By: Mike Deeson
November 28, 2006
Tampa, Florida - Freight trains, they move throughout the Tampa Bay area every day, carrying cargo, slowing down traffic and placing people in this area at great danger for a terrorist attack with weapons of mass destruction.
- Fred Millar, Homeland Security Consultant
- "We're just making it easy for the terrorists by pre positioning these cargos exactly where they would love to have them."
Fred Millar is a Homeland Security expert and he says the huge amount of chlorine and anhydrous ammonia that comes into the area could cause a disaster of epic proportions.
- Fred Millar, Homeland Security Consultant
- "It is important for Tampa to realize their whole city is at risk from the release of a poison gas cloud."
There are huge supplies of anhydrous ammonia used for phosphate industry and chlorine gas which is shipped to the Tampa water plant that come in every week.
Larry Gespert, the Hillsborough Emergency Operations Director admits both chemicals could be used by terrorists. But he isn't worried.
- Larry Gespert, Hillsborough Emergency Operations Director
- "It could happen tomorrow, but these people take extra care and safety. I think the economic gain far outweighs the danger."
However, the FBI website says the chemicals pose a real risk to this area.
- Michael Brown, Former FEMA Director
- "I'm telling you it is a realistic concern."
Former FEMA director Michael Brown, who took the fall for the federal government inaction in Katrina says these deadly chemicals coming into Tampa Bay put the area at great risk, not only from terrorist but from an accident.
- Michael Brown, Former FEMA Director
- "Don't get me wrong it is a terrorist target but there is a more likely chance of a chlorine accident because of some transportation problem or some accident happening than Al-Qaida coming to Sarasota or Tampa and blowing up a chlorine tank."
And while no one who is in charge of Homeland Security for this area wants to appear on camera, they do say there are plans in effect to thwart chemical terrorists. But here's the problem. There's easy access to the rail line and with an open fence and chemical cars in plane view not being guarded, a terrorists could take one over before anyone knew what was going on and the results could be disastrous.
- Fred Millar, Homeland Security Consultant
- "Just one of these tank cars could kill 100-thousand people in a half an hour."
And there is the Port of Tampa which handles 50-percent of the hazardous cargo that comes into the state and where its port Sutton facility has been named one of the 50 most dangerous chemical storage facilities in the country.
- Fred Millar, Homeland Security Consultant
- "If Tampa brings in half of all the hazardous cargo in Florida, that is a big juicy target."
While local officials discount the terrorist threat, terrorist experts like Milar, the FBI and Homeland Security say the threat is real and the terrorists are aware of our vulnerabilities.
- Fred Millar, Homeland Security Consultant
- "An astonishing complacency and astonishing recklessness and unless cities put their foot on the track and say this is insanely reckless you're not going to do this anymore. Unless they do that it will be business and usual and the public will be kept at very high risk."
If you are still not convinced terrorists can get to rail cars, notice the graffiti the next time you see a freight train go by. And think if they can't stop graffiti how are they going to stop terrorists?