Monster Chiller Horror Security Theatre

Our limited attention was initially attracted by these words, quoted at TPM, from The NYT:

a law enforcement official said they had "only a hazy view of the group, its operations and goals, but decided to act fearing that undercover surveillance had failed to detect plans that might be developing."

Seems a little "central to my point." They ain't done nuthin', so we better bust 'em. Also: "Known Unknowns." However, smart-thinkin' (Damn show-off.) Marshall gets meta about the narrative ("pretty standard pattern").

But it's precisely the dearth of information that caught my attention.

Over recent years we've been used to a pretty standard pattern: cable nets get tipped about some major terrorism plot or cell that's been taken down. There's lot of video and background reports from law enforcement officials. And then over days or weeks it becomes clear that it's some sort of Key Stone Cops affair or a hair [sic] brain plot to get water to defy the law of physics to climb up Manhattan island to flood it or just some derelicts or borderline personalities who got taken in by some FBI informant. They're not all as comical as the notorious and hilarious Seeds of David cult down in Miami, but the general pattern has been pretty consistent: a lot of media muscle flexing and scary talk with a pretty feeble denouement.

So why is this one so hush-hush? This, frankly, is how you'd expect law enforcement to deal with a real terror being rolled up. Terse general notification and no one really commenting. To be perfectly clear, I know nothing about what this plot is about or who was arrested or what they're accused of doing. But the MO on the part of law enforcement seems very different.

Mmmm, could be. Or it may be "very different" because there was absolutely nothing on the arrestees, just paranoia on behalf of law enforcement. We don't know anything either, oddly enough.

Lexicon Devil Report: That's "hare-brained," as in, "about as smart as a rabbit." Not some guy in a metal band, whose brain is composed of hair. Geezis, Josh. Double plus extra picky: Keystone Kops. Does he hate America, not to know this? Or is correct spelling anti-American & elitist?