A Sophisticated Attack on a Silicon Valley Electrical Grid Substation Happened Last Year, and No One Knows Why

Instapundit has the links. They cut the fiber optic cables, and then destroyed 17 of 22 transformers via sniper fire. The attackers knew where to hit the transformers -- in the oil lines that fed their coolers. As the oil supply trickled out, the transformers heated up to the failure point, and the saboteurs had already fled.

The FBI says this wasn't terrorism but they always say that. As they don't know the motive for the attack, they really can't say it wasn't terrorism, but they say so anyway.

The Atlantic article on this gets a little conspiratorial and wonders about the date of the attack: April 16, 2013. The night/early morning after the Boston Marathon bombing of the 15th.

On the other hand, the probabilities favor something less interesting. While people tend to attribute such attacks (including shootings, like that of Gabbie Gifford) to larger political causes they can easily understand, it more often turns out to be done out of shabby and small motives, like a disgruntled employee with a grudge, or a lone wolf lunatic.

posted by Ace at 05:33 PM

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