w**********2
发帖数: 764 | 1 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
By DAVID K. SHIPLER
Published: April 28, 2012
THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
.; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
But all these dramas were facilitated by the F.B.I., whose undercover agents
and informers posed as terrorists offering a dummy missile, fake C-4
explosives, a disarmed suicide vest and rudimentary training. Suspects na&#
239;vely played their parts until they were arrested.
When an Oregon college student, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, thought of using a
car bomb to attack a festive Christmas-tree lighting ceremony in Portland,
the F.B.I. provided a van loaded with six 55-gallon drums of “inert
material,” harmless blasting caps, a detonator cord and a gallon of diesel
fuel to make the van smell flammable. An undercover F.B.I. agent even did
the driving, with Mr. Mohamud in the passenger seat. To trigger the bomb the
student punched a number into a cellphone and got no boom, only a bust.
This is legal, but is it legitimate? Without the F.B.I., would the culprits
commit violence on their own? Is cultivating potential terrorists the best
use of the manpower designed to find the real ones? Judging by their
official answers, the F.B.I. and the Justice Department are sure of
themselves — too sure, perhaps.
Carefully orchestrated sting operations usually hold up in court. Defendants
invariably claim entrapment and almost always lose, because the law
requires that they show no predisposition to commit the crime, even when
induced by government agents. To underscore their predisposition, many
suspects are “warned about the seriousness of their plots and given
opportunities to back out,” said Dean Boyd, a Justice Department spokesman.
But not always, recorded conversations show. Sometimes they are coaxed to
continue.
Undercover operations, long practiced by the F.B.I., have become a mainstay
of counterterrorism, and they have changed in response to the post-9/11
focus on prevention. “Prior to 9/11 it would be very unusual for the F.B.I.
to present a crime opportunity that wasn’t in the scope of the activities
that a person was already involved in,” said Mike German of the American
Civil Liberties Union, a lawyer and former F.B.I. agent who infiltrated
white supremacist groups. An alleged drug dealer would be set up to sell
drugs to an undercover agent, an arms trafficker to sell weapons. That still
happens routinely, but less so in counterterrorism, and for good reason.
“There isn’t a business of terrorism in the United States, thank God,” a
former federal prosecutor, David Raskin, explained.
“You’re not going to be able to go to a street corner and find somebody
who’s already blown something up,” he said. Therefore, the usual goal is
not “to find somebody who’s already engaged in terrorism but find somebody
who would jump at the opportunity if a real terrorist showed up in town.”
And that’s the gray area. Who is susceptible? Anyone who plays along with
the agents, apparently. Once the snare is set, law enforcement sees no
choice. “Ignoring such threats is not an option,” Mr. Boyd argued, “given
the possibility that the suspect could act alone at any time or find
someone else willing to help him.”
Typically, the stings initially target suspects for pure speech — comments
to an informer outside a mosque, angry postings on Web sites, e-mails with
radicals overseas — then woo them into relationships with informers, who
are often convicted felons working in exchange for leniency, or with F.B.I.
agents posing as members of Al Qaeda or other groups.
Some targets have previous involvement in more than idle talk: for example,
Waad Ramadan Alwan, an Iraqi in Kentucky, whose fingerprints were found on
an unexploded roadside bomb near Bayji, Iraq, and Raja Khan of Chicago, who
had sent funds to an Al Qaeda leader in Pakistan.
But others seem ambivalent, incompetent and adrift, like hapless wannabes
looking for a cause that the informer or undercover agent skillfully helps
them find. Take the Stinger missile defendant James Cromitie, a low-level
drug dealer with a criminal record that included no violence or hate crime,
despite his rants against Jews. “He was searching for answers within his
Islamic faith,” said his lawyer, Clinton W. Calhoun III, who has appealed
his conviction. “And this informant, I think, twisted that search in a
really pretty awful way, sort of misdirected Cromitie in his search and
turned him towards violence.”
THE informer, Shahed Hussain, had been charged with fraud, but avoided
prison and deportation by working undercover in another investigation. He
was being paid by the F.B.I. to pose as a wealthy Pakistani with ties to
Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist group that Mr. Cromitie apparently had never
heard of before they met by chance in the parking lot of a mosque.
“Brother, did you ever try to do anything for the cause of Islam?” Mr.
Hussain asked at one point.
“O.K., brother,” Mr. Cromitie replied warily, “where you going with this,
brother?”
Two days later, the informer told him, “Allah has more work for you to do,
” and added, “Revelation is going to come in your dreams that you have to
do this thing, O.K.?” About 15 minutes later, Mr. Hussain proposed the idea
of using missiles, saying he could get them in a container from China. Mr.
Cromitie laughed.
Reading hundreds of pages of transcripts of the recorded conversations is
like looking at the inkblots of a Rorschach test. Patterns of willingness
and hesitation overlap and merge. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Mr.
Cromitie said, and then explained that he meant women and children. “I don
’t care if it’s a whole synagogue of men.” It took 11 months of
meandering discussion and a promise of $250,000 to lead him, with three co-
conspirators he recruited, to plant fake bombs at two Riverdale synagogues.
“Only the government could have made a ‘terrorist’ out of Mr. Cromitie,
whose buffoonery is positively Shakespearean in its scope,” said Judge
Colleen McMahon, sentencing him to 25 years. She branded it a “fantasy
terror operation” but called his attempt “beyond despicable” and rejected
his claim of entrapment.
The judge’s statement was unusual, but Mr. Cromitie’s characteristics were
not. His incompetence and ambivalence could be found among other aspiring
terrorists whose grandiose plans were nurtured by law enforcement. They
included men who wanted to attack fuel lines at Kennedy International
Airport; destroy the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) in Chicago; carry out a
suicide bombing near Tampa Bay, Fla., and bomb subways in New York and
Washington. Of the 22 most frightening plans for attacks since 9/11 on
American soil, 14 were developed in sting operations.
Another New York City subway plot, which recently went to trial, needed no
help from government. Nor did a bombing attempt in Times Square, the
abortive underwear bombing in a jetliner over Detroit, a planned attack on
Fort Dix, N.J., and several smaller efforts. Some threats are real, others
less so. In terrorism, it’s not easy to tell the difference.
David K. Shipler is the author of “Rights at Risk: The Limits of Liberty in
Modern America.” | r******y
发帖数: 9892 | | w**********2
发帖数: 764 | 3 纽约时报倒戈支持阴谋论。
【在 r******y 的大作中提到】
: 半夜读这么长一篇……能不能给个小结？
| r******y
发帖数: 9892 | 4 说FBI没能及时发现？
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: 纽约时报倒戈支持阴谋论。
| b*******8
发帖数: 37364 | 5 从一开始我老就认定是自导自演的，只不过现在缺钱，效果远不如911了，江河日下了
美帝 | w*p
发帖数: 16484 | 6 本拉登就是老美自己培养的
shoot
.Y
Pentagon
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
: Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
: By DAVID K. SHIPLER
: Published: April 28, 2012
: THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
: recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
: intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
: Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
: .; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
: and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
| v*******e
发帖数: 11604 | | P*******s
发帖数: 254 | 8 尼玛你是装不懂洋文啊还是你要打马虎眼啊？ 纽约时报说了是FBI搭伙干的坏事。
“But all these dramas were facilitated by the F.B.I., whose undercover
agents and informers posed as terrorists offering a dummy missile, fake C-4
explosives, a disarmed suicide vest and rudimentary training. Suspects na&#
239;vely played their parts until they were arrested.”
【在 r******y 的大作中提到】
: 说FBI没能及时发现？
| b*****d
发帖数: 61690 | | w*p
发帖数: 16484 | 10 这很牛逼
4
【在 P*******s 的大作中提到】
: 尼玛你是装不懂洋文啊还是你要打马虎眼啊？ 纽约时报说了是FBI搭伙干的坏事。
: “But all these dramas were facilitated by the F.B.I., whose undercover
: agents and informers posed as terrorists offering a dummy missile, fake C-4
: explosives, a disarmed suicide vest and rudimentary training. Suspects na&#
: 239;vely played their parts until they were arrested.”
| | | c*****i
发帖数: 11737 | 11 ＦＢＩ很有才
shoot
.Y
Pentagon
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
: Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
: By DAVID K. SHIPLER
: Published: April 28, 2012
: THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
: recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
: intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
: Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
: .; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
: and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
| w****2
发帖数: 5760 | | C**o
发帖数: 10373 | 13 去年的文章
shoot
.Y
Pentagon
agents
diesel
the
culprits
Defendants
spokesman.
mainstay
I.
activities
still
a
somebody
given
comments
.
,
who
,
this,
to
idea
.
.
don
rejected
were
a
in
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
: Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
: By DAVID K. SHIPLER
: Published: April 28, 2012
: THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
: recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
: intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
: Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
: .; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
: and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
| w*p
发帖数: 16484 | 14 自己动手，丰衣足食
老毛的有些话，真是深刻。
【在 b*****d 的大作中提到】
: fbi牛，不钓鱼，直接养鱼。
| w**********2
发帖数: 764 | | i***a
发帖数: 4718 | 16 最搞的是２０１１年刚查过老大。国土安全部还能查到记录，并拒绝公民申请。可这次
录像照片出来了，FBI自己的人员和档案竟然没认出来。还得公布让大众去找。
FBI估计是对中东人有可能涉及的案子很AGRRESSIVE。对车臣，尤其是俄国要协查的时
候，说不定当时还暗喜，觉得留着搞车臣独立很好。这下被倒咬一口。以后再支持疆独
就要三思了。
还有媒体引用的老大说在美国没朋友，也很扯。老大都和美国人结婚生孩子了，还能怎
么容入？这家人钻美国政治避难移民的漏洞，能拿绿卡了。后来公民被拒，家庭不合，
可为啥要反过来报复美国社会？正常人不会那么干。穆斯林极端化也太有效了。
shoot
.Y
Pentagon
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
: Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
: By DAVID K. SHIPLER
: Published: April 28, 2012
: THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
: recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
: intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
: Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
: .; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
: and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
| T****r
发帖数: 22092 | 17 显然是美国社会造成的他家老大家庭不合啊，你要是给了公民，家庭能不合么？
【在 i***a 的大作中提到】
: 最搞的是２０１１年刚查过老大。国土安全部还能查到记录，并拒绝公民申请。可这次
: 录像照片出来了，FBI自己的人员和档案竟然没认出来。还得公布让大众去找。
: FBI估计是对中东人有可能涉及的案子很AGRRESSIVE。对车臣，尤其是俄国要协查的时
: 候，说不定当时还暗喜，觉得留着搞车臣独立很好。这下被倒咬一口。以后再支持疆独
: 就要三思了。
: 还有媒体引用的老大说在美国没朋友，也很扯。老大都和美国人结婚生孩子了，还能怎
: 么容入？这家人钻美国政治避难移民的漏洞，能拿绿卡了。后来公民被拒，家庭不合，
: 可为啥要反过来报复美国社会？正常人不会那么干。穆斯林极端化也太有效了。
:
: shoot
| i***a
发帖数: 4718 | 18 公民绿卡被拒的那么多，搞爆炸的就他一个。
FBI其实２０１１年查的时候，应该跟他明说是俄国人要求查的。然后公民黄了，他就
应该找俄国人报仇了。
【在 T****r 的大作中提到】
: 显然是美国社会造成的他家老大家庭不合啊，你要是给了公民，家庭能不合么？
| P*******s
发帖数: 254 | 19 看WSJ这个标题，“Bombing Suspect In and Out of Consciousness”， 八成是要老
二伤重不治死无对证了。
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732449370457843489
shoot
.Y
Pentagon
【在 w**********2 的大作中提到】
: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/terrorist-plot
: Terrorist Plots, Hatched by the F.B.I.
: By DAVID K. SHIPLER
: Published: April 28, 2012
: THE United States has been narrowly saved from lethal terrorist plots in
: recent years — or so it has seemed. A would-be suicide bomber was
: intercepted on his way to the Capitol; a scheme to bomb synagogues and shoot
: Stinger missiles at military aircraft was developed by men in Newburgh, N.Y
: .; and a fanciful idea to fly explosive-laden model planes into the Pentagon
: and the Capitol was hatched in Massachusetts.
| p********o
发帖数: 8012 | 20 三思个鬼，继续支持疆独，国外继续养恐，国内继续反恐，这就是顽固的美帝
★ 发自iPhone App: ChineseWeb 7.7
【在 i***a 的大作中提到】
: 最搞的是２０１１年刚查过老大。国土安全部还能查到记录，并拒绝公民申请。可这次
: 录像照片出来了，FBI自己的人员和档案竟然没认出来。还得公布让大众去找。
: FBI估计是对中东人有可能涉及的案子很AGRRESSIVE。对车臣，尤其是俄国要协查的时
: 候，说不定当时还暗喜，觉得留着搞车臣独立很好。这下被倒咬一口。以后再支持疆独
: 就要三思了。
: 还有媒体引用的老大说在美国没朋友，也很扯。老大都和美国人结婚生孩子了，还能怎
: 么容入？这家人钻美国政治避难移民的漏洞，能拿绿卡了。后来公民被拒，家庭不合，
: 可为啥要反过来报复美国社会？正常人不会那么干。穆斯林极端化也太有效了。
:
: shoot
|
|
