NewsMax Wires
Monday, May. 03, 2004

The New York Post reported this weekend that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's counterterrorism task force has put out a bulletin asking police to be on the lookout for similar packages.

"It was determined that it was unusual in that that many empty bags would be found throughout the city," MTA spokesman Tom Kelly told Newsday. "It may be coincidence, but in this day and age, you can't take a chance."

Kelly told Newsday that the bags were discovered during a week-long stretch in late March and early April, Kelly said.

The empty suitcases have law enforcement officials worried because al-Qaeda terrorists used luggage to hold explosives used in the recent Spanish bombing.

The FBI is also worried about a large gasoline tanker truck that has been missing from a New Jersey parking lot.

The tanker disappeared in mid-April with the FBI searching for it since. They still haven't located its whereabouts.

The New Jersey Office of Counterterrorism has asked all notified law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the tanker.

"We don't know what the motive was behind the theft," FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi told Newsday. "It could have been stolen by another individual in the fuel-hauling business. But we feel it's important to find it, find out who took it, and find out why it was taken."

Terrorist have used tankers several times to implement terrorist attacks, including ones in Tel Aviv, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

No one was injured then, but incidents like that one are what make law enforcement officials nervous about this truck.

Editor's note: