Two to five unnamed U.S. government officials have alerted the public today that, according to intelligence colected by the U.S. and other states, shoebombers may have invented new shoe-designs to blow up airplanes in relentless attempts to terrorize innocent and well-surveilled citizens. As CNN emphasizes, the officials stressed that there is no specific threat or known plot, though. One of the unnamed intelligence sources said the warning went beyond a concern about explosives in shoes to include cosmetics and liquids. The threat is unrelated, however, to recent warnings about toothpaste and cosmetic tubes potentially being used to hide explosives on flights to the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, something some had interpreted as a U.S. spoilsport anyway.

We understand that the continuing reporting on Edward Snowden’s leaks may soon drive members of the intelligence community crazy. As a matter of fact, NSA’s mass surveillance has not prevented a single terrorist attack in the United States since 9-11. In the CNN report, just two failed incidents are mentioned.

“In December 2001, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami thwarted another passenger’s attempt to detonate explosives hidden in his sneakers. Richard Reid, a British citizen, pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence.

A failed attempt to blow up an overseas flight heading to Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009 involved a bomb concealed in a passenger’s underwear.”

Shouting fire in a crowded theater principally creates unnecessary panic. Since nobody would pay attention after a while anymore, it must be regarded an act of terrorism itself.