U.S. national security agencies are on alert for a terrorist attack after the discovery that a Middle Eastern man carried out suspicious surveillance of the Washington Monument, the Pentagon and other buildings in the area.

The man in question videotaped the Washington Monument on the Mall on Sept. 1 and paced off several distances around the monument, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

— The Washington Times
1. When has a single one of these threat warning panned out?
2. When has a single terrorist attack ever occurred on the anniversary of another terrorist attack?
3. Need we even discuss the sheer incredulity of worrying about a man — any man — videotaping the biggest tourist attractions in one of the most visited cities in the world? (Pacing off at the Washingotn Monument? It’s a big spike surrounded by a circle… what the hell else do you do but walk around it?)
4. A man who has done nothing illegal, or even interesting, is the news story… but not the fact that he was illegally robbed by government agents?