I read an interesting theory a few days ago, expressed by a Washington man who almost died in an attack by a shotgun serial killer some years back. He said the first sniper attack took place a day after Ari Fleischer suggested (again?) on national TV that "one bullet" could take care of the Saddam Hussein problem. He thought that might have triggered this spree of killing.

Have given this some thought. One realizes that all theories are probahbly equally likely and equally unlikely.

This person(s) cannot be a devout Muslim, I believe, because of their leaving a Tarot card (near the school in Bowie), which would be offensive to devout Muslims, and because of the inscription "Mr. Policeman, I am God" on the card, which ditto. This doesn't mean however that it's not an Arab nationalist who got mad and decided to show the U.S. the impact of "one bullet."

Or even a member of an Al Qaeda cell who took off on his own initiative. The papers said that some AQ operatives have instructions to find any way to be effective, just keep at us.

Or it could just be someone who was bored and looking for excitement and attention.

Don't guess it matters who it is. Just matters to find and stop them.

I was on Rte 50 at a meeting last night -- the meeting got out about a half hour after the shooting took place just a few miles down Rte 50. Spent the next 3 hours sitting in police drag nets and having the inside of the car checked with flashlights. The radio said no one should expect to go anywhere for a few hours, ALL roads near major escape routes were blocked. My sentiments were "Go Get 'Em Boys, we'll all sit here without grumbling, glad to know you're on the job." But of course it was scary as hell, and before I could drive any where I just sat in the car and cried. I knew when I saw the racing police cars on the road, that it had happened again.

There are much worse things happening in the world. But this is my home, and my neighborhood in the case of the first 5 shootings, and it feels awful.

BTW the police seem to be taking the long view here: ultra careful in documenting evidence, etc, so that if there is an arrest, they will have a strong case in court. Montgomery County police chief Moose has said, first, that "just because you only have been given a few pieces of information, doesn't mean we don't have any information" and second, that he's not releasing too much info because he doesn't want witnesses to have tunnel vision: if they see ANY possible clues, he wants to hear about them, whether or not they are similar to other clues they have heard about.

Sounds right to me.

Rita Ferrara