THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2002 — Would-be shoe-bomber Richard Reid, until now an almost-laughable figure who looked like he’d spent most of his life zoned out on spliffs while grooving to Bob Marley CDs, may yet prove to be the poster boy for a threat more dangerous than anyone had realized.

On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that a computer used by Al Qaeda contained a file on "the doings of a 'brother Abdul Ra’uff' who scouted targets in the Mideast. His travels were strikingly similar to those of Richard Reid, down to a description of the scrutiny he aroused on an El Al flight to Israel." The computer was one of two purchased by Journal reporter Alan Cullison for $1100 at a Kabul market (see "Media," This Just In, January 4).

If it turns out that Reid and "Abdul Ra’uff" are one and the same person — and Cullison himself told National Public Radio’s All Things Considered on Wednesday that it would be "a pretty astounding coincidence" if they are not — then it suggests a far greater competence on Reid’s part than we had previously thought. Indeed, the imam of Reid’s former mosque in London (see "Richard Reid's Moderate Mosque," Today’s Jolt, December 27) and Reid’s own father have portrayed him as pretty much a doofus who couldn’t even tie his shoes, much less blow them up, without adult supervision.

Now we must face the possibility that Reid was a key operative for Osama bin Laden who, despite his addled-stoner demeanor, was perfectly capable of carrying out surveillance missions for his masters back in Afghanistan. It makes you wonder how many others like him are out there.

On Wednesday, Reid was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on nine charges related to his inept attempt to blow up one of his shoes during an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami on December 22. The plane made a forced landing at Boston’s Logan Airport after Reid was overpowered by passengers and crew members.

"We must be prepared, we must be alert, we must be vigilant," said Attorney General John Ashcroft in announcing the indictment . "Al Qaeda–trained terrorists may act on their own or as part of the terrorist network, but we must assume that they will act." He added: "That this tragedy was averted stands as proof that terrorists, even Al Qaeda–trained terrorists, are no match for alert and vigilant people roused to defend themselves, and to defend freedom."

The latest revelations about Richard Reid demonstrate why we have to stay roused — a useful reminder. A little more than four months after the terrorist attacks of September 11, we’re not even close to forgetting what happened. But our sense of heightened vigilance has certainly eased.

Without being unduly frightened, and without overreacting, we’re nevertheless going to have to stay on our guard for some time to come. The doofus next to you might not be such a doofus after all.