What the hell is going on? THREE different bomb plots broken up by authorities.

All three have some kind of Islamic/Middle Eastern connection. They're saying no connection and maybe I read too many off-the-wall novels, but you have to wonder if some sort of sleeper cell has been activated.

Good on the authorities for breaking them up. I hope some fanatic doesn't slip through the net.

New York, New York:
A young Afghan-born man has been indicted in New York on a charge of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against targets inside the United States. And two other Afghan-born men accused of making false statements to federal investigators investigating the case were ordered released under court supervision.
A New York grand jury indicted 24-year-old Najibullah Zazi, a resident of the western state of Colorado, on a charge that he conspired with unnamed others to make and use improvised bombs inside the U.S.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-24-voa32.cfm

Dallas, Texas:
Federal authorities arrested a 19-year-old Jordanian citizen whom they said placed an inactive car bomb today at Fountain Place, a 60-story skyscraper in downtown Dallas.
Hosam Maher Husein Smadi has repeatedly voiced his intent to serve Osama bin Laden and al-Qa'ida and commit "violent Jihad," authorities said in a prepared statement.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/092409dnmetbombarrest.1b177db8b.html

Springfield, Illinois:
Michael Finton, also known as Talib Islam, was arrested in Springfield, Illinois, and charged with attempted murder of federal officers or employees and trying to use a weapon of mass destruction, charges that carry a life sentence.
"Fortunately, a coordinated undercover law enforcement effort was able to thwart his efforts and ensure no one was harmed," David Kris, assistant Attorney General for National Security, said in a statement.
Finton was arrested on Wednesday in Springfield as he used a cell phone to try to detonate the bomb he believed was inside a van he had just parked outside the federal building.

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2447383520090924

the freaks to figure out there were FBI sting operations going on. Now that al qaeda wannabees know the FBI does stings and sells fertilizer and hair care products (hydrogen peroxide) they will be more afraid to try and collect the ingredient. You hope.

things must be getting hard back in the Afghani front 'er Al Qaida (They are losing ground to a popular US President)

That at least is my read on it.

Sure hope that case is not f***ked up by entrapment there. Anyone know more about what entrapment is and if that applies here? He sounds like a true nut and sure would hate to see him walk away from this.

gets you thinking about when you were last at some place that was targeted. Work on shaking it off. It could be a anywhere and nowhere. Consider how many attempts have been made and how few actually succeed.

and know the law of entrapment intimately.

none of my 140+ buys were thrown out for entrapment, so that's a damn good record.

based on what i know of the facts of this case, which is little, this doesn't look like entrapment. it certainly could be, but it also could be that an alien spaceman was working with the FBI. i just see no evidence to suspect either thing.

entrapment is generally misunderstood by laymen. it does NOT mean setting up an opportunity for a person to commit a crime. it means enticing somebody who was not otherwise disposed to the criminal activity TO commit the criminal activity.

if i ask a guy "hey, you got some blow?" in reference to purchasing some cocaine, that's not entrapment.

if i offer "hey, i'll give you 1,000.00 for a gram of coke", that's entrapment. if the going rate is 100.

or if i say "hey, i need some heroin. i'm really sick from withdrawal. i need it badly", that would be entrapment

leaving a super sweet bait car lying on a deserted street, with the keys in the ignition is not entrapment. no law abiding citizen would be enticed to steal a car merely because it was EASY to do

very helpful to know and am very glad this will probably stick then.

by good old fashioned police work and investigation by the FBI. But I thought we had to bomb the crap out of some village in Afghanistan and send in 100 thousand troops in order to accomplish such tasks? :sarcasm:

:bounce:

employed by the Saudis, in coalition with Dickhead Cheney, to show that the presidency of Obama is weak on terrorism? It seems to me that it's a given that Cheney is behind it.

And no, no tinfoil. I think Cheney has proven himself not to be above skullduggery, treason and sabotage if it earns him a higher place in history.

These are probably fairly hapless wannabes. I'm pretty sure real terrorists can tell an FBI agent from an actual terrorist. They must have a secret handshake.