NYPD: Suicide Bombing Suspect Wanted Revenge

He was mad at the U.S., and that was his motivation for wearing the bomb strapped to his body that exploded this morning in New York City.

According to the New York Post, police authorities say suspect Akayed Ullah, 27, "is a former New York City cab driver who told investigators he carried out the attack for revenge." In addition to Ullah, three other people were injured but not seriously.

Ullah is believed to be from Bangladesh and was living in Brooklyn, told authorities in sum and substance from his hospital bed: “They’ve been bombing in my country and I wanted to do damage here,” sources said.

[Note: The U.S. has not been bombing Bangladesh, which has been fighting terrorism in its own country. Bangladesh has officially condemned the bombing in New York today.]

“Let’s be clear that this was an attempted terrorist attack,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference.

Officials say Ullah was a city cab driver but his license expired. Today he set off a “low-tech” homemade pipe bomb strapped to his body at 7:20 a.m. "inside the subway passageway between West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue and West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue." More at the New York Post.

The incident was captured on transit surveillance footage.

UPDATE: NYPD Sift Through Video of Subway Bombing

"New York City police say they are combing through video of the bombing in the subway system. They say the suspect meant to set off the bomb, but it's not clear if he meant to do so in a passageway in the Times Square area where it went off Monday during the morning rush hour. Twenty-seven-year-old Akayed Ullah is in police custody. Officials say he sustained burns to his abdomen and hands and cuts after the crude pipe bomb exploded." More from 13ABC.com. Suspect Akayed Ullah was wearing the pipe bomb strapped around his mid-section. He may have intended to set of his explosive device in Times Square.

John Kerry To Visit Paris, But He's In No Hurry

US Ambassador Jane Hartley
attended the Paris march
Image: allgov.com

January 12, 2014 - The Cavalcade of Idiots, also known as The Obama Administration, can't help acting, well, idiotically. Embarrassed by their no-show at yesterday's million-plus anti-terror march in Paris, in a show of unity against Islamist terror, John Kerry will make a clumsy (and too-late) trip to make it look like the Administration cares about the recent victims of Islamist terror.

Nobody should be fooled by this act of insincerity. If they really cared, they would have sent someone. The US was officially represented at the march by Jane Hartley, our ambassador to France. But she was already there and she's not a national leader.

The fact that over 40 foreign dignitaries managed to gather in Paris on the same day, and with relatively short notice, is impressive. However, the so-called leader of the free world, the President of the United States, was conspicuously absent. Sure, Barack Obama's a busy guy. But it's safe to say that those heads of state also have a lot on their plates, yet they were able to rearrange their schedules to pay respect to the slain, show their defiance of terrorism, support free speech, and represent their own nations in a respectable manner.

That was too much to ask of Barack Obama, it seems. He couldn't even send a cabinet member to represent him - and the United States - at the solemn event. Not even Secretary of State John Kerry could be bothered to fly to Paris from India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday to discuss stronger economic ties "and set the stage for President Obama’s visit" on January 26.

Kerry will travel to Paris, reports The Daily Mail (UK), "after the U.S. government was shamed for not joining a rally yesterday for victims of the French terror attacks attended by 40 world leaders and a million people." The Daily Mail report says that Kerry tried to explain the absence of a major US official by saying, "I really think that this is sort of quibbling a little bit in the sense that our Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was there and marched, our ambassador was there and marched, many people from the embassy were there and marched."

Kerry's lame response - that a handful of minor US officials attended the march - seems to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the importance of public relations. It might also indicate an actual disregard for the tragedy of the 17 deaths at the hands of Islamist gunmen last week.

Canada's Public Safety Minister
Steven Blaney attended the march
Image: CTV

Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris on Sunday, but he "skipped out early," as the Daily Mail notes in a story with this scorching headline: "America snubs historic Paris rally: Holder was there but skipped out early, Kerry was in India, Obama and Biden just stayed home." He met with European security and terror experts in Paris on Sunday, but Holder did not even go to the march, reports The Telegraph (UK).

Even more incredibly, Kerry won't go directly to Paris until later this week. He'll arrive there on Thursday after stopping in Bulgaria and Switzerland, and then only stay for a part of Friday.

But the US was not the only nation that failed to send a major leader to Paris. Canada's Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney was his nation's only representative at the march. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, pulled an Obama, but at least Harper takes a gutsier public stance against terrorists.

On Saturday, Blaney laid a wreath outside the offices of Charlie Hebdo, and met with RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) agents who are working with French security agencies there. On Sunday, Blaney attended an international terrorism meeting, which Eric Holder also attended. Unlike Holder, however, Blaney attended the unity rally march on Sunday.

Also See:
List of leaders who attended Paris rally Times of India
America betrays its values by not sending top U.S. officials to Paris unity rally Daily News
French Officials Defend Obama Amid Questions About Paris Rally Absence Christian Post
Why is Obama Unable to Call Terrorist Attacks Islamic Terrorism? The Blaze
Stephen Harper Is Right To Name The Enemy Toronto Sun
Charlie Hebdo attack: The Paris trap India Express

FBI Still Blames North Korea for Sony Hack (Updated)

December 19, 2014 - The FBI blamed North Korea today for the unprecedented computer hacking attack of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) in late November. It is widely believed that the cyber attack was North Korea's retaliation for Sony's film "The Interview." The film depicts a fictional CIA-sponsored assassination of N. Korea's young dictator Kim Jong-un. UPDATED, 30 December: New Evidence.....

Kim Jong Un 'death scene' from The Interview
- MirrorNinja (watch video)

The Interview was released to theaters on Christmas Day, despite earlier threats of terrorism that caused Sony to pull the film's release.

The attack on Sony was devastating. In it's statement, the FBI said that "the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart." The statement said that the FBI is confident that the North Korean government "is responsible for these actions."

Experts Doubt North Korea's Role:
Was North Korea really behind the attack on Sony Picture's computers? Or was is one or more former Sony employees, possibly working as a paid contractor for North Korea?

On Dec. 29, Hollywood Reporter: "Security firm Norse claims it has evidence that shows the Sony hack was perpetrated by six individuals, including two based in the U.S., one in Canada, one in Singapore and one in Thailand. Norse senior vp Kurt Stammberger told the Ledger, a security industry news website, that among the six was one former Sony Pictures employee, a 10-year veteran of the company with a very technical background who was laid off in May following restructuring. Norse used human resources documents that were leaked as part of the hack to first identify and then track the former Sony employee's online activity at least since May, when the person left the company."

Dec. 27, CNN: "It's clear to us, based on both forensic and other evidence we've collected, that unequivocally they are not responsible for orchestrating or initiating the attack on Sony," said Sam Glines, who runs the cybersecurity company Norse.

Dec. 29, Dark Matters: "Norse Investigation Focusing on a Small Group, Including Sony Ex-Employees"

Dec. 30, Daily Beast: "Stammberger said that Norse’s analysis is now pointing toward an attack against Sony by disgruntled employees that was conducted in stages and over the course of several months, beginning as early as July, and that North Korea opportunistically praised the attack only after it was discovered."

From the FBI's December 19 press release:

Today, the FBI would like to provide an update on the status of our investigation into the cyber attack targeting Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). In late November, SPE confirmed that it was the victim of a cyber attack that destroyed systems and stole large quantities of personal and commercial data. A group calling itself the “Guardians of Peace” claimed responsibility for the attack and subsequently issued threats against SPE, its employees, and theaters that distribute its movies.

....The attacks also rendered thousands of SPE’s computers inoperable, forced SPE to take its entire computer network offline, and significantly disrupted the company’s business operations.
....Sony’s quick reporting facilitated the investigators’ ability to do their jobs, and ultimately to identify the source of these attacks.
....the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions. While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following:

- Technical analysis of the data deletion malware used in this attack revealed links to other malware that the FBI knows North Korean actors previously developed. For example, there were similarities in specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks.

- The FBI also observed significant overlap between the infrastructure used in this attack and other malicious cyber activity the U.S. government has previously linked directly to North Korea. For example, the FBI discovered that several Internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with known North Korean infrastructure communicated with IP addresses that were hardcoded into the data deletion malware used in this attack.

- Separately, the tools used in the SPE attack have similarities to a cyber attack in March of last year against South Korean banks and media outlets, which was carried out by North Korea.

....the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart. North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior.... (read the full press release here.)

Also See:
U.S. suspects North Korea had help attacking Sony Pictures Reuters (29 Dec)
New Evidence Points to Inside Job, Security Experts Say Hollywood Reporter (Dec 29)
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony Daily Beast (30 Dec)
FBI Fixated on North Korea for Sony Hack Despite New Evidence Daily Beast (30 Dec)
Hackers Make New Demands On Sony Pictures TMZ
Obama pledges proportional response to Sony hack AP/Watertown Public Opinion
Hack Attack Spurs Call For More North Korea Sanctions AP/Atlanta Daily World
Watch the Kim Jong-un Death Scene from The Interview MirrorNinja
Sony Pictures hack: Timeline of revelations from unprecedented cyber-attack IBTimes
Sony Pictures proves Hollywood is a land of cowards New York Post
George Clooney: Hollywood must push for release of The Interview  The Telegraph (UK)
North Korea’s Secret Movie Bootleggers Daily Beast

THE ENEMY WITHIN: US Citizen Dies Fighting For ISIS In Syria (Updated)

Douglas McArthur McCain

August 27, 2014 - Is Islamic State (ISIS) in America? At the very least, we know that there are U.S. citizens who are not only sympathetic to Islamist horde, but are traveling overseas to fight alongside them. CBS in San Francisco reported today that "A U.S. citizen from California was killed over the weekend in Syria while fighting for the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS or ISIL."

"NBC News reported the man is 33-year-old Douglas McAuthur McCain," said CBS yesterday, "who died in a battle between ISIS and another extremist group in Syria."

McCain was "Duale Mahoney" on Facebook

UPDATE: Another U.S. citizen has reportedly died while fighting for ISIS. On Wednesday, Aug. 27, CNN reports that "a coalition of Syrian opposition groups announced that its forces had killed another American in battle. The coalition, which calls itself the Nahrawan of Syria, did not name the fallen American." [These forces, between a rock and a hard place, are battling the extremists such as ISIS in addition to the Syrian military.] The coalition did not name the killed American and "details on the third American casualty" are sketchy at best.  CNN notes that prior to McCain's death last weekend, another American citizen, Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, "a 22-year-old from Florida who joined al-Nusra Front, an al Qaeda-linked organization that the U.S. government has blacklisted as a foreign terror organization. The group showed a video of him, and U.S. officials later confirmed, taking part in a suicide bombing earlier this year in northern Syria."

Both NBC and CBS incorrectly reported that McCain called himself ‘Duale ThaslaveofAllah’ on Facebook.  McCain's profile was actually "Duale Mahoney;" the web address of his Facebook page is "facebook.com/duale.thaslaveofallah."

He was "Duale Khalid" on Twitter, with the handle @iamthetooth. His bio reads "Its Islam over everything." McCain was seemingly fervent about radical Islam, a sickness shared by many of his friends on Facebook and Twitter. McCain shared this chilling tweet with followers on June 26:

"It takes a warrior to understand a warrior. Pray for ISIS."

— Ismael patel (@patel_ismael) June 26, 2014

McCain's Facebook page has been taken over by somebody else since his death. It's unknown who has control of the page now, which is still up. McCain's sister Delecia posted, "Who ever this is on my brother page needs to get off of it RIGHT NOW this is not a joke" on Tuesday afternoon, August 26.

Douglas MacArthur McCain "liked" this picture on Facebook on Sept. 14, 2010

FBI Withheld Vital Info About Terror Connections From Boston Police Dept

May 9, 2013 - "The FBI never told the Boston police or the Massachusetts State Police about possible Russian terror connections of the suspected Marathon bombers until three and half days after the attack, law enforcement officials testified today before the House Homeland Security Committee," reports ABC News.

US News | Syria News | More ABC News Videos

"My fear is that the Boston bombers succeeded because our system failed," said committee chairman Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas).

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis was asked if it would have helped to know everything that the FBI knew about the terrorist activities of the bombers, especially of Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Davis said while the information might have been useful, it might not have changed anything. "That's very hard to say. We would certainly look at the information, we would certainly talk to the individual," Davis said. "From the information I've received, the FBI did that, and they closed the case out. I can't say that I would have come to a different conclusion based upon the information that was known at that particular time." (AP/Newser)

Failure to Communicate

Rep. McCaul said  "the Boston bombers may have succeeded because our system failed. We can and we must do better," reports CNN. "We learned over a decade ago the danger in failing to connect the dots," McCaul said, referring to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Testimony in the hearing today indicate that the US intelligence community is still not connecting the dots as well as they could. Why did the FBI not tell the Boston and Massachusetts authorities about the possible terror connections of Tamerlan Tsarnaev? Commissioner Davis said the intelligence might not have helped, but he left it open to the possibility that it might have.

We'll never know, but the fact remains that the FBI withheld information that might have saved lives. Such information should always be shared with law enforcement agencies that have a need to know. As we learned the hard way, Boston and Massachusetts had a very real need to know.

"The idea that the feds have this information and it's not shared with the state and locals defies why we create the Department of Homeland Security in the first place," said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. (FoxNews)

"Why didn't they involve the local law enforcers who could have stayed on the case and picked up signals from some of the students who interacted with them, from the people in the mosque," asked former Sen. Joe Lieberman, who also testified. "In this case, aggravatingly, you have two of our great homeland security agencies that didn't involve before the event the local and state authorities that could have helped us prevent the attack." (NorthJersey.com)

Photos of Car Bomb Attack on French Embassy in Tripoli, Libya

April 23, 2013 - A car packed with explosives blew up in front of the French embassy in Tripoli, Libya just past 7:00 AM local time (5:00 AM GMT). Two embassy guards were injured. Here are some amazing photos taken moments after the blast by Ehab (Twitter @Eh4b10). Ehab tweeted this about the photos: "General Statement: if anyone wants to use the photos & to credit, thats fine." These were the first photos used by all of the major media in reporting the story. See our earlier post about the bombing.

Click images to enlarge them

The explosion burst water and sewage pipes. Source: @Eh4b10

No remains of the bomb car were left outside. Source: @Eh4b10

Waiting for firefighters at the French embassy. Source: @Eh4b10

Embassy staffer asses damage, attend to wounded. Source: @Eh4b10

Guard pulled from embassy on a make-shift stretcher. Source: @Eh4b10 

Bursting water and sewage pipes. Source: @Eh4b10 

Nearby homes suffered heavy damage. Source: @Eh4b10

French Embassy Hit By Car Bomb in Libya, 2 Guards Injured (Updated)

April 23, 2013 - Updated - Reuters is reporting that a booby trapped car exploded at the French embassy in a residential part of Libya's capitol city Tripoli. The bomb caused considerable damage, injuring two of embassy guards. One of the guards is described as being "gravely injured." According to the Libya Herald, several local residents helped to rescue one of the guards.

Image from Twitter/@Eh4b10
Click Here To See More Photos

"France's embassy in Libya was hit by what appeared to be a car bomb on Tuesday, injuring two guards in the first such attack in the Libyan capital since the 2011 war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi.  "There was an attack on the embassy. We think it was a booby trapped car," a French official told Reuters. "There was a lot of damage and there are two guards wounded." ~ More at Reuters.com

"The explosion destroyed the outer walls of the embassy complex and the facade of the building," reports the Libya Herald. "The first floor  is destroyed. Ten vehicles parked in the street have been wrecked.  Every office in the building has been ruined, the [French] diplomat said. The blast also brought down the garden walls of two houses opposite the chancellery entrance.  It was strong enough too to blow out windows in buildings in several streets around."  The Libya Herald notes that nobody, as yet, has claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. "However," the Herald continued, "Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has vowed to attack France following its intervention in Mali."

"Black smoke billowed from the wreckage of the vehicle that exploded close to the Embassy’s entrance as fire crews arrived to put out the flames. Part of the Embassy complex’s outer wall was partly destroyed in the explosion as well as two nearby cars." More at RT.com.  The explosion happened just after 7:00 AM local time (5:00 AM GMT). "The blast took place in a small side street, causing extensive damage to the buildings and parked cars, our correspondent said," reports BBC.

The local authorities were slow to send help to the scene. In another report by the Libya Herald quotes a man who lives next to the French embassy, Abdurrauf Al-Alam. His home was badly damaged by the blast. He said that police and fire fighters were slow to respond.  “It took 30 minutes for the fire-fighters to arrive,” he said.  The police and security “came at 9 am”, almost two hours after the attack. Three hours after the explosion, trees on the street outside the embassy were still burning.

Related:

• Photos of Car Bomb Attack on French Embassy in Tripoli, Libya Chicago News Bench
• French Embassy Bombed Libya Herald

Update3: Beirut Car Bomb Kills Lebanon's Top Spy: Violence Spreads

Beirut's Christian section. Photo: Bilal Hussein/Associated Press

Update3: Raw video of blast added - see it below.

Oct. 19, 2012 - A massive vehicle bomb exploded in Beirut, the capitol city of Lebanon, earlier today. It killed at least ten people and injuring many dozens more. Lebanese officials are calling the bombing a "terrorist attack." The bombing today is the first attack of this kind since 2008, and was centered in district of Ashrafiyeh.

Some Middle East experts say that the assassination bombing in Beirut could signal the spread of the Syrian conflict over international borders. Just as bad, it could also spark another civil war in Lebanon. Memories of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war is still the stuff of nightmares in Lebanon and the region.

One of those killed is Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan, Lebanon's Chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces (ISF).  It is believed that the bomb was meant for Gen. al-Hassan. He "was the official behind uncovering a recent bomb plot that led to the arrest of a pro-Syrian Lebanese politician," reports the Associated Press.

Al-Jazeera says that Hassan was "a key figure in supporting the armed opposition in Syria." That report also notes that a former Lebanese interior minister says it is too early to tell who is responsible for the bombing today.

Update: Large and violent protests are already taking place in the wake of today's bombing. Angered by the death of el-Hassan, protesters "cut the highway between Beddawi to Tripoli, in northern Lebanon, following the announcement of the death of chief of the Intelligence Bureau of the Internal Security Forces, General Wissam el-Hassan," reports Al Bawaba News. "Other roads in the same area were also blocked, according to the same source" and gunfire was reported in a number of other parts of Lebanon. 

An excellent report at Naharnet says that the ISF "played a central role in the arrest in August of former Lebanese information minister Michel Samaha, who has close links to Damascus and was charged with planning attacks in Lebanon and transporting explosives in collaboration with Syrian security chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk."



Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi has condemned the bombing and called it "terrorist" and "cowardly."  Not everyone is buying that, however. Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt has accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of setting up the assassination Gen. al-Hasan, according to the Daily Star.

Martin Chulov covers the Middle East for The Guardian (UK) and is posting updates on Twitter today. He tweeted this earlier: "Wissam al-Hassan had led case against former Inf Minister Michel Samaha, accused of bringing bombs to #Lebanon on Syrian orders."  Another tweet by Chulov said, "Death of Wissam al-Hassan the most dangerous event in #Lebanon since assassination of Rafiq Hariri in 2005."

Photo: Yorgo El-Bittar @YorgoElBittar

The bomb exploded near the Christian Phalange Party's offices. They are known for their outspoken  anti-Syria statements. "Another anti-Syrian bloc, the March 14 alliance" says the AP report, has offices nearby. "Sejaan Azzi, a leading member of the Phalange, said he believes his party is being targeted for its views on Syria."

The death toll seems likely to rise as rescue teams sift through the wreckage left by the huge explosion. The blast was so powerful that it ripped balconies off of large apartment buildings.

"Lebanese security officials and Red Cross workers said eight people were killed and 60 wounded, 20 of them critically," reports AP. "Other news reports, citing the health ministry, said three people had been killed and 96 wounded. The state-run National News Agency put the number of wounded at 78."

Related:

• Security chief dies in Beirut blast - Live Updates The Guardian
• Top Security Official Among the Dead in Beirut Blast New York Times
• Lebanon's great divide exposed by assassination of security chief The Guardian 
• Why Wissam al-Hassan, security official killed in Beirut blast, matters... Washington Post 
• On Twitter, Videos and Photos of the Aftermath of the Beirut Bombing The Lede 
• Former Lebanese minister detained after discovery of bomb plot Daily Star Lebanon
• Beirut blast brings back nightmare of civil war Now Lebanon
• March 14 Alliance - Lebanon's Cedar Revolution MiddleEast.about.com

Thank God For The NYPD, Shame On The FBI

NYPD anti-terror training, late 2010 - ABC.com

November 21, 2011 - A little over ten years ago, the FBI let the 9/11 terrorists slip through their fingers.  

The FBI dropped the ball again in the new case of Jose Pimentel, the man arrested by New York City police yesterday on suspicious of plotting bomb attacks. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the Justice Department was aware of the investigation.

"But," reports Joe Coscarelli at NYMag.com, the FBI "was not involved in the arrest because of its rushed nature." Coscarelli quoted Kelly as also saying, "We had to act quickly yesterday because he was in fact putting this bomb together, drilling a hole, and it would have been not appropriate for us to let him walk out the door with the bomb."

An Associated Press report today says that the FBI chose to ignore Jose Pimentel.  "Federal authorities declined to pursue a case against an "al-Qaida sympathizer" accused of wanting to bomb police stations and post offices in New York City because they believed he was mentally unstable and incapable of pulling off the alleged plot, two law enforcement officials said Monday."  

The Wall Street Journal notes the strangeness of the absence of Federal authorities in this investigation and arrest. "Several people familiar with the case said federal agents and prosecutors reviewed the evidence," reports Sophia Hollander at WSJ, "but decided against trying to build federal terrorism charges against Mr. Pimentel—the second time this year federal authorities declined to take part in a terror probe handled principally by the NYPD. In both instances, the Manhattan district attorney took the case instead—rare instances of a local prosecutor tackling terrorism cases."

It's not the first time that the FBI has deliberately ignored a developing terror threat. In the weeks and days leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., the FBI "failed at least five times to detain two of the September 11 hijackers who took part in the attacks," according to a declassified Justice Department report. According to the report, said the Independent Online (IOL), "US authorities could have arrested al-Qaeda members Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar - who were on the plane that smashed into the defence department headquarters near Washington - just before September 11, 2001."

The New York Police Department, thank God, did not sit around waiting for the FBI to do something about Jose Pimentel. AP reports today that "Federal authorities declined to pursue a case against an 'al-Qaida sympathizer' accused of wanting to bomb police stations and post offices in New York City because they believed he was mentally unstable and incapable of pulling off the alleged plot, two law enforcement officials said Monday."

Is it now the FBI's policy that they simply dismiss a potential terrorist because, to paraphrase, they think he's nuts? If so, that would require them to ignore an awful lot of crazy lunatics out there. As for being "incapable of pulling off" a bomb plot, let's get serious: You don't have to be a genius to put together a very simple pipe bomb.

Such inaction and willingness by the FBI to ignore a character like Jose Pimentel is very disturbing. Republican Congressman Peter King said there seems to be a "growing difference in philosophy" between the FBI and the New York Police Department, adding that it's "not a good sign the FBI wasn't there" at Mayor Bloomberg's press conference about the arrest of Pimentel.

It's fortunate that Jose Pimentel did not have an airplane at his disposal.

RELATED:
City Hall touts the arrest of Jose Pimentel, but the F.B.I. isn't with them - CapitalNewYork.com
Feds Passed On NYC ‘Lone-Wolf’ Terror Case - Talking Points Memo

UPDATED: NYPD Arrests Bomb Suspect; US Citizen Followed al-Qaeda; His Mom Apologizes To New York

Jose Pimentel at
Manhattan criminal court,
Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011
Photo: Tom Hays, AP

Police say this surveillance 
photo shows Jose Pimentel
making a bomb

November 20, 2011 - New York City - Police arrested a man who allegedly planned to blow up police vehicles, post offices and U.S. soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. A report by the Los Angeles Times says that NYPD said that one of his motives was to "protest U.S. military presence in those countries."

That man is Jose Pimentel, age 27, (photos, top) is a native of the Dominican Republic who was raised in Manhattan and converted to Islam. According to NYPD, Pimentel was in the process of constructing a pipe bomb when they arrested him. He had been on an FBI watch list for several years. See press conference video below; also see the press release from Mayor Bloomberg's office.

Authorities recently stepped up their surveillance of Pimentel after September 30. That's when Anwar Awlaki  was killed by a U.S. drone missile strike in Yemem. Pimentel is said to have been greatly influenced by Awlaki.  CBS News has posted the entire criminal complaint against Jose Pimentel.

According to a CBS report about Pimentel, "The complaint reveals the Pimentel made numerous incriminating statements to a confidential informant during a 12-month investigation. On Sept. 7, Pimentel allegedly told the informant he was interested building small bombs targeting government or police buildings and banks. Three weeks later, he allegedly gave the informant a flash drives containing two bomb-making manuals."

On Monday, November 21, Pimentel's mother actually apologized to New York for her son's alleged actions. New York Daily News quotes Carmen Sosa, 56, as saying, “I want to apologize to the City of New York,” and “I love the city. I’ve been here since 1987 and I’m very disappointed with what my son was doing. I didn’t raise him that way." She even praised the NYPD. “I feel very bad about the situation. I thank the police. They did what they’re supposed to do.”

USS Cole Attacked 11 Years Ago Today; Long-Awaited Trial To Finally Begin

October 12, 2011 - It was 11 years ago today that a terrorist attack on the USS Cole killed 17 sailors in Aden , Yemen. Justice in the case has been a long time coming. AFP reports that the main suspect in the attack of the USS Cole warship "will go before a judge for the first time at a Guantanamo Bay military tribunal on November 9, the Pentagon said Friday. Saudi-born Abd al-Rahim Hussayn Muhammad al-Nashiri allegedly planned and prepared the October 2000 attack on the US Navy destroyer in Yemen's port of Aden that killed 17 sailors and wounded 40 more."

Fox News reported that "Charges against the alleged mastermind of the USS Cole attack will be referred to a military commission, which enables the government to seek the death penalty." Fox also noted that "Abd Al Rahim Hussayn Muhammad Al Nashiri allegedly planned the Oct. 12, 2000, assault in the Port of Aden that killed 17 sailors, wounded dozens and severely damaged the ship. He also allegedly planned two more attacks, one on the USS Sullivan as it refueled in the same Yemeni port, and another on a French oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden that resulted in one crew member's death and left 90,000 barrels of oil flowing into the water." "Abd al-Rahim Hussayn Muhammad al-Nashiri is one of three detainees the CIA has admitted to waterboarding," reports the Syndey Morning Herald. See photos of the Cole Memorial at http://www.cole.navy.mil.

Terrorists Suspected of Spreading Anthrax in Bangladesh

Authorities in Bangladesh and neighboring India (map) fear that anthrax is being deliberately spread in Bangladesh. It is widespread and spreading fast. Very fast. "The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed on Thursday [Sept. 9, 2010] that 447 people in eight districts had been infected with anthrax in the last three weeks. IEDCR virologist A.S.M. Alamgir said treatment facilities had been made available in all affected areas and claimed more than half the infected people had already been cured." More at The Hindu... As of Sept. 10, the total has risen to 479 people who are know to be infected. The outbreak began on August 18 in the Sirajganj district of central Bangladesh (map) contracted anthrax by consuming beef from infected cattle. Blitz Magazine (online) reports that "Eight districts have confirmed human and cattle anthrax infections and meat consumption ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid. Health officials in Bangladesh have described the Anthrax outbreak as biggest in country's history. The disease was first detected last month in northwestern Sirajganj district, where 38 villagers reportedly became infected after consuming beef from sickened cows, the news agency reported. It then spread to neighboring districts... But Is This Terrorism? Blitz: "Counter-terrorism experts fear that, Anthrax germs might have been intentionally put on animals in certain areas in Bangladesh by one or few of the separatist and militancy groups to create a massive headache for the current government in Bangladesh. It is also suspected that the spread of Anthrax might have connection with trial of war criminals in the country, which has already put Islamist group like Jamaat-E-Islami into visible offensives from the government. A number of top ranking Jamaat leaders are already behind the bar and books of spiritual guide of this Islamist group, Moulana Abul Ala Moududi have already been banned in Bangladesh." This is not the first time that Bangladesh has had an outbreak of anthrax. In April, 2010 there was a small group of 11 people who became infected. The suspected cause in that case was a diseased cow. According to The Daily Star (Dhaka, Bangladesh), "All the patients were attacked with the disease at Gala village in Ghatail upazila. Villagers said, Sujat Ali slaughtered one his sick cows and processed the meat with the help of his family members and several neighbours on April 6 last and distributed the meat among his relatives and others." The huge scale of the current outbreak, with nearly 500 people infected, is suspicious and provides reason to suspect terrorism. Then again, it may simply be that a number of infected cows were slaughtered and sold as meat. BioPrepWatch.com reports that the cause "was traced to anthrax-affected cows that were sold for meat to nearby villagers. All of the reported infections so far have been cutaneous [on the skin] and no deaths have been reported." A big part of the problem is the "jurisdictional mess" and "inspector shortage" in Bangladesh. In another article, The Daily Star reported that "the government directed livestock department officials to remain on highest alert to prevent spread of anthrax," but it's not working as it should becasue "the efforts seem to be dogged down by a lack of proper coordination among different relevant agencies, and an acute shortage of veterinary inspectors." RELATED: Bangladesh anthrax spreads, public panics Dawn.com Anthrax free meat sale strengthened in Magura‎ The Daily Star The History of Bio-Terrorism: Anthrax (video) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention START Social History of Anthrax www.start.umd.edu/start/research Anthrax infections in Bangladesh top 479 BioPrepWatch.com

Gold Coast Jihadi: Feds Arrest Chicago Man In Terror Plot

August 4, 2010 - From ABC7 Chicago: For nearly two years, counterterrorism agents in Chicago say they have been secretly following a 26-year old Streeterville man as he planned and plotted to become a global Jihadist and even dreamed of executing a suicide bomb attack on American soldiers. After determining that Masri had airplane tickets to leave Chicago this morning to carry out his mission, federal authorities say they stopped Masri and arrested him.... Masri is an American citizen born in Alabama according to details in a 24-page FBI affidavit unsealed Wednesday. From AP via MercuryNews.com: Federal prosecutors say a 26-year-old Chicago man was plotting to go to Somalia to become a suicide bomber with al-Qaida. Shaker Masri (shah-KEER' MAHZ'-ree) was charged Wednesday with attempting to aid a terrorist organization and use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States. Authorities contend Masri told an FBI informant of his plans and asked the informant for money to help buy guns once they got there. According to WBEZ radio in Chicago, "Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown set the next hearing date for Monday, Aug. 9.If convicted, Masri could face up to 30 years in prison." RELATED: Local Man Charged With Aiding Somali Terrorists CBS2 Chicago

Update 3: Bombs Kill At Least 64 In Kapala, Uganda

July 11, 2010 - Update #3 - Two or three bomb blasts at 11:00 p.m. local time in Uganda's capitol city Kampala have killed at least 64 people. As of July 11, 10:00 p.m. EDT, Houston Chronicle and AP report that the rising death toll is at least 64. The Syndey Morning Herald and AFP report the same death toll. (NOTE: As of 10:00 p.m. EDT, various reports disagree about the number of blasts. Most are reporting two explosions but some say three.) Some Americans and Europeans are believed to be among the casualties, but the numbers and details are not yet clear. Earlier Reports: The Daily Monitor in Kampala, reported (on July 12, 2010 at 02:06 local time): Police confirmed that 13 people, more than half of them foreigners were killed at Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kabalagala, a Kampala suburb, while Daily Monitor reporters counted about 40 bodies at Kyaddondo Rugby Grounds where a huge crowd was watching the Spain Vs Netherlands Word Cup final. Police Chief Kale Kaihura says he can't yet confirm the death toll, but reports from the scene indicated it may be around 20 people killed and others injured. Kaihura says he believes that Somalia's most feared militia — al-Shabab, which has pledged loyalty to al-Qaida — could be behind the attack. One of the bombs went off at an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala, Uganda's capital. AP (at NWCN News) RELATED: Ugandan bombings toll rises to 64 Sydney Morning Herald Uganda blasts point to possible Islamist link Reuters Africa Uganda: Bombs Explode, Somali Militia Blamed WFMY News 50 die in Kampala bomb blasts Daily Monitor, Uganda Bomb attacks hit Kampala‎ New Vision Police seize govt cars for AU meet‎ New Vision Report: At least 33 dead after two explosions hit Kampala, Uganda Wire Update Islamic Militant Groups Protest East African Union Troop Increase in Somalia Afro.com

After 9 Hours, Man Surrenders To Police in Portsmouth NH Bus Bomb Scare

UPDATE, 8:30 PM EDT - Portsmouth, NH - (AP) A nine-hour bomb scare aboard a Maine-to-New York Greyhound bus ended peacefully Thursday night when the lone remaining passenger walked off it with his hands over his head. The other 16 passengers and the driver had left the bus safely hours earlier.  No details about the passenger were immediately released, and the bus remained parked in downtown Portsmouth with a bomb squad on the scene. "He is in custody," police Capt. Mike Schwartz said. "No one is injured."  More from Associated Press... 

8:20 PM EDT - More than eight hours after police received a 911 call about a possible explosive device on a Greyhound bus, they remain in a standoff with the last remaining passenger.... Police will not say who the remaining passenger is, or why he remains on the bus. He has been identified as a man wearing camouflage pants.... No law enforcement personnel have been on the bus. Source: The Union Leader newspaper.

Police Evacuate NY-Bound Bus, FAA Orders 3-Mile No-Fly Zone - UPDATED

UPDATE, 8 :30 PM EDT - Portsmouth, NH - More than eight hours after police received a 911 call about a possible explosive device on a Greyhound bus, they remain in a standoff with the last remaining passenger.... Police will not say who the remaining passenger is, or why he remains on the bus. He has been identified as a man wearing camouflage pants.... No law enforcement personnel have been on the bus.

(Earlier Reports): Portsmouth, NH - Developing: FBI, local police with a SWAT team and bomb squad closed off streets around a stopped Greyhound bus after a passenger called 911 to report a suspicious device at around 11:15 a.m. EDT. Nearby businesses were evacuated. The FAA even ordered a 3-mile no-fly zone around the area. (Think about that: A no-fly zone for a bomb in a bus? What kind of explosive do the authorities suspect it is?)  Sources told CBS station WBZ-TV that a man on the bus was talking on a cell phone in what sounded like Arabic and English when a woman reportedly heard him say something about "a bomb is on the bus."

WMUR-TV 9 reports that passengers disembarked just minutes ago (around 1:45 p.m. local), with hands held up over their heads. Video news updates available from NECN.com here here and here. There are conflicting reports as to the Greyhound's route. Most news outlets are saying it was en route to New York City from Portland, Maine. The New York Post reports that it came from Bangor, Maine and had stopped in Portland before arriving in Portsmouth. The NYPost also reports that "restrictions were put on air travel in the area, which kept television helicopters from flying overhead." (Again, what kind of explosive would cause the authorities to keep local air space clear?)

Best Quote About Oklahoma Bombing I've Seen

"Todays Left: Remembering Okla bombing but forgetting 9/11," said RegulusdeLeo on Twitter, April 19, 2010.

Also See:

Liberals remember the wrong April 19th Nick McNulty
Bill Ayers is just Timothy McVeigh with a pulse NewsReal Blog
Was Timothy McVeigh Working for Bin Laden & Al Qaeda? Smart Girl Politics

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UNITED FLIGHT 663 COVERUP? MAYBE

APRIL 7, 2010 - Confusion abounds with conflicting reports.  Mainstream media are saying now that the man was having a cigarette, but Douglas Hagmann (http://twitter.com/HagmannPI) reports the following via Twitter (emphasis added):

According to fed. src at Denver: al Modadi tells agents: "You can't hold me, I've got immunity." Demands Qatari rep.; Holder "intervention" (Approx. 10: 52 PM CDT)
Just spoke with FBI agent re United Flight 663. "No misunderstanding" - Qatari diplomat tried to bring down plane. Media spin expected.  (Approx. 10:10 PM CDT)

al MODADI has diplomatic immunity... http://homelandsecurityus.com/archives/3679 (9:50 PM CDT)

Qatar diplomat, Mohammed al MODADI - attempted to ignite explosive in his shoe aboard flight from DC to Denver - CONFIRMED. (9:49 PM CDT)

Attempted airline bombing - DC to Denver: http://homelandsecurityus.com/archives/3679 (approx. 8:50 PM CDT)

Hagmann reports this at Northeast Intelligence Networks (emphasis added):

Update 11:00 PM ET: “There is no misunderstanding,” according to a Federal Air Marshal speaking to Douglas J. Hagmann, Director of the Northeast Intelligence Network on the strict condition of anonymity. This was a clear incident of attempted terrorism, according to this source, who referenced news reports surfacing that al Modadi was involved in a “misunderstanding.” Mohammed al MODADI, 3rd Secretary and Vice-Consul at the Qatari Embassy in Washington, was subdued by at least one Federal Air Marshal aboard United Airlines flight 663 Wednesday night. The aircraft was carrying 157 passengers and 6 crew members, and landed in Denver at about 7:00 PM local time.

RELATED:
What the Hell Happened on United Flight 663?
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What the Hell Happened on United Flight 663?

APRIL 7, 2010 - Much ado about nothing? Maybe. Maybe not.  A Qatari diplomat tried to sneak a smoke on board United Flight 663 bound for Denver. OR DID HE? Confusion abounds with conflicting reports.  Mainstream media are saying now that the man was having a cigarette, but Douglas Hagmann (http://twitter.com/HagmannPI) reports the following via Twitter:

Just spoke with FBI agent re United Flight 663. "No misunderstanding" - Qatari diplomat tried to bring down plane. Media spin expected.  (Approx. 10:10 PM CDT)

al MODADI has diplomatic immunity... http://homelandsecurityus.com/archives/3679 (9:50 PM CDT)

Qatar diplomat, Mohammed al MODADI - attempted to ignite explosive in his shoe aboard flight from DC to Denver - CONFIRMED. (9:49 PM CDT)

BREAKING NEWS - Attempted airline bombing - DC to Denver: http://homelandsecurityus.com/archives/3679 (approx. 8:50 PM CDT)

Hagmann reports this at Northeast Intelligence Networks (emphasis added):

Update 11:00 PM ET: “There is no misunderstanding,” according to a Federal Air Marshal speaking to Douglas J. Hagmann, Director of the Northeast Intelligence Network on the strict condition of anonymity. This was a clear incident of attempted terrorism, according to this source, who referenced news reports surfacing that al Modadi was involved in a “misunderstanding.” Mohammed al MODADI, 3rd Secretary and Vice-Consul at the Qatari Embassy in Washington, was subdued by at least one Federal Air Marshal aboard United Airlines flight 663 Wednesday night. The aircraft was carrying 157 passengers and 6 crew members, and landed in Denver at about 7:00 PM local time.

Earlier Reports:
Officials: No explosives found on Denver-bound flight Chanel 5, Fayateville
NOTE: ABC reported that the Qatari diplomat was just sneaking a smoke in the plane's bathroom.

Federal air marshals subdued a man who authorities say attempted to "light his shoes on fire" on a United flight from Washington Reagan to Denver Wednesday night, federal law enforcement officials told ABC News....The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington.  Full Article, ABC News...

RELATED:Officials: Diplomat tried to ignite shoes aboard flight KOMO News
Security incident on flight at DIA Channel 9 Denver
'Shoe bomb' attempt on US flight The Australian
Track Flight Status for (UA) United Airlines 663
Track status of United Airlines flight 663

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