Texas oil refineries, a White Van, and Al Qaeda

Justin justin-cypherpunks at soze.net
Tue Jul 20 04:52:46 PDT 2004


http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/415877|top|07-19-2004::15:07|reuters.html

Jul 19, 2:57 PM (ET)

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Law enforcement officials said on Monday they are
looking for a man seen taking pictures of two refineries in Texas City,
Texas.

Texas City, located on the Texas Gulf coast about 30 miles south of
Houston, has three refineries including the largest U.S. plant operated
by BP Plc., which is the third-largest U.S. refinery, processing 470,000
barrels of crude oil per day.

The man, described as white with dark hair, was seen taking pictures
outside the refineries, all located on the same highway, at about 5 p.m.
CDT on Saturday, said Bruce Clawson, emergency management and homeland
security director for Texas City.

While it is not illegal to take pictures of a refinery from a highway or
street, officials would like to talk to the man to find out his reason
for taking the photographs.

"This is based on the idea that al Qaeda does its homework," Clawson
said. "That's not to say we don't have enough home-grown idiots already
who might want to do something."

The man was seen driving a white van.

Valero Energy Corp. operates a 243,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in
Texas City. Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, a joint venture between
Marathon Oil Corp., and Ashland Inc., operates a 76,000 bpd refinery in
Texas City.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has repeatedly warned refiners
that they are possible targets for would-be terrorists. U.S. refinery
security officials say their security guards regularly report people
observing or taking pictures of refineries.

During the Independence Day holiday, ExxonMobil Corp. tightened security
at the largest U.S. refinery, the 538,000 bpd plant in Baytown, Texas,
30 miles east of Houston, because of general warnings about possible
terrorist activity.


-- 
"When in our age we hear these words: It will be judged by the result--then we
know at once with whom we have the honor of speaking.  Those who talk this way
are a numerous type whom I shall designate under the common name of assistant
professors."  -- Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling (Wong tr.), III, 112





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