Rising Gas Prices Linked To Terrorism

Sunday, April 15th 2007, 8:23 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsans are currently paying about $2.65 for a gallon of gas. Some say these rising prices are linked to terrorism. Since 9/11, the price of an oil barrel has increased by $10 to $12. The director for the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, Don Hamilton, says if Al-Qaeda gets its way, the price per barrel could go up another $40. Hamilton says Al-Qaeda is raising prices by attacking oil producers and not the distribution channels, like oil fields and pipelines.

"The targets are there,â€ said Hamilton. â€œThe will is there. Are they going to happen? I certainly hope not, but you have to prepare for that because you have the expressed intention to do it if you have the ability and the damage could be quite severe.â€

To avoid possible terrorist attacks that pinch our pockets at the pump, Hamilton says we need to reduce our oil dependency. That of course means resorting to other forms of energy.