Jul 07 2006
Terror Plot Disrupted
Foreign terrorists were planning to attack tunnels in New York City, officials report. Intelligence gathered in part from the internet helped identify the plot in time to break it up.
WASHINGTON - Authorities have disrupted planning by foreign terrorists for an attack on New York City tunnels, two law enforcement officials said Friday. FBI agents monitoring Internet chat rooms used by extremists learned in recent months of the plot to strike a blow at the city's economy by destroying vital transportation networks, one official said.
Lebanese authorities, acting on a U.S. request, have arrested one of the alleged plotters, identified as Amir Andalousli, the other official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said, "This is one instance where intelligence was on top of its game and discovered the plot when it was just in the talking phase."
The planning for the tunnel attacks was first reported by the New York Daily News in its Friday editions, the first anniversary of the attacks on the London transportation system that killed 52 people.
It was unclear how far along the planning was.
"At this time we have no indication of any imminent threat to the New York transportation system, or anywhere else in the U.S.," said Richard Kolko, Washington-based FBI special agent.
Sadly, the New York Times did not learn of the intelligence operation soon enough to publish details and ruin the US efforts.
UPDATE: New York Daily News Story. The story contains this additional detail:
The FBI has uncovered what officials consider a serious plot by jihadists to bomb the Holland Tunnel in hopes of causing a torrent of water to deluge lower Manhattan, the Daily News has learned.
The terrorists sought to drown the Financial District as New Orleans was by Hurricane Katrina, sources said. They also wanted to attack subways and other tunnels.
I don't know how feasible that would be.
I don't know how feasible that would be.
20 Responses to “Terror Plot Disrupted”
Don’t believe they would have published it.
But, beside the FBI reporting a “successful thwarting” of this operation, are you sure it’s not a made up story to keep the fear alive?
Just joking, it’s on the same level as the theory that the NYT is trying to destroy the US.
If they thought they could embarrass the administration, I have no doubt they would have. Roland, they blew a program that was not illegal and destroyed it’s effectiveness. I don’t think they are intentionally trying to destroy the US, although that may be the end result of that kind of partisan hacking.
Holland Tunnel Bomb Plot Disrupted…
Other media outlets confirm that there was some kind of plot that US law enforcement disrupted, but the Daily News broke the story and put the Holland Tunnel out there….
The Times wouldn’t print it for one big reason: it would show how massively asinine your typical jihadi actually is, for thinking if he managed to blow a hole through the concrete, metal and bedrock that encases the tunnel, the water would defy the laws of physics and, travelling only eastward (Jihadis (heart) Jersey?), the torrent would rise 10 feet above sea level to escape the general area of the Holly’s NYC entry, then hang a right on Broadway… while avoiding all the sewers and subway tunnels–in its assault on the infidel Zionist-controlled Great Satan’s banking system. Allah Glub Glub!
The Times could never show that an Al-Quada operator could be that idiotic, because they’ve gone on record saying those swarthy bastards are so cunning they knew all about the SWIFT program years ago.
Pardon my skepticism, but the administration has previously hyped busting big terror plots (like the Miami case) that ws less than credible.
There seems to be some confusion whether or not the Holland Tunnel was in fact a target.
Meanwhile, how comje the anthrax attacker had never been found? It seems to have totally fallen off the radar. That was an actual attack that killed people.
Do you have any idea how many murders go unsolved in a given year?
Gaius, doesn’t it seem weird that the anthrax attacks went from front-page news to nowhere to be found in such a short time?
This administration has a history of playing politics with terror alerts and terror prosecutions. The Miami plotters had no ability to carry out anything, and it’s unclear that they actually had concrete plans to do anything.
I just heard on the news that it was the NJ Path tunnel that was the target, which is an even dumber target, since its NY entrance is located at Ground Zero, in the hole in the ground commonly referred to as “the bathub,” which would fill with water but never make it high enough to reach the street.
Gee, if I recall, there was an awful lot happening back around that time and a lot of things got pushed out of the media spotlight pretty quickly.
You accuse the administration of playing politics, what would your allegation be if another attack happened? That they should have given warning?
Sadly, the New York Times did not learn of the intelligence operation soon enough to publish details and ruin the US efforts.
Actually. A.J. Strata wrote in his post about this, that the fact that this plot was discovered in its early stages proves that the New York Times DID endanger U.S. efforts in this specific plot. Strata says that the fact that the FBI arrested the plot leaders NOW, instead of waiting longer, was because the plot was about to be ruined by the New York Times article about the SWIFT database.
In other words, this foiled plot is not evidence that U.S. security operations are a success; it’s proof that the New York Times has seriously *damaged* U.S. security operations.
I must confess to being a little confused myself by the fact that no one seems to be upset with the NY Daily News for publishing details about the methods the FBI used to find these would-be terrorists. Now that the terrorists have been alerted that the FBI monitors Internet chat rooms, terrorists will know not to chat on the Internet.
The problem, of course, is that people like Former are already pooh0poohing because the authorities broke it up early instead of waiting until people were in imminent danger. Or already dead. Same with every arrest the authorities make these days.
Unfortunately, that was already printed several times. But I would have been just as happy if they would all stop printing details about methods.
Hey, FormerRighty, a great woman died over Memorial Day weekend several years ago, and the news media didn’t report it, because some airhead, fornicating, worldly princess died after her car (driven by a drunk driver) smashed into a median at high speed.
I can’t remember the princess’ name, but the great woman who died around the same time was Mother Theresa. But, I bet you didn’t hear about that in the news, didya? It must be a conspiracy!! Of course, back then, President Stain was in office, and no conspiracy theories were allowed against him.
The decision on what to put in the news, in this case, has less to do with the Bush administration, and more to do with the fact that the news media DID NOT want to face up to their own MORTALITY. Just ask Katie “I just decided I needed a three week vacation around the same time as the anthrax scare” Couric. Ignorance is bliss.
It’s funny how literally everything is the fault of the Bush adminstration, isn’t it?
No, not everything is the fault of the Bush administration, but they’re not the cause of everything good, either.
My point is, since this administration took office, there have been two terrorist incidents in this country that cost people their lives, and in one case the person who heads the organization responsible is still at large, and the other case is still unsolved.
BubbaB, I’m not sure what your point is–Mother Teresa’s (there’s no “h”) death was well publicized. And I was unable to confirm your allegation that Katie Couric took a vacaton at the time of the anthrax attacks.
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Was not illegal. Though the EU is still asking the US what the hack they were thinking, tracking the transitions of european people, without telling the EU and the respective governments about it. It was not illegal in the US, but Europe is not your playground. At least, practice some common courtesy. Like telling the chaps, "Hey we gonna monitor your people, that's oki Jean?" BubbaB. The death of Mother Theresa was reported in Big Prints - so even you can read it - all over the world. We had lots of of material about her life and work for weeks. Your slandering Princess Diana was absolutely unneccessary to make your point, (Edited for language - not allowed here, Roland).Sorry. But that guy has flipped a switch…
Though I think you should edit out BubbaB’s synonym for the ‘f’ word.
That is more insulting than mine was.
Actually, that’s a descriptive of an action, not used in context of a personal attack on another commenter.
Yep.
Though you could argue that slandering the dead is really tasteless.
Never mind, I am sorry for my part.