Hi All -
I think you all know that I don't send out hoaxes and don't do the
reactionary thing and send out anything that crosses my path. This one,
however, is a friend of a friend and I've given it enough credibility in
my mind that I'm writing it up and sending it out to all of you.
My friend's friend was dating a guy
from Afghanistan up until a month ago.
She had a date with him around 9/6 and was stood up. She was
understandably upset and went to his home to find it completely emptied.
On 9/10, she received a letter from her
boyfriend explaining that he
wished he could tell her why he had left and that he was sorry it had to
be like that. The part worth mentioning is that he BEGGED her not to get
on any commercial airlines on 9/11 and to not to go any malls on
Halloween.
As soon as everything happened on the
11th, she called the
FBI and has since turned over the letter. This is not an email that I've
received and decided to pass on. This came from a phone conversation with
a long-time friend of mine last night.
I may be wrong, and I hope I am.
However, with one of his warnings being
correct and devastating, I'm not willing to take the chance on the second
and wanted to make sure that people I cared about had the same information
that I did.
There are several things that make this 'rather
suspicious' and the warning therefore unreliable, these are:
1. The story is a typical urban legend type story from a
FOAF (Friend Of A Friend) and these tend to turn out to be old stories that
are recycled (and sometimes updated to fit new concerns) and have little
or no basis in fact.
2. If this woman was going 'steady' with this chap then
surely he would be aware of any travel plans she had? So, no need for the
warning about air travel on the 11th. Also, there is no mention or
evidence that any of those involved with the terrorist attacks were
from Afghanistan.
Unless this is just a way to add to the shock factor of the story? Many
similar 'Warning' urban legends exist that this technique is used in, to
great effect, but that does not make the tale true, just more spooky.
3. If the FBI was involved, surely they can corroborate
this? Someone has suggested that the following (dated 11th October 2001)
proves that the 'warning' is true:
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel01/skyfall.htm
now renamed as http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel01/101101.htm
couldn't be because it looked like it
was saying 'The Sky is Falling', could it?
I see no mention of Afghan/Arab boyfriends that
mysteriously disappear leaving a letter to their distraught girlfriends, do
you? It states the following:
"Certain information, while not specific as to target, gives the
government reason to believe that there may be additional terrorist attacks
within the United States and against U.S. interests overseas over the next
several days."
Geez, someone must have moved Halloween, since when has
20 days been called 'several days'?
UPDATE: The
FBI says it has received no such letter as the one described above.
Source: http://www.urbanlegends.about.com/library/blmall-terror.htm
Furthermore the TruthOrFiction site has also contacted the
FBI and a number of police forces and have stated that "None of the
agencies knew anything about this report of the girl with the Afghani
boyfriend". Source: http://truthorfiction.com/rumors/afgani-warning.htm
The New York Times has also printed an article quoting
the FBI as above. Source: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/news_22.html
original source was the New York Times (12/10/01)
4. I have e-mailed both the company and the
individual that allegedly sent out the original e-mail and the company has replied to my e-mail to them and confirm that
the person that is mentioned as being the alleged creator of the original
version (above) does indeed work for them (but the fact that she does exist,
does NOT make the story true). BUT, they have stated that they,
and her, are not prepared to discuss this further. I wonder why? Are they
ashamed of the action of one of their staff? I would like to know the
'real' reasons behind this stone-walling action.
UPDATE: It appears there is a reason why
the company and the individual allegedly responsible for the version above
have refused to discuss this, a contact at the company has
stated: "[the sender] had violated the firm's e-mail
policy." Source: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/news_22.html
original source was the New York Times (12/10/01)
In others cases of e-mail abuse staff at other
companies have received either a severe reprimand or in a few extreme
cases they have been sacked. So it is possible that they are loath to discuss
it due to pending legal or disciplinary action.
For those that still believe that this is NOT a
hoax/urban legend/chain e-mail, please look here for an even more detailed
debunking http://www.snopes.com/rumors/mallrisk.htm
and here: Caring Terrorists
for a similar story that is based in numerous towns in the UK (England).
Other links: http://www.urbanlegends.com/ulz/halloween.html
Here's another version I received (09/10/01) (uses US
date format mm/dd):
Subject: Something to think about
This information may or may not get out from our
Govt. but I feel like it's important enough to let everyone know and decide
for yourselves. My wife came home from work today and said that a friend of
hers at the bank where she works, has a friend who lives in Florida and was
dating an Arab man. Three days prior to the attack on 9-11-01 she had a date
with this man and he never showed. after several calls she decided to pay
him a visit. When she entered his apartment she found everything was gone
including him. He did however leave a note that said he regreated having to
leave without telling her goodbye and asked her to do two things,
1. Don't get on an airplane on Sept. 11 and
2. Stay away from the shopping malls on Holloween.
This woman HAS reported this to the FBI and they have the note and have been
to this mans apartment and turned up some evidence.
So, after watching the network news and seeing that before some of these
hijackers carried out their grisley tasks and flew these planes into the WTC
and the Pentagon one has to wonder, why did these men go to a Walmart and
such places and are there other terrorist placing bombs in other malls
through out the country? Who knows, but it would be an ideal time and
situation to strike and I think we need to be on the lookout for anything.
As with the original, this story is a typical urban legend type story from a
FOAF (Friend Of A Friend) and these tend to turn out to be old stories that
are recycled (and sometimes updated to fit new concerns) and have little
or no basis in fact.
Here's yet another version I received (10/10/01):
My friend Colleen arrived for a facial when FBI
agents were leaving Murad on Sunday, October 7, 2001. They were there to
interrogate a girl who worked there to find out if she knew anything. The
reason for their lead was she was best-friends with a girl who was dating an
Arab man, who disappeared and was involved in the terrorist attacks on the
WTC. He disappeared this summer and left her a note, saying the following in
the
effect of:
"I have to go away and will not be able to see you again. Please do me
a favor and do not fly in any planes on September 11, 2001 nor shop at any
shopping malls on October 31, 2001 ......... "
Don't know about you but I live across the street from a shopping mall, and
my in-laws do too. Given my daughter is usually at their house on a
Wednesday afternoon, right near the mall, am thinking of where else to go.
Halloween may not be so Happy.
Please send this to anyone that you know. Let's hope this isn't for real,
but since it was actually left in a letter to a loved one from one of the
people involved in the attacks of September 11, 2001, I am not taking it too
lightly.
Here is yet another version (12/10/01)
Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2001 8:37 PM
Subject: Better to be safe than sorry
This was forwarded to me:
"I'm not really one for mass emails, but I thought that this was pretty
important for you all to know. Bear with me here. It's kind of a long story,
but I need to tell it to you all for you to understand it. I just got a
telephone call from my mom. One of the teachers that she
works with has a daughter who works for Hallmark in Kansas City. Her name is
Beth. Beth's boss at Hallmark used to date a guy of Afgan decent. I'm not
sure if they are still considered to be together or not, but that's not
really the issue here. Anyway, her boyfriend fled the country 2 or 3 days
before September 11th, telling her that whatever she did, she was not take
any flights on the day of 9/11. She didn't really understand why or
anything, but she agreed not to. Well, we all know what happened after that.
So, Beth's boss (are ya all still with me?)
received an email from her boyfriend (or this Afgan guy) yesterday (Oct.
8th). The message said that whatever she did, she was supposed to stay out
of ALL malls on Halloween. There was no explanation, he just stated that.
The FBI is now involved and have confiscated Beth's boss' computer and are
trying to find this guy.
So, I guess the reason that I am writing you all
is to pass this message. It is your decision as to whether or not you
believe it, but from what I know of my mom's friend and her family, they are
a pretty reliable source....................so be careful. I just wanted you
all to know this information. Pass it on to as many people as you know. We
need to spread the word about this.
Thanks for listening guys. I'll talk to you all
soon."
Here is yet another version (14/10/01) (uses US
date format mm/dd):
A friend of mine, who works in legislative
affairs at the Capitol, has emailed me that an intelligence source, which
accurately warned about the 9/11 attacks also warned, before 9/11, to expect
attacks on Halloween at shopping malls.
The source is quite reliable, according to my friend, and I am passing this
on, in hopes that it may of some service.
I expect to see a number of other versions during the
run up to Halloween.
Finally, yes there is a very slim chance something
will happen on the 31st, but it is just as likely to be Aliens visiting the
Mall to change earlier purchases for a larger size, as anything that has
been suggested in the 'Warnings' above and elsewhere.
Even if something does
happen, then the chances are that it is related to the 'Warnings' are exceptionally
small.
Certainly, Bin Laden and al-Qaeda will try to keep the pressure up on the US,
and if they can, raise the stakes, but, just like the events on that dreadful
day (11th September, 2001) we are unlikely to be forewarned, so please stop
forwarding on these silly hoaxes on to everyone, you are just muddying the
waters, and causing more FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) where no extra is
required or welcome.