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| Home Front: Politix |
| 2004-11-15 |
| An unidentified man tried to set himself on fire outside the White House fence midday Monday, witnesses said. Onlookers said the incident took place outside the Northwest gate. Uniformed Secret Service agents were seen rushing to surround the man, who had graying hair and glasses. He was heard screaming in pain. Television cameras captured the aftermath. Smoke hung in the air around the man as paramedics rushed to provide aid. The man appeared to be clutching his hand in pain, but it was unclear how serious his burns were. A spokesman for the District of Columbia Fire Department said the man suffered burns over about 30 percent of his body. What a loser - he even farked this up. UPDATE: A bearded man shouting "Allah" was injured while apparently setting fire to his belongings outside the White House today and was quickly subdued by Secret Service guards. A Reuters reporter saw the man try to present a manila envelope to guards near a Secret Service post on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington. Moments later, a plume of smoke rose above the guard post, while two guards wrestled the man to the ground and a third extinguished flames that engulfed his briefcase and overcoat a few metres away. The man, who appeared to suffer from a burn to his right hand, groaned and repeatedly shouted "Allah", as guards held him on the ground. The area was cordoned off and fire trucks and ambulances arrived on the scene. Neither the Secret Service nor the White House offered immediate comment on the incident, and the man was not identified. Via Drudge, who also reports the tourists from Florida videotaped the incident and gave the tape to the Secret Service. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #17 And most tourists just take a picture... |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-11-15 10:55:10 PM |
| #16 There was video footage on CBS. The Guards were most definatley NOT wrestling him to the ground. They were kneeling next to him trying to help. It appeared he was burned on the right hand as well as part of his face. He almost made an ash of himself. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2004-11-15 9:21:35 PM |
| #15 Actually the guy was saying Wallas a Hockypuck. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-11-15 8:25:26 PM |
| #14 Those secret service lads are better guys then I am. I would've just front kicked the fool away from me. Self combust on the street asshole, no since getting my hands crispy. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2004-11-15 7:26:24 PM |
| #13 ...talk about your "Flaming Ashholes" |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2004-11-15 6:08:48 PM |
| #12 Sounds like a bomb attempt gone awry. The kid has Darwin potential. |
| Posted by: lex 2004-11-15 5:26:13 PM |
| #11 the Reuters wording doesn't make it sound like he set himself on fire. It sounds more like his briefcase and overcoat, several meters away, were on fire and his hand got burned. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-11-15 5:11:55 PM |
| #10 Yeah, Shipman, the Buddhist monks immolated themselves; these potatoheads just singe themselves a little. This has got to be one of the lamest protests ever, right up there with the "I'm Sorry, World" dweebs. |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H. 2004-11-15 4:38:50 PM |
| #9 Wonder what's in the manila envelope... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-11-15 4:36:51 PM |
| #8 The Buddhists did the deed tho. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-11-15 4:34:59 PM |
| #7 Now the Islamists are immitating the "emolating Buddhists" from the 1960's. Have these guys ever had an original thought? |
| Posted by: Mark Z. 2004-11-15 4:19:34 PM |
| #6 Reuters has a different story: "A bearded man shouting "Allah" was injured while apparently setting fire to his belongings outside the White House on Monday and was quickly subdued by Secret Service guards. A Reuters reporter saw the man try to present a Manila envelope to guards near a Secret Service post on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House West Wing. Moments later, a plume of smoke rose above the guard post while two guards wrestled the man to the ground and a third extinguished flames that engulfed his briefcase and overcoat a few feet (metres) away. The man, who appeared to suffer from a burn to his right hand, groaned and repeatedly shouted "Allah," as guards held him to the ground." |
| Posted by: growler 2004-11-15 4:12:05 PM |
| #5 I wonder what he accomplished other than confirm the idea that there is an insular group of pacifist nut-cases who don't understand the WoT, and have no real contact with anyone who does. |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-11-15 4:09:32 PM |
| #4 hAllah Hackbar!!!!!!! |
| Posted by: Poison Reverse 2004-11-15 4:09:31 PM |
| #3 First responders heard the man say "Bad Idea, Bad Idea...Hair on Fire!" |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2004-11-15 4:04:51 PM |
| #2 Causing harm to oneself on purpose, with the hope of sympathy bounding in for you from others-if that's not a martyr complex, what is? |
| Posted by: Jules 187 2004-11-15 3:55:12 PM |
| #1 Zippo the Pinhead |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2004-11-15 3:52:54 PM |