As much as I hate to admit it, President Bush may have been right when he asserted that the terrorists are “people who will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives.� On the heels of the recently foiled British terror plot (a.k.a. the al-Qoolata conspiracy) comes word of a plot so fiendish and disturbing that it begs the question: how low can these dirtbags go? It’s bad enough that the terrorists are exploiting angry and impressionable Muslim youth, turning them into IEDs (Improvised Explosive Dudes). But now, apparently not content with their exploitation of one species, these yahoos are using woodland animals to wreak havoc on innocent Americans. It’s true! Thankfully, the ever vigilant folks at the Department of Homeland Security (motto: We Put the Cur in Security) were able to uncover the plot, as reported in today’s Washington Post:

Psycho killer raccoons terrorize Olympia

OLYMPIA, Washington—A fierce group of raccoons has killed 10 cats, attacked a small dog and bitten at least one pet owner who had to get rabies shots, residents of Olympia say.

Some have taken to carrying pepper spray to ward off the masked marauders and the woman who was bitten now carries an iron pipe when she goes outside at night.

“It’s a new breed,” said Tamara Keeton, who with Kari Hall started a raccoon watch after an emotional neighborhood meeting drew 40 people. “They’re urban raccoons, and they’re not afraid.”

Tony Benjamins, whose family lost two cats, said he got a big dog — a German Shepherd-Rottweiler mix — to keep the raccoons away….

In one case five raccoons tried to carry off a small dog, which managed to survive.

The attacks…are highly unusual, said Sean O. Carrell, a problem wildlife coordinator with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, adding that trappers may be summoned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to remove problem animals….

Meanwhile, residents have hired Tom Brown, a nuisance wildlife control operator from Rochester, Washington, to set traps, but in six weeks he has caught only one raccoon. He and Carrell said raccoons teach their young — and each other — to avoid traps.

Brown said he had seen packs of raccoons this big but none so into killing.

“They are in command up there,” he said. [full text]