To Catch a Terrorist

[Dimmauk]

FBI: Bomb plot targeting Dallas skyscraper foiled
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3281/...165efa8aea.jpg

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, September 25, 2009

By JASON TRAHAN, TODD J. GILLMAN and SCOTT GOLDSTEIN / The Dallas Morning News
/ The Dallas Morning News


A 19-year-old Jordanian citizen was arrested Thursday in a dramatic FBI sting operation after he parked a vehicle laden with government-supplied fake explosives at an iconic downtown Dallas skyscraper and attempted to detonate it, authorities said.

An undercover FBI agent monitoring an online extremist Web site discovered Hosam Maher Husein Smadi espousing jihad against the U.S. more than six months ago.

As more undercover Arabic-speaking agents engaged him, Smadi, living illegally in the U.S. in the small town of Italy, about 45 miles south of Dallas, pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden and expressed a desire to kill Americans, authorities said.

In conversations with agents posing as members of an al-Qaeda sleeper cell, Smadi said he came to the U.S. to wage jihad, or holy war. He told agents he wanted to target military recruitment centers, but eventually settled on financial institutions.

"I want to destroy ... targets ... everything that helps America on its war on Arabs will be targeted," he told undercover agents in May.

The sting culminated in Thursday's arrest after Smadi parked a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, supplied by the FBI, in the underground parking garage of Fountain Place, a 60-story, emerald-green glass office tower in the 1400 block of Ross Avenue at North Field Street that is home to many businesses, including a Wells Fargo Home Mortgage office.

Inside the SUV was a fake bomb, designed to appear similar to one used by Timothy McVeigh in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Authorities say Smadi thought he could detonate it with a cellphone. After parking the vehicle, he got into another vehicle with one of the agents, and they drove several blocks away.

An agent offered Smadi earplugs, but he declined, "indicating that he wanted to hear the blast," authorities said. He then dialed the phone, thinking it would trigger the bomb, authorities said. Instead, the agents took him into custody.

He was scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate in Dallas today at 11 a.m.

'Continuing threats'

Counterterrorism officials heralded the Dallas arrest as an example of the proactive effectiveness of a reorganized FBI in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"A coordinated undercover law enforcement action was able to thwart his efforts and ensure no one was harmed," said David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security in Washington.

This case serves as a reminder "of the continuing threats of terrorism we face as a nation and the FBI's resolve to meet those threats," said Robert Casey, special agent in charge of the Dallas FBI office.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert said local authorities were notified of the operation before it happened. "We were clearly communicated to that there was not going to be a danger to anybody," he said, praising cooperation between the law enforcement agencies.

Shortly after news of Smadi's arrest was announced about 5:30 p.m., most workers at Fountain Place were just becoming aware of the incident.

"It's kind of unnerving to think this could have happened," said Stanley Spruiell, who works in an Environmental Protection Agency office on the sixth floor.

Although apparently not connected, the Dallas case comes in the wake of several recent high-profile terrorism arrests in Denver and New York and in a strikingly similar scheme in Illinois involving undercover agents providing an extremist with a fake bomb.

It's unclear on which extremist Web site authorities encountered Smadi. Agents and private counterterrorism researchers lurk in such sites monitoring jihadist trends.

Authorities said agents tried to convince Smadi that he could carry out his jihad without lives lost – including his own.

"Smadi aggressively responded that he was going to commit significant, conspicuous violence as his jihad," FBI Special Agent Tom Petrowski, who leads a Dallas counterterrorism squad focusing on al-Qaeda, wrote in an affidavit.

While under constant FBI supervision, Smadi also scoped out the Dallas National Guard Armory and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport but decided they were too secure.

He then settled on Fountain Place, one of the most recognizable buildings in Dallas' skyline.

"It is a trade building," he told the agents, saying he had planned to "bring down the building, God willing" on the anniversary of Sept. 11. Authorities said he later decided to do it after Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, which ended Sunday.

Arrested Sept. 11

On Sept. 11, the Ellis County Sheriff's Department arrested Smadi for having no driver's license or insurance. He paid a $550 fine. No other details were released.

Smadi worked at Texas Best Smokehouse in Italy, which is in Ellis County. He lived nearby, alone in a housing development made up of dozens of small, individual dome structures along U.S. Highway 77. One friend described his home as simple; neat, with a surround-sound system, laptop, weight bench, TV and a bed.

Authorities wearing bulletproof vests and FBI jackets converged on the property Thursday afternoon, neighbors said. Through gaps in the shuttered blinds, the living quarters appeared to have been cleaned out of furniture by Thursday night.

During the day, agents questioned neighbors about how long they knew Smadi and whether they knew anything about his Internet use.

Friends, who knew him as "Sam," said he lived there for about a year and that he was fun, easygoing and always willing to lend a hand. Several said he regularly offered them rides in his Honda sedan.

They were in disbelief at Thursday's news.

"This comes as a shock to us; he was just an awesome person," said friend Tabatha Rogers. "He was good to us."

He loved techno music, had earrings in both ears, and he was often seen wearing a belt buckle decorated with rhinestones that formed a gun. Rogers said he looked just like "your average American rock star."

Friends said he drank occasionally and smoked cigarettes.

One friend said they assumed he was from Texas, though they said they knew he was Muslim.

They said he was a cashier who worked long hours at the smokehouse. He liked to play with his neighbors' children.

"I still don't know how to wrap my head around it, as far as Sam doing something like this," said Kellye Kines, 20, who lives at the development.

"I love Sam, but I have no remorse for him if that's how he is," she said.

Classified briefing

It's unclear how long Smadi has been in the U.S. Late Thursday, the FBI told key lawmakers that the suspect seems to have acted alone.

"The investigation determined Smadi was not affiliated with other terrorist organizations. That's good news," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin.

McCaul, the senior Republican on the House Homeland Security intelligence subcommittee, is among the handful of lawmakers who will receive a classified briefing today on the case, which could clarify if the Dallas case is part of a pattern.

"Car bombs are what they used in the embassies in Africa – classic terror-style attack. On the other hand, this could be one of these lone-wolf type things," McCaul said. "That's my hope."

But the spate of recent terrorism cases has raised immediate concerns. "There's a lot of activity out there," McCaul said, noting that "traditionally, al-Qaeda likes to test new presidents."

In 1993, five weeks after President Bill Clinton took office, al-Qaeda bombed the World Trade Center, led by mastermind Ramzi Yousef.

The Sept. 11 attacks that brought down the New York landmark and killed thousands came less than nine months into George W. Bush's presidency.

Jordanian diplomats in Washington are typically alerted by U.S. authorities when one of the kingdom's citizens is arrested. "So far we haven't received anything," embassy spokeswoman Merissa Khurma said Thursday night.

She had no information about this suspect or the Dallas allegations, but said that in general, "Jordan's position with regards to terror activities and terrorism in general is very clear. We have been on the forefront of the war on terror. We have and will continue to condemn any attacks, acts of terror, the killing of innocents."


So far there has been 2 other(one in Illinois and one in Denver)Terrorist that have also been caught recently.

[Qalbert]

Shoulda put small explosives in the detonator, one less terrorist to worry about.

[Olo401]

In other news, the real bomb in Dallas this year is the Cowboys.

[Dimmauk]

I bet he hates America even more now. The fact that he declined earplugs, cause he wanted to hear the explosions is crazy. I wish they would have videoed themselves arresting him after he called the phone and nothing happend. I also wish Chris Hansen was there to tell him to take a seat.

[Dimmauk]

In other news, the real bomb in Dallas this year is the Cowboys.

LOL

[Mizango]

In other news, the real bomb in Dallas this year is the Cowboys.

/thread <3

[Mizango]

Actually I'm just upset that this 19 yo kid stole my idea.

[MrW]

He was probably an Eagles fan.

[Khajit]

If the terrorist had a gun this never would have happened!.
In all honesty if the guy had taken the initiative to make the explosives himself i bet he would have gotten away with it.

[Dimmauk]

If the terrorist had a gun this never would have happened!.
In all honesty if the guy had taken the initiative to make the explosives himself i bet he would have gotten away with it.

Typical lazy american.........terrorist.

[Kajii]

Counter Terrorist Win lol

Wtf are Jihad websites and who would be stupid enough to use them? Do you just google "Jihad Message Board?"

It's kind of unsettling though how normal this guy seemed. He drank and had earrings... I'm sure most would assume he isn't a religious person. They say he looked like a rock star, probably just some pussy with a "rebel" mentality that wanted to stick it to the man.

[Mizango]

Or maybe he just hated Texas?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ck_178772m.jpg
I'm not saying I would have done it, but I understand.

[Dimmauk]

Or maybe he just hated Texas?

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ck_178772m.jpg
I'm not saying I would have done it, but I understand.

He hated America, he just happend to live in Texas.

I heard this was the guy that tricked the terrorist.
http://bensbreakfastblog.files.wordp...0norriswk7.jpg

[guartz]

not a fan of terrorists, but this thing puzzles me.

They find this kid who rages about hating america, hook him up with a pretend sleeper cell, most likely encourage him to be all crazy jihaddy, hook him up with bombs, HAND him the fucking detonator, and then are like "LOOK! A TERRORIST! GET HIM"

[Dimmauk]

not a fan of terrorists, but this thing puzzles me.

They find this kid who rages about hating america, hook him up with a pretend sleeper cell, most likely encourage him to be all crazy jihaddy, hook him up with bombs, HAND him the fucking detonator, and then are like "LOOK! A TERRORIST! GET HIM"

Actually, this guy also helped catch him
http://liberalfrihet.files.wordpress...007_medium.jpg

They do the same thing to guys that chat online to people posing as underage girls and boys.

[Mizango]

Welcome to America. FUCK YEAH!

[Kajii]

I've never been to Texas, but I know that this girl lives there.

Spoiler: show

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/197/2znphdz.jpg
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/3470/fm2n9i.jpg

Her name is Amber. How can you hate Texas when a girl like that lives there?

[Olo401]

^ would not mind bein' deepinaherheartshapedass

[Mizango]

That was obviously taken before the fat infiltrated her system. Fast forward 3 years and she will be riding a power scooter to HEB in a moo moo to buy a carton of smokes.

[Zilong]

I've never been to Texas, but I know that this girl lives there.

Spoiler: show

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/197/2znphdz.jpg
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/3470/fm2n9i.jpg

Her name is Amber. How can you hate Texas when a girl like that lives there?

duck