2010-05-02 Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes

2010-05-02 \Corey Kilgannon\Michael S. Schmidt New York Times \2010-05-01 Times Square terrorism attempt\citizen empowerment\citizen security\citizen vigilance\War on Terror http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/nyregion/03vendor.html Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes Vendors Who Alerted Police Called Heroes  Even in Times Square, where little seems unusual, the Nissan Pathfinder parked just off Broadway on the south side of 45th Street — engine running, hazard lights flashing, driver nowhere to be found — looked suspicious to the sidewalk vendors who regularly work this area.

And it was the keen eyes of at least two of them — both disabled Vietnam War veterans who say they are accustomed to alerting local police officers to pickpockets and hustlers — that helped point the authorities to the Pathfinder, illegally and unusually parked next to their merchandise of inexpensive handbags and $2.99 “I Love NY” T-shirts.

Shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, the vendors – Lance Orton and Duane Jackson, who both served during the Vietnam War and now rely on special sidewalk vending privileges for disabled veterans – said they told nearby officers about the Pathfinder, which had begun filling with smoke and then emitted sparks and popping sounds. Two items of significance:
 * This attempt was not stopped by Homeland Security or torturing of detained terrorism suspects, but by citizen vigilance.
 * Like other recent incidents, this doesn't sound like a genuine attempt at terrorism but "terrorism theatre". If it had been done right (e.g. Oklahoma City), the vehicle would have simply exploded, rather than emitting obviously-suspicious sparks and smoke.

&ldquo;Shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, the vendors – Lance Orton and Duane Jackson, who both served during the Vietnam War and now rely on special sidewalk vending privileges for disabled veterans – said they told nearby officers about the Pathfinder, which had begun filling with smoke and then emitted sparks and popping sounds.&rdquo;   