Operation TIPS getting out of hand

[Kevin Robert Dean]

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Beware al-Qaida, Branch is on to you
By Trace Christenson
The Enquirer


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COLDWATER -- Tongue-in-cheek terrorism has snuck into an
official dispatch by the Branch County sheriff's
department. 
In an attempt to warn county residents about fraudulent
telemarketers, the department has spread a spoof from The
Onion, a satirical weekly newspaper published in New York
City. 

In a four-paragraph release sent to area news organizations
Tuesday, the sheriff department reported the investigation
of several complaints of possible telemarketing fraud in
the area, especially targeted at the elderly. 

"In the course of this investigation, it was learned that
this is going on throughout the United States and some of
these telemarketing programs are believed to be operated by
Al-Qaeda. The CIA has announced that they acquired a
videotape showing Al-Qaeda members making phone
solicitations for vacation home rentals, long distance
telephone service, magazine subscriptions and other
products." 

The reports seem to be taken from a Sept. 18 edition of The
Onion headlined "Report: Al-Qaeda Allegedly Engaging in
Telemarketing." 
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/news/stories/20020926/localnews/160109.html
---
Sent from UnionMail Service  [http://mail.union.org.za]