The Grateful Terrorist (2009 Edition)

Evidently prompted by recent Israeli military actions in Gaza, rumors have been flying in the U.S. and Israel for the past several days about a possible terror attack in New York City. Though mostly vague and even contradictory as to the exact nature of the attack, every version I've seen says it's supposed to occur today.

Here's a typical variant as circulated via text message over the weekend:

Fwd Fwd Fwd: A woman possibly frum gave a tip to a Muslim taxi & out of appreciation, he warned her not to go to Manhattan next Wednesday.

A slightly different version went around via email:

My mother-in-law works in Rambam HS and one of the Rebbeim said that someone he knows was shopping yesterday and had a cabbie driving her around all day. At the end of the day she gave the driver a generous tip and he told her that he’s Muslim and since she was so nice she should stay away from the city on Wednesday.

Officials say this is not — I repeat, not — a credible threat. "There is no terror plot or threat connected to the rumor that is circulating in New York and in other cities abroad," Deputy New York Police Commissioner Paul Browne told the New York Daily News on Tuesday. "There are several variations on the rumor, but it is just that, the latest urban myth."

For that matter, it isn't even really "the latest" urban myth to hit the circuit. Variants of "The Grateful Terrorist" have circulated off and on ever since 9/11, and some say the basic narrative is even older than that.

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