Official: 7 arrested in Sears Tower plot

[elsid13]

It appear home grown terrorist this time

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060623/ap_on_re_us/terrorism_investigation

Seven people were arrested Thursday in connection with the early stages of a plot to attack Chicago's Sears Tower and other buildings in the U.S., including the FBI office here, a federal law enforcement official said.

As part of the raids related to the arrests, FBI agents swarmed a warehouse in Miami's Liberty City area, using a blowtorch to take off a metal door. One neighbor said the suspects had been sleeping in the warehouse while running what seemed to be a "military boot camp."

The official told The Associated Press the alleged plotters were mainly Americans with no apparent ties to al-Qaida or other foreign terrorist organizations. He spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt news conferences planned for Friday in Washington and Miami.

Miami U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said in a statement that the investigation was an ongoing operation and that more details would be released Friday.

"There is no imminent threat to Miami or any other area because of these operations," said Richard Kolko, spokesman for FBI headquarters in Washington. He declined further comment.

FBI Director Robert Mueller, questioned about the case during an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live," said he couldn't offer many details because "it's an ongoing operation."

"We are conducting a number of arrests and searches" in Miami, Mueller said, which were expected to be wrapped up Friday morning.

Residents living near the warehouse said the men taken into custody described themselves as Muslims and had tried to recruit young people to join their apparently militaristic group.

The residents said FBI agents spent several hours in the neighborhood showing photos of the suspects and seeking information. They said the men, who appeared to be in their teens or 20s, had lived in the area about a year.

The men slept in the warehouse, said Tashawn Rose, 29. "They would come out late at night and exercise. It seemed like a military boot camp that they were working on there. They would come out and stand guard."

She talked to one of the men about a month ago: "They seemed brainwashed. They said they had given their lives to Allah."

Rose said the men tried to recruit her younger brother and nephew for a karate class. "It was weird," she said.

Benjamin Williams, 17, said the group had young children with them sometimes. Sometimes, he added, the men "would cover their faces. Sometimes they would wear things on their heads, like turbans."

Xavier Smith, who attends the nearby United Christian Outreach, said the men would often come by the church and ask for water.

"They were very private," said Smith, 33. "The spoke with like an accent, sort of a Jamaican accent."

Gov. Jeb Bush was briefed on the situation Thursday, according to his spokeswoman, Alia Faraj.

"We have great confidence in the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who are committed to keeping our country safe," Faraj said.

She added that there has been greater communication between state and federal agencies since the 2001 terror attacks.

The 110-floor Sears Tower is the nation's tallest building. Security was ramped up after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the 103rd-floor skydeck was closed for about a month and a half.

The FBI's headquarters in Miami sits near a residential neighborhood just east of Interstate 95.

A huge crowd — up to 250,000 people — was expected downtown Friday for a parade to honor the NBA champion Miami Heat. Security measures consistent with such an event were in place, city officials said, and the raids were not expected to affect it.

Several terrorism investigations have had south Florida links. Several of the Sept. 11 hijackers lived and trained in the area, including ringleader Mohamed Atta, and several plots by Cuban-Americans against Fidel Castro's government have been based in Miami.

Jose Padilla, a former resident once accused of plotting to detonate a radioactive bomb in the U.S., is charged in Miami with being part of a support cell for Islamic extremists. Padilla's trial is set for this fall.

___

Associated Press Writer Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

[errand]

...and predictably, no libs in here saying "Good job, guys!"

I wonder if this crew got busted due to NSA wiretapping their phones?

[Spider]

First I caught wind of this ......... American terrorist ?
our own doing this shít ?
No Errand Chances were the Authorities were tipped off , I know people turning tips in to this kind of behavior isnt as good as your Snake Venom induced visions . but it works

[Spider]

.

I wonder if this crew got busted due to NSA wiretapping their phones?
As part of the raids related to the arrests, FBI agents swarmed a warehouse in Miami's Liberty City area, using a blowtorch to take off a metal door. One neighbor said the suspects had been sleeping in the warehouse while running what seemed to be a "military boot camp."
this is what I mean about reading errand ..... Reading isnt overrated ......

[DBruleU]

this is what I mean about reading errand ..... Reading isnt overrated ......

Um, what does that prove? I didnt read, "They were not tipped off by the NSA wiretaps."

[alkemical]

Here's your answer:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2109053

Federal Agents Raid Suspected Terror Cell in Miami

"The group has been under surveillance for some time and was infilitrated by a government informant who allegedly led them to believe he was an Islamic radical, a Justice Department official said."

[DBruleU]

Here's your answer:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2109053

Federal Agents Raid Suspected Terror Cell in Miami

"The group has been under surveillance for some time and was infilitrated by a government informant who allegedly led them to believe he was an Islamic radical, a Justice Department official said."

Good for them. I wonder how they started a surveillance on them? What led them to do that?

[Spider]

Um, what does that prove? I didnt read, "They were not tipped off by the NSA wiretaps."
LOL , I see so you think wire tapping is what led to this ?
you dont think tips and people calling in suspicious activities wasnt even on the radar huh ? it was wiretaps ....... Plenty of eye witness accounts in that artical . but a Bush sucker thinks it was all wire taps ......

[Spider]

Good for them. I wonder how they started a surveillance on them? What led them to do that?
Informant my ass , it was wire tapping right DBruleU ....... Hilarious! goofball

[alkemical]

not to mention i used a 'liberal media' source... ;)

[Spider]

not to mention i used a 'liberal media' source... ;)
LOL . you liberal clown .......

[DBruleU]

LOL , I see so you think wire tapping is what led to this ?
you dont think tips and people calling in suspicious activities wasnt even on the radar huh ? it was wiretaps ....... Plenty of eye witness accounts in that artical . but a Bush sucker thinks it was all wire taps ......

I just wonder is all. Could be or could not be the case. They could have wiretapped people from outside the states to someone inside the states and gotten a tip that way.

[Spider]

I just wonder is all. Could be or could not be the case. They could have wiretapped people from outside the states to someone inside the states and gotten a tip that way.
IT WAS WIRE TAPPING ....... REPUBLICANS SAVED OUR LIVES BY SPYING ON US ...... no informant , no people tip off ....... Wire tapping was the only way to stop this ......... When I suggested that there was an informant , and people calling in with Tips .I was told ...... Um, what does that prove? I didnt read, "They were not tipped off by the NSA wiretaps." . so you cant have your cake and eat it to .......

[Crushaholic]

It may not be the result of wiretaps, but it proves that there ARE people still in the United States who want to harm us. Some people are more concerned about "rights" than protecting the United States from terrorist activities...

[DBruleU]

It may not be the result of wiretaps, but it proves that there ARE people still in the United States who want to harm us. Some people are more concerned about "rights" than protecting the United States from terrorist activities...

No they are more concerned of where their trash is, and what we can do to clean up the world rather than illiminate the enemy.

[alkemical]

No they are more concerned of where their trash is, and what we can do to clean up the world rather than illiminate the enemy.


Yes, we can make them sick!

[Mile High Shack]

predictibly it's amazing to find out that all these men follow the muslim religion

imagine that

[DBruleU]

predictibly it's amazing to find out that all these men follow the muslim religion

imagine that

Dont you dare generalize all muslims as terrorists. Other religions do this too...we just uh, dont hear about it.

[alkemical]

predictibly it's amazing to find out that all these men follow the muslim religion

imagine that


Very predicable.

Ya know i thought i was the loonly left protesting dead vetrans funerals, then i find out it was that kook in KS that also harrasses abortion clinic workers. Image how predicable it is to see this group and guys like eric rudolph were christians!

lol

[alkemical]

Dont you dare generalize all muslims as terrorists. Other religions do this too...we just uh, dont hear about it.


So all muslims are terrorists?

[Mile High Shack]

Very predicable.

Ya know i thought i was the loonly left protesting dead vetrans funerals, then i find out it was that kook in KS that also harrasses abortion clinic workers. Image how predicable it is to see this group and guys like eric rudolph were christians!

lol

they aren't christians that do that
I've said it before and I'll say it again

the muslims that do this follow the koran to the T and they are doing what it says to do...kill the infidels

what a peaceful religion

compare Jesus' teachings to Mohammed and you tell me who was peaceful?

[Mile High Shack]

So all muslims are terrorists?

no, they aren't

but if their spirtual leader told them that is what they must to do go to heaven, they would

[alkemical]

they aren't christians that do that
I've said it before and I'll say it again

the muslims that do this follow the koran to the T and they are doing what it says to do...kill the infidels

what a peaceful religion

compare Jesus' teachings to Mohammed and you tell me who was peaceful?


no, they aren't

but if their spirtual leader told them that is what they must to do go to heaven, they would



I have already cited OT scripture that states exactly what you just said. So if say the 'pope' declared a holy war how many do you think would buy it?

oh and "they aren't christians" - much the same as say a muslim who can say "those who practice violence aren't muslim" - which i've heard say by american muslim groups. But it's always much easier to hate them, after all it wouldn't be so easy to support a war in which many innocents are being killed on both sides.....

[Mile High Shack]

I have already cited OT scripture that states exactly what you just said. So if say the 'pope' declared a holy war how many do you think would buy it?

oh and "they aren't christians" - much the same as say a muslim who can say "those who practice violence aren't muslim" - which i've heard say by american muslim groups. But it's always much easier to hate them, after all it wouldn't be so easy to support a war in which many innocents are being killed on both sides.....

OT vs NT Josh
you know this
you aren't dumb, you just want to argue

and in the koran, there is no split between an old and a new law

it specifically states to kill infidels..nowhere in the NT does it say that in the real bible

[alkemical]

OT vs NT Josh
you know this
you aren't dumb, you just want to argue

and in the koran, there is no split between an old and a new law

it specifically states to kill infidels..nowhere in the NT does it say that in the real bible


I do know this, but to pick and choose is often what you christians accuse me of. Yet it's ok for YOU to do this.

So the OT isn't relevent????

Sorry shack - doesn't fly.

[Spider]

I have already cited OT scripture that states exactly what you just said. So if say the 'pope' declared a holy war how many do you think would buy it?

oh and "they aren't christians" - much the same as say a muslim who can say "those who practice violence aren't muslim" - which i've heard say by american muslim groups. But it's always much easier to hate them, after all it wouldn't be so easy to support a war in which many innocents are being killed on both sides.....
LOL so much for giving the other side a fighting chance ............. Cleaning house Amesj ;D

[alkemical]

Oh and one other note MHS and DBRuleU

if you want to knock on spider for his predisposition on christianity, and for the claim he's only 'read 3 scriptures'.

How much of the koran have you studied beyond just the 'excerpts' that are pulled out and put on display for you? How much argument from/of authority do you use to support your 'claims'?

[Mile High Shack]

josh, the OT is relavant, but as a guide and a history to show you how God's plan was planned out from the beginning

the new law put in to place did not only allow one certain set of people to be saved like the Jews in the OT

The Jews were the chosen in the OT and God protected them, which included "smiting" their enemies.

Now, Jews and Gentiles are open for salvation, so anyone can be saved, not just one sect of people, which is why violence to try to convert people is wrong...as evidenced by Jesus' example when he was arrested...he scolded Peter for cutting the guards ear off and healed the guard...said his kingdom isn't coming by violence...Can't remember the exact verse, but I know it's near the end of Matthew

as opposed to Mohammed's great example of killing everyone who didn't follow his will

[Garcia Bronco]

good Job guys...take them down..e.very last stinkin one of them.

[alkemical]

josh, the OT is relavant, but as a guide and a history to show you how God's plan was planned out from the beginning

the new law put in to place did not only allow one certain set of people to be saved like the Jews in the OT

The Jews were the chosen in the OT and God protected them, which included "smiting" their enemies.

Now, Jews and Gentiles are open for salvation, so anyone can be saved, not just one sect of people, which is why violence to try to convert people is wrong...as evidenced by Jesus' example when he was arrested...he scolded Peter for cutting the guards ear off and healed the guard...said his kingdom isn't coming by violence...Can't remember the exact verse, but I know it's near the end of Matthew

as opposed to Mohammed's great example of killing everyone who didn't follow his will


Ahh, so the 'disbelievers' of OT law were allowed to be killed and was legislated by "God" to be a valid action?

I think that these thinkings still apply today. The extremists of any religion MHS, are the minority. You should know this.

[Antilles]

...and predictably, no libs in here saying "Good job, guys!"

I wonder if this crew got busted due to NSA wiretapping their phones?

Good job guys!

With regard to the wiretaps, don't you think that given the controversy surrounding the NSA program the WH would have put out a press release hailing the success of the program had it ANYTHING to do with these arrests? They wouldn't even have to tell us HOW they did it, just some blanket statement: "the feds were tipped off by anonomously listening to calls from the ME to the suspects" or something. You can bet your ass they would. Has anyone seen such an official claim yet?

Rather, doesn't this help prove we can protect our people AND our liberties at the same time?

p.s. Irony: If you read the indictment, it looks like they took a planning break over the Christmas holiday.

[elsid13]

Just so everyone knows, the morons connected a FBI informant who they thought was linked to Al Qaeda. i.e. domestic spying by NSA wasn't involved, it was good old police work, which is how you break the cases.

[alkemical]

Just so everyone knows, the morons connected a FBI informant who they thought was linked to Al Qaeda. i.e. domestic spying by NSA wasn't involved, it was good old police work, which is how you break the cases.


yep, see my ABC link.

[elsid13]

yep, see my ABC link.


Sorry it been long llong week. I reading as well as Mock

[alkemical]

no biggie - but i agree w/you that it was done the 'old' way.

[bendog]

Were all these nutters muslim? I didn't think so, but I've been busy todya.

[BroncoInferno]

OT vs NT Josh
you know this
you aren't dumb, you just want to argue

Why did the law have to be changed? If God were perfect and unerring, wouldn't his original law be sufficient? Why was the original law so much more violent than the new law? Did God's nature change? Finally, the "new law" isn't so new anymore. If God changed his law once, how do you know it hasn't been further altered since the last of the NT documents were written?

[elsid13]

no biggie - but i agree w/you that it was done the 'old' way.


Yeah, that what people fail to realize most of this is stopped by the local state trooper that notices something usually. It the local cop that has sources on the street that solve the problems, be it US or Iraq.

[RaiderH8r]

So all muslims are terrorists?
No. That's not true.

But it seems that most terrorists also happen to be muslim. So....discuss.

[alkemical]

No. That's not true.

But it seems that most terrorists also happen to be muslim. So....discuss.


Most dictators and serial killers are white, discuss the evils of the white race.

[RaiderH8r]

Why did the law have to be changed? If God were perfect and unerring, wouldn't his original law be sufficient? Why was the original law so much more violent than the new law? Did God's nature change? Finally, the "new law" isn't so new anymore. If God changed his law once, how do you know it hasn't been further altered since the last of the NT documents were written?
God is infallible. He just needs better typists. Too many clerical errors. HA HA HA!

God may have changed his nature. People mellow with age, perhaps its the same for deities as well. Maybe he's turning the business over to his son. Perhaps he's hired a media relations firm. Who knows? It's God, he can do stuff. Water to wine...that's nothing. He can turn a turd into a cinnabon...freshness is relative.Ha!

[RaiderH8r]

Most dictators and serial killers are white, discuss the evils of the white race.
We love too much. We aren't loved enough. Daddy abused us. Daddy was never there. Daddy was there too much. We were forced to eat the brussel sprouts. Society made me do it. Bush made me do it. God made me do it. Hemmorroids made me do it. I can't find the fvcking ass cream and I'm irritable. TV made me do it. Music made me do it. Celine Dion...she definitely has a hand in me doing it. Barry Mannilow needs it done to him...so perhaps I should do it. So confused...I'm going to do it.

[watermock]

Here's your answer:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2109053

Federal Agents Raid Suspected Terror Cell in Miami

"The group has been under surveillance for some time and was infilitrated by a government informant who allegedly led them to believe he was an Islamic radical, a Justice Department official said."


God Damn Patriot Act.

[watermock]

IT WAS WIRE TAPPING ....... REPUBLICANS SAVED OUR LIVES BY SPYING ON US ......

Sure it was. What do you think wiretapping is?

[watermock]

Originally Posted by amesj523
Very predicable.

Ya know i thought i was the loonly left protesting dead vetrans funerals, then i find out it was that kook in KS that also harrasses abortion clinic workers. Image how predicable it is to see this group and guys like eric rudolph were christians
lol

Well that was war related. God forbid harrasing pro life people on a war forum. ****in' moron.

[Mile High Shack]

Why did the law have to be changed? If God were perfect and unerring, wouldn't his original law be sufficient? Why was the original law so much more violent than the new law? Did God's nature change? Finally, the "new law" isn't so new anymore. If God changed his law once, how do you know it hasn't been further altered since the last of the NT documents were written?

you are putting God in a box and limiting him to your human expectations

why did God do it the way he did?

i have no idea, I'm not omnipetant like he is.......you'll have to ask him that when you die if you get to talk to him

[Mile High Shack]

what a peaceful people these muslims are

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060623/ap_on_re_us/terrorism_investigation_47;_ylt=AqH0mQhbOCNo4DdVap 6wV4ITv5UB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[bendog]

no offense, but it seems to me that if one argues that the bible must be interpreted literally, despite the fact that portions of the OT as well as literally ALL of Jesus' teaching are allegories, that is literally putting God in a box that God didn't make. And, the "teachings" one takes from the bible by attempting to read it literally will inevitably be both based on one's own moral/social view and inevitably NOT what the writer intended.

[Mile High Shack]

no offense, but it seems to me that if one argues that the bible must be interpreted literally, despite the fact that portions of the OT as well as literally ALL of Jesus' teaching are allegories, that is literally putting God in a box that God didn't make. And, the "teachings" one takes from the bible by attempting to read it literally will inevitably be both based on one's own moral/social view and inevitably NOT what the writer intended.

non taken

I guess we'll all find out eventually who is right

[bendog]

Well, would you say Moses' genocide in killing all males and adult females and "assimilating" the girls to be wives was "God's will."?

[alkemical]

non taken

I guess we'll all find out eventually who is right



I know i'm right.

[bendog]

I don't know if I'm right. I admit it, and that's the point.

[TheDave]

Seven men accused of trying to blow up the Sears Tower with help from al-Qaida never actually made contact with the terrorist network and were instead caught in an FBI sting involving an informant who posed as an al-Qaida operative, authorities said Friday.


Attorney General Alberto Gonzales stressed that there was no immediate threat in either Chicago or Miami because the group did not have explosives or other materials it was seeking.


"This group was more aspirational than operational," FBI Deputy Director John Pistole said.

"We are confident that we have identified every individual who had the intent of posing a threat to the United States," said R. Alexander Acosta, U.S. attorney in Miami

"It's an example of the philosophy of prevention. These arrests were made during the talking stage, long before any bomb-making stage," said Kendall Coffey, a former U.S. attorney in Florida. "While they may be seen as bungling wannabes, they are potentially dangerous wannabes who, based on the allegations, were pursuing extremely dangerous plans."

So let me get this straight... they were "Trying" to blow up a building, but had no explosives or materials to do such a thing... Some defense attorney is going to have a field day with this.

[footstepsfrom#27]

There's something wrong in this place when a story about US law enforcement breaking up a group of black Muslim radicals trying to bomb the Sears Tower and the FBI offices in Miami turns into another long, stupid, protracted debate about the Bible and wiretapping...:unamused: Some of you people need to get a life. You can't read a single thing in the news without making it into another water cooler rant over religion. We get it OK? You hate Christianity. Fine. It's a free country...hate it if you want to, but what pray tell does this story have to do with Christianity? Absolutely nothing. 95% of you know very little about the Bible and have probably never read it through even once. Yet you've filled this board with hundreds of posts screaming about Christianity as if Billy Graham was banging your wife.

The story's about TERRORISM and how we were fortunate enough to stop it. Can we have a thread where the discussion stays on the topic instead of reverting to gibberish about the Old Testament and some nut who bombed an abortion clinic?

SHEESH!

[Mile High Shack]

I know i'm right.

like I said
we'll find out

b/c I know I'm right too

[errand]

LOL , I see so you think wire tapping is what led to this ?
you dont think tips and people calling in suspicious activities wasnt even on the radar huh ? it was wiretaps ....... Plenty of eye witness accounts in that artical . but a Bush sucker thinks it was all wire taps ......

I didn't say it was just wiretaps moron...I posed the question because you libs are crying about how our civil liberties are being destroyed. Quite fankly I don't care how they caught your buddies in Miami......

[footstepsfrom#27]

I didn't say it was just wiretaps moron...I posed the question because you libs are crying about how our civil liberties are being destroyed. Quite fankly I don't care how they caught your buddies in Miami......
Nice.

From the right: "liberals=black muslim terrorists"
From the left: "Christians=black muslim terrorists"

We've lost our minds.

[TheDave]

There's something wrong in this place when a story about US law enforcement breaking up a group of black Muslim radicals trying to bomb the Sears Tower and the FBI offices in Miami turns into another long, stupid, protracted debate about the Bible and wiretapping...:unamused: Some of you people need to get a life. You can't read a single thing in the news without making it into another water cooler rant over religion. We get it OK? You hate Christianity. Fine. It's a free country...hate it if you want to, but what pray tell does this story have to do with Christianity? Absolutely nothing. 95% of you know very little about the Bible and have probably never read it through even once. Yet you've filled this board with hundreds of posts screaming about Christianity as if Billy Graham was banging your wife.

Actually one of the "Christian" folk here started screaming about how Muslims were evil. At that point people reminded him that Christians do bad also... but feel free to join Lama's all persecuted Christian team :)

The story's about TERRORISM and how we were fortunate enough to stop it.

from the best i can tell all we stopped here was a group of idiots from talking big... The article states they didn't have the money, supplies, or ability to carry out their big talk. Right now, i'm not exactly sure what they are being convicted of.

[Spider]

I didn't say it was just wiretaps moron...I posed the question because you libs are crying about how our civil liberties are being destroyed. Quite fankly I don't care how they caught your buddies in Miami......
Ann coulter is that you ?

[Spider]

I didn't say it was just wiretaps moron...I posed the question because you libs are crying about how our civil liberties are being destroyed. Quite fankly I don't care how they caught your buddies in Miami......
Ha! by the way Genius , they didnt catch themn with Wire taps , Patriot act , or homeland secuirty ............ Funny how the old methods work without taking our freedom ............. I rest my case .....................BOOOOOOOOOOYeah Baby .......

[footstepsfrom#27]

Actually one of the "Christian" folk here started screaming about how Muslims were evil. At that point people reminded him that Christians do bad also... but feel free to join Lama's all persecuted Christian team :)
Persecution? More like mild annoyance. You're giving yourself far to much credit. :notthissh

[elsid13]

from the best i can tell all we stopped here was a group of idiots from talking big... The article states they didn't have the money, supplies, or ability to carry out their big talk. Right now, i'm not exactly sure what they are being convicted of.


Most likely it will be a conspiracy to commit charge. High profile media bust, little real terror reduction effort.

[Rohirrim]

From what I've heard of these guys so far, they sound dumber than dirt.