interesting alleged Terror plot in NYC

[bmags]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/...b.php?ref=fpblg

 

The accused terror plotter indicted this morning by the Feds seems to have spent a lot of time in recent months shopping for beauty and home improvement products.

 

According to a document filed by prosecutors, the FBI found on the computer of Najibullah Zaz instructions for making explosives, including Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP). That's the explosive that was used by the London train bombers of 2005, and by Richard Reid, the "shoe-bomber," in 2001. It's made from hydrogen peroxide, acetone, and strong acid such as hydrochloric acid.

 

The document details Zazi's alleged quest to obtain these components. This past summer, say prosecutors, Zazi's computer shows that he searched the internet for hydrochloric acid, and searched a beauty salon website for hydrocide and peroxide.

 

On July 25th, according to surveillance videos and receipts, Zazi bought six bottles of a product called "Liquid Developer Clairoxide" -- which contains large quantities of hydrogen peroxide -- from a beauty supply store in Aurora, Colorado, where he lives.

 

Then about a month later, say the Feds, Zazi bought twelve 32-oz bottles of "Ms. K Liquid 40 Volume," which also contains hydrogen peroxide. A Zazi associate bought three 32 oz bottles of Ion Sensitive Scalp Developer, a hair-color product. Other Zazi associates also went to beauty-supply stores in and around Aurora, and bought products with large quantities of hydrogen and acetone.

 

There was a lot more work to be done, though, say prosecutors. In early September, Zazi made calls to an associate asking for further instructions about how to create the explosives. He asked urgently about flour and ghee oil, two other ingredients in the bomb-making instructions found on his computer, say the Feds.

 

Then the next day, he looked online for home improvement stores in Flushing, Queens. Then he searched the store's site for a form of hydrochloric acid - -the third component of the TATP explosive. He allegedly viewed one particular brand -- Klean Strip Green Safer Muriatic Acid -- several times.

 

After traveling to New York, Zazi went to Flushing. It was then that he appears to have been tipped off to the fact that the Feds were on to him. Law enforcement then searched the Queens apartment, and found the computer with the bomb-making instructions, as well an electronic scale, of the kind that could be used to weigh chemicals, with Zazi's finger prints.

 

After Zazi returned to Colorado, a search of his Aurora home found the same computer, but this time with the hard drive removed. Soon, he was being interrogated by FBI agents. Last week he was charged with making false statements. And today the more serious charges were filed.

 

Prosecutors are asking for a permanent order of detention for Zazi, calling him a flight risk and a threat to the community.

 

Still a lot of stuff to clear up, but kudos to the FBI for getting this guy.

[CanOfCorn]

See? The FBI isn't as stupid as they make them out to be in movies!

 

"You wanted a miracle? I give you the F...B...I...."

Edited September 24, 2009 by CanOfCorn

[bmags]

kind of hope lost can add some light without compromising anything.

 

Of what it says in this, how much of the tactics to track him are...ahem...of recent legality. Say...8 years...

 

out of curiosity.

[Rex Kickass]

Been hearing a lot about this out here over the last week. Getting the sense that they were getting close to operational, because they are still looking for some things, and they're talking openly now about the kind of bombs that they were using. Sort of trying to blow up the plot before the plot can blow up a subway tunnel.

[bmags]

Been hearing a lot about this out here over the last week. Getting the sense that they were getting close to operational, because they are still looking for some things, and they're talking openly now about the kind of bombs that they were using. Sort of trying to blow up the plot before the plot can blow up a subway tunnel.

 

Sounds like his visit to NYC on Sept. 10 was the last straw to take care of this thing before it delivers.

[Rex Kickass]

Sounds like his visit to NYC on Sept. 10 was the last straw to take care of this thing before it delivers.

 

Maybe. I don't think they were operational yet, but they were getting close. There seems to be a shift in counter terrorism action in the last few months along the lines of what the UK does in "pulling the string along."

[NorthSideSox72]

Sounds like his visit to NYC on Sept. 10 was the last straw to take care of this thing before it delivers.

That is the impression I have gotten so far - they were tracking some folks, the folks got together in an unexpected way, and then a few details of the situation on the ground changed such that they needed to act quicker than originally planned. I just hope that doesn't mean they didn't gather enough evidence to put these people away.

 

[Rex Kickass]

That is the impression I have gotten so far - they were tracking some folks, the folks got together in an unexpected way, and then a few details of the situation on the ground changed such that they needed to act quicker than originally planned. I just hope that doesn't mean they didn't gather enough evidence to put these people away.

 

They cold have them on perjuring themselves to the feds, and there's probably enough there for a terror charge or two.

[NorthSideSox72]

They cold have them on perjuring themselves to the feds, and there's probably enough there for a terror charge or two.

Bomber 1 is already indicted on the plot, well beyond perjury. The others, well, they may need to go that way.

 

[Rex Kickass]

Bomber 1 is already indicted on the plot, well beyond perjury. The others, well, they may need to go that way.

 

It's nice to put them away, but in reality an indictment is enough to keep them under surveillance and make them unusable for generations.

[bmags]

It's nice to put them away, but in reality an indictment is enough to keep them under surveillance and make them unusable for generations.

 

I feel this way too. And considering some of the "terror plots" that have been convicted have been much weaker than this, where it was damn near entrapment, I don't think it'll be a problem.

[kapkomet]

And the FBI busted up a plot to blow up a Dallas skyskraper today. The agents actually gave the guy intert explosives, he parked the SUV in an underground parking garage, called a number to denonate the explosives, and was arrested when he hit "send". That is just a little too damn close.

[lostfan]

kind of hope lost can add some light without compromising anything.

 

Of what it says in this, how much of the tactics to track him are...ahem...of recent legality. Say...8 years...

 

out of curiosity.

The government in general is pretty risk-averse now. The FBI is a lot more experienced in handling this sort of thing since 2002-ish and everyone pretty much knows where the boundaries are.

[mr_genius]

kind of hope lost can add some light without compromising anything.

 

Of what it says in this, how much of the tactics to track him are...ahem...of recent legality. Say...8 years...

 

out of curiosity.

 

i heard the terrorists were watching the Glenn Beck show when they got busted. he probably inspired them to attack

[lostfan]

That is the impression I have gotten so far - they were tracking some folks, the folks got together in an unexpected way, and then a few details of the situation on the ground changed such that they needed to act quicker than originally planned. I just hope that doesn't mean they didn't gather enough evidence to put these people away.

 

 

And the FBI busted up a plot to blow up a Dallas skyskraper today. The agents actually gave the guy intert explosives, he parked the SUV in an underground parking garage, called a number to denonate the explosives, and was arrested when he hit "send". That is just a little too damn close.

There's a rope the FBI tries to walk that's pretty delicate, if they're aware someone is in a terrorist cell they won't go and arrest him right away. There isn't much value in that. They'll wait, see what he's doing, see who he talks to and basically give him as much rope as possible to hang himself with without allowing anything to happen. Then you can either take down his buddies or start watching them too. The more you have the easier you can prosecute them and the worse their sentence will be.

 

I think it's pretty amazing that the FBI has been basically batting 1.000 on this sort of thing and they haven't missed a beat since the administration changed. Knock on wood.

[kapkomet]

There's a rope the FBI tries to walk that's pretty delicate, if they're aware someone is in a terrorist cell they won't go and arrest him right away. There isn't much value in that. They'll wait, see what he's doing, see who he talks to and basically give him as much rope as possible to hang himself with without allowing anything to happen. Then you can either take down his buddies or start watching them too. The more you have the easier you can prosecute them and the worse their sentence will be.

 

I think it's pretty amazing that the FBI has been basically batting 1.000 on this sort of thing and they haven't missed a beat since the administration changed. Knock on wood.

I guess the authorities were posing as "terrorists" trying to talk him out of doing his thing - they then delivered the intert explosives, gave him the cell phone to detonate, and he hit the send button. It's a damn good thing they got to him before the bad guys did or we'd have a few hundred or a thousand people dead today.

[Balta1701]

I guess the authorities were posing as "terrorists" trying to talk him out of doing his thing - they then delivered the intert explosives, gave him the cell phone to detonate, and he hit the send button. It's a damn good thing they got to him before the bad guys did or we'd have a few hundred or a thousand people dead today.

There appears to have been a totally separate one aimed at a Federal building in Springfield, ILL that was also broken up in an identical manner.

[NorthSideSox72]

This has been amazing the last few days, with 3 different plots (of various magnitude in abilities) broken up.

 

[lostfan]

There appears to have been a totally separate one aimed at a Federal building in Springfield, ILL that was also broken up in an identical manner.

I looked at the picture and assumed this guy was a domestic terrorist because he was white but as it turns out he changed his name to Talib Islam and idolized John Walker Lindh. Egg on my face.

[bmags]

Josh Marshall's take on what makes the Zazi case more intriguing

 

Apples Oranges and Jihad

 

We now have three counter-terrorism arrests in different parts of the country (apparently in totally unconnected plots) in little more than a week.

 

In addition to the Zazi case, which has been percolating for a while now, men were arrested in Illinois and Texas earlier this week, each of whom allegedly attempted to detonate explosives in buildings. In both cases, they were dummy explosives provided by government informants, much like in the case of Newburgh Four back in May.

 

The new cases also show how different most of these stings are from the Zazi case, which had federal agents so spooked because he allegedly had not only the intent to commit a terrorist act but the training and means as well.

 

Michael C. Finton, aka "Talib Islam", seems like the type who might have been an able foot soldier in a plot organized by non-morons. But left to his own devices his lack of operational secrecy somewhat undermined his endeavors.

 

According to the FBI release, after the Bureau learned of Finton's apparent interest in becoming a jihadi, the Bureau learned he was on parole and contacted his parole officer to find a parole violation that would allow them to search his home.

 

Agents found what seems to have amounted to a small literary shrine to John Walker Lindh. And then after Finton was released from jail, in a January 2008 interview with the FBI, Finton explained that he idolized Lindh. Faced with this evidence that Finton not only had an interest in becoming a terrorist but was also an easy mark, agents preceded to draw him into his own private terrorist plot that led this week to his arrest.

 

The case of Hosam Maher Husein Smadi in Texas has very different facts but a similar feel. From the FBI release ...

 

The FBI developed an investigative plan to determine Smadi's true intent while also protecting the public's safety. Smadi made clear his intention to serve as a soldier for Usama Bin Laden and al Qaeda, and to conduct violent jihad. Undercover FBI agents, posing as members of an al Qaeda "sleeper" cell, were introduced to Smadi, who repeatedly indicated to them that he came to the U.S. for the specific purpose of committing "Jihad for the sake of God." Smadi clarified that he was interested in "self-jihad," because it was "the best type of jihad." Smadi was interested in violent jihad against those he deemed to be enemies of Islam. The investigation determined Smadi was not associated with other terrorist organizations.

 

It makes perfect sense for the FBI to look for and try to roll up people looking to blow up buildings in the US. But these anti-terrorism cases are certainly more comforting when the would-be terrorists turn out to have been in league -- pretty much from the word go -- with government informants rather actual operatives the government has never heard of.

[HuskyCaucasian]

NYC Terror Attack Apparently Was Planned For September 11

An Afghan immigrant wanted to carry out a New York City terror attack involving hydrogen peroxide bombs on commuter trains to possibly coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary before federal authorities foiled the plan, a U.S. prosecutor said Friday.

 

U.S. prosecutor Tim Neff told a federal judge that Najibullah Zazi "was in the throes of making a bomb and attempting to perfect his formulation."

 

"The evidence suggests a chilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant was intent on making a bomb and being in New York on 9/11, for purposes of perhaps using such items," Neff declared.