Sunday, July 27, 2008

'New York Jihad': Odd Letters Predict NYC Bombings


These could well be some crank or maybe the real deal. Or, considering one letter was sent to a former Fox News producer, it could just be some leftwing crank in the throes of Fox Derangement Syndrome, a disorder rampant in certain circles.

Whatever the case, the NYPD is taking it seriously.
NYPD detectives are investigating a chilling new terror threat - a series of cards from a "New York Jihad" that look like birthday-party invitations but warn of bombs in lower Manhattan this summer, The Post has learned.

The cards were mailed last week to the homes of seven city residents, including former Fox News television producer Kelley Vick and a person in the 26th Police Precinct, which covers West Harlem, according to Vick and police sources.

The card reads: "Bombs! Bombs! Bombs! Lower Manhattan. July, August, September. New York Jihad."

Vick, a news producer who left Fox in early July, got the creepy mailing Thursday. She said it arrived at her Chelsea building but did not list her apartment number and had no return address. She went to police on Friday.

"It says, 'You're invited to a party, so put on a happy face,' " she said. "There were faces of an elephant, a monkey, like cartoon animals.

"Then you open the card, and inside is a piece of periwinkle paper and space for the date and time. That's where it says, 'Bombs! Bombs! Bombs!' in fancy type.

"My name is printed on the envelope. The stamp is green with a heart. Everything about it is like a cute little party invitation. It's really weird."

She said the postmark showed it had been sent Wednesday from Brooklyn.

Vick took the card and envelope to the 10th Precinct station house, where she met with a sergeant who works with the NYPD's Intelligence Division and who determined that the card was mailed about 2 p.m. Wednesday, she said.

"He said part of the postal code was missing."

Police told her another person had received the same card Wednesday. A detective called her Friday night and said a total of six others got it as well, she said.

Vick, who gave The Post a copy of the card, told cops she'd worked for Fox, helping produce shows for the news network's weekend line-up. She now works as a freelance journalist.

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