BARBELITH underground
 

Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.


Plane Spotters Arrested in Greece

 
 
Shortfatdyke
08:53 / 20.11.01
yeah, i laughed out loud at the story of two bus loads of nerds arrested for making notes and taking photos, but their situation is looking pretty serious, as they might be charged with spying. the greeks can't comprehend the 'trainspotter' mentality so don't understand why anyone would spend a holiday checking out airfields. i think the tour operators need a kick up the arse for not ok'ing this before they set out. were they being incredibly naive? or am i - we talking anoraked spies here??? should we be worried about those blokes with dictaphones and thermos flasks on the platforms at euston?
www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story
 
 
Turk
16:54 / 20.11.01
I'm of the understanding they were taking pictures during an open day at the base. That's like geek entrapment man.

[ 20-11-2001: Message edited by: D ]
 
 
STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK
07:11 / 21.11.01
I have to admit, I laughed at first... now I'm kind of hoping everything goes well for them.
(Of course, I'm also hoping that everyone will mercilessly rip the piss when they get home for being the most famous nerds in Christendom...)
Seriously, though, is this just one of the first of many examples of paranoid overreaction in the wake of 911? (Of course, I'm ignoring the possibility that they MAY actually have been spies, but if that's the case, then it's not really worth arguing over. Seems unlikely, though.)
"First they came for the planespotters, but I wasn't a planespotter, so I said nothing.
Then they came for the people who changed their names by deed poll to those of Star Trek characters, but I always thought they were twats, so I said nothing..."
Thin end of the wedge? Overreaction? Diplomatic incident?
(I just want to point out here that I know NOTHING about the Greek government, so I'm not drawing ANY conclusions at this point...)
 
 
Shortfatdyke
07:28 / 21.11.01
i've only been to greece twice but even from those visits i found the greeks don't seem too keen on people knowing that much - it's hard to get o/s type maps..... seems to me that the organisers didn't do their homework.
 
 
sleazenation
12:49 / 21.11.01
Hey at least i the greeks don't like giving out Maps the US will then have an excuse for bombing foreign embassy's in their country.
 
  
Add Your Reply