Terrorists at sea

[Le Chat]

I was wondering why al-queda haven't blown up any America cruise liners as yet. Surely they would be an easy target and survivors none? Anyone else thought this...or have a possible answer?

[jomifl]

whilst possible it would take more than a shoe bomb, and it would take quite a few terrorists to deal with the crew so that the bomb could be placed somewhere effective. As muslims are probably not habituees of cruise ships the arrival on board of a bunch of miserable teetotal gits sporting unkempt beards and wearing skullcaps would probably arouse the odd suspicion. The very heavy suitcase might also give the sniffer dogs a bit of fun.That said it isn't impossible.

[KreepyKoo]

miserable teetotal gits sporting unkempt beards and wearing skullcaps?
Wow what a generalization! Did all the Sep 11th hijackers have skullcaps and have unkempt beards? http://www.google.co....%3D730%26tbs%3Disch:1

[jomifl]

Of course not they also drank alcohol and resorted to prostitutes in order to maintain their cover, because we know that devout moslems don't do that kind of thing.
It is so difficult to be ironical when your tongue is wedged in your cheek

[123everton]

Never mind Jomfli, I got the joke, make a great film.
They could just ram it, or, they could all hide in a giant birthday cake, bet nobody's thought of that.

[jomifl]

yes everton I saw that film, great cake, excellent filling, fortunately no burqua.

[keyplus90]

It is all depends on Americans specifically CIA. After all they are the story writers, directors and recruiters. So whenever they will decide a cruise liner would be blown apart.

Nice film though you are talking about. I really liked what came out of the cake.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, there you go again with your conspiracy theories. Unless you're going to come back to the 9/11 thread in R&S to explain how you think they work as you've been asked to do, you're supporting them with no credibility so there's little point in banging on about it.

[sandyRoe]

In 1985 the Motor Ship Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestinians. There's nothing new under the sun.

[naomi24]

Sure it wasn't the CIA, Sandy? ;o)

[craft1948]

As an avid cruise passenger I think you would be surprised at how tight security is on cruise ships....

[jno]

sandyRoe, yes, although they Xray your shoes at airports, and I have been told that when I go through Heathrow next month I can expect a full body scan, they don't do any of this on ships, even though a ship was hijacked long before 9/11. I'm not complaining or anything, because i like going by ship., but all they seem to look for is people smuggling bottles of rum on board.

[jno]

okay, well craft has succeeded in rebutting my post before I even posted it, which is positively psychic. But on the ships I've been on in the last year (one British, one American, one Swiss), none of this happened. You need a cruise card, usually with photo, to get off and on the ship, but that's all; any lookalike could do it.

[sandyRoe]

Why would anybody smuggle drink on board a cruise ship? I thought the drink there was duty free and they nearly give it away?

[craft1948]

jno when you go through check-in on P&O cruises your hand luggage is searched and you go through a body scanner. I know for a fact that at the first opportunity, after you have unpacked,when the cabins are empty (usually first night dinner times) the cabin stewards search every part of your cabin.

[jomifl]

just to cheer you all up, last year I went through the bomb searching procedure at gatwick and clean forgot to take my shoes off to be inspected and nobody noticed.

[craft1948]

also when you come back on board from day trips your bag goes through a scanner.

[sandyRoe]

Aren't a lot of the crew from 3rd World countries? What's to stop them sabotaging a boat?

[naomi24]

They don't seem to 'do' shoes now as a matter of course Jomifl. I've been through Gatwick twice in recent months with my shoes on and uninspected. And once through Heathrow too.

[craft1948]

P&O tend to have british officers, australian spa staff, goan waiters, and philippino bar staff.

[craft1948]

....and scottish engineers.