According to the American Trucking Assns. (ATA), the Dept. of Transportation has issued an advisory warning that fuel trucks and petroleum-transfer facilities may be targeted by terrorists.
It should be noted the advisory is based on unconfirmed information obtained by interviewing detained suspected terrorists and follows a general alert issued to the entire petroleum industry back in April.
ATA pointed out the advisory is “underscored by news coverage of two incidents in Israel” recently— the foiled hijacking of a fuel truck and the successful planting of an explosive device on a diesel tanker that was detonated by remote control while that vehicle was loading at the country’s largest fuel depot.
DOT, said ATA, is advising vigilance particularly when haz-mat shipments—especially of fuel and petroleum products—are stopped, even for a short time.
