Published: December 30, 2003
The F.B.I. is warning the police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, saying the books could be used for planning terrorist attacks. In a bulletin sent to about 18,000 police organizations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said terrorists might use almanacs to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning. It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for almanacs, especially ones annotated in suspicious ways. The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning, the FBI wrote.