaeda cells is different. Long setup, one strike (multiple simultaneous, if possible), and write-off the cell as compromised. For Al Qaeda it makes no difference whatsoever if the terrorists get killed doing the hit or get caught afterwards. They are disposable and already assumed to be compromised anyway.

By: Fred von Blume

Fred von Blume — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:36:12 +0000

I disagree strongly. I posted before, on a different thread, that the only way to get radio waves underground, is to be broadcast them - undergound. Not many seem to know that. “Suicide Bombers” are rationed carefully. Although it seems that way, even VERY fundamentalist Muslims do not often give up their lives without effort. Handlers often must have long contacts with them to get them worked into a frenzy and yet be reliable. Long contact = great risk. A super-charged fanatic is also VERY obvious in his environs, he (it’s 99% “he” - ok?)can’t usually have a breezy chat with an infidel. Humans are much more traceable than a prepaid cellphone purchased at Target. In London they’ve already identified bombers and are “Rolling Up.” If you’re a terrorist, this may have been bad management.

By: Andrew Read

Andrew Read — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:47:12 +0000

I concur. There’s no cell phone service in London’s underground system, particularly between Russell Square and King’s Cross stations where one of the bombs was detonated.