Thread: Could Lake Erie's border be a terrorist target?

Could Lake Erie's border be a terrorist target?


September 10, 2014: A new YouTube documentary is getting attention for raising questions about border "insecurity." WKYC-TV

Sara E Shookman, WKYC8:21 p.m. EDT September 10, 2014

CLEVELAND -- The violence of ISIS and other Islamic extremists seems to be escalating thousands of miles away in the Middle East. But could a terror threat only 45 miles away from Cleveland, in the middle of Lake Erie?

A new YouTube documentary is getting a lot of attention for raising questions about border "insecurity."

Despite Cleveland's downtown harbor feeling safe, the video's creators at Project Veritas say if the British are right about their citizens signing up for ISIS by the hundreds, Canada and then Cleveland's coast could be a target.

"Well, I used my British passport to get to Canada, and then yes, I took a boat," says a character, dressed in a head to toe black, like the militants seen in released ISIS videos. "No border patrol stopped you?" asked James O'Keefe, the man behind Project Veritas' projects.

"Do you see any border patrol? Do you see the coast guard?" says the man dressed as a terrorist, pointing out over an empty lake.

Captain Bob Swiney was hired for the shoot last Thursday. He didn't know of Project Veritas or James O'Keefe until he got the call.

O'Keefe is a conservative "Michael Moore" type muckraking videographer, whose videos often make headlines.

"I googled him and saw some of his work and I thought it might be fun," said Swiney.

The Eastlake Charter boat captain from Fishfull Thinking Charters says he's been out on Lake Erie at least hundreds of times. "You can pretty much go anywhere you want to, and cross."

"I've never seen Border Patrol out here," Swiney says on the video.

The video shows the terrorist walk off the boat at downtown's Rock and Dock at the North Coast Harbor Marina and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"At no point, did anyone question him, or ask him what he was carrying in his suspicious brown duffle bag," says O'Keefe, narrating the video.

Swiney agrees that Lake Erie could be a weak link in our nation's border fence.

"This is important. I think anybody at anytime could literally cross this border. I think we already have those people here. They've done it. I think they are doing it everyday," he said.

The Coast Guard and agents at Customs and Border Patrol have seen the video, confirm spokespersons, but neither agency seems too concerned about its implications.

Ninth District Coast Guard Lt. Davey says with the help of US Customs and Border Patrol and Canadian force, a "very strong team" is working to protect us, and that this video is a work of fiction.

Connor says the most valuable anti-terrorism asset they have is their people, and they're doing the best they can.

But he couldn't say that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, boats are patrolling. And he couldn't say this wouldn't happen, just that it's "definitely not" likely.

Melissa Maraj with CBP Public Affairs was not able to answer our questions by deadline.

Swiney said he's grateful for the Coast Guard. "I do know that whenever you need them, they're there...they get out there they risk their lives and they take care of business."

No one called this fake terrorist into the Coast Guard, but the boat did get some attention.

"There was a woman in a kayak, that had kayaked out by the crib station there, in Cleveland, the water intake, and as we were driving back in towards Cleveland with a terrorist standing on the front of my boat, she was waving at him. Literally, like 'How you doing? Great to see you,'" said Swiney.

Swiney hopes this friendly conversation could raise concerns, and help us fix any loopholes."[Terrorists] are intelligent people too, and they are sitting around all day every day thinking of ways to do this. We've got to do the same to combat it."

President Obama will address the nation on his plans to combat ISIS abroad at 9 p.m. Wednesday on WKYC Channel 3.

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local...reat/15416397/

http://www.alipac.us/f9/lebanese-nat...border-310722/