• Federal agents arrest man who allegedly planned suicide bombing on U.S. Capitol
    4 replies, posted
Source: [url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/federal-agents-arrest-man-who-allegedly-planned-suicide-bombing-on-us-capitol/2012/02/17/gIQAtYZ7JR_story.html?tid=sm_facebook_postlocal[/url] [quote] The FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man Friday after a lengthy investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a suicide attack on the Capitol. In a cryptic news release, the Capitol Police said the person was arrested “in the area of the U.S. Capitol” but that “at no time was the public or congressional community in any danger.” The statement said the arrest “was the culmination of a lengthy and extensive operation during which the individual was closely and carefully monitored.” No other details were immediately provided, but a U.S. official said a man in his 30s and of Moroccan descent was picked up near the Labor Department on his way to the Capitol for what he thought would be a suicide attack. He was carrying with him a vest supposedly packed with explosives, but the material actually was not dangerous, officials said. The man thought undercover FBI agents assisting him were members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, officials said. “We can confirm that there has been an arrest of a suspect in Washington, D.C. in connection with a terrorism investigation,” said Peter Carr, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride in Virginia, where the investigation is centered. “The arrest was the culmination of an undercover operation during which the suspect was closely monitored by law enforcement,” Carr said in a statement. “Explosives the suspect allegedly sought to use in connection with the plot had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement and posed no threat to the public. Additional information will be forthcoming at the appropriate time.” [/quote] Ah lovely. At least they got him.
How do they find these people and monitor them to begin with? I can't exactly imagine a guy planning to bomb some place shouting it out blatantly on the streets. But yeah, I'm all for catching that guy before it was too late.
[QUOTE=wootmonster;34743291]How do they find these people and monitor them to begin with? I can't exactly imagine a guy planning to bomb some place shouting it out blatantly on the streets. But yeah, I'm all for catching that guy before it was too late.[/QUOTE] Military intelligence, CIA, etc.
CIA did it with their magic powers. I'd guess they just have informants in terrorist movements and monitor all the websites they can.
They only catch people like this because they actually reach out to terrorist networks for ideas and information, or they blab about it one night at the bar. You really could plan out an operation in detail, and the police could find it one day, but as long as you didn't share it with anyone or show any signs of putting that plan into effect, you can't be charged. It wouldn't even be conspiracy, that requires two people to 'plan' a crime jointly. They have to prove intent above all else. This guy appears to have asked for help, got FBI agents instead, who instructed him to create a harmless vest that he attempted to use. They couldn't move on him until that moment.
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