Political India: Engaging America

From The Hindu

The FBI has been working overtime on sting operations, it was evident, when it announced on Friday that it had arrested Moroccan Amine El Khalifi (29), an illegal resident in the United States, for plotting to detonate a bomb in a suicide attack on the United States Capitol Building.


Khalifi's arrest, which occurred as he walked from a parking unit towards the main building wearing an inert bomb vest earlier supplied to him by an undercover FBI officer, comes in the wake of a string of similar operations that has netted the FBI numerous would-be terrorists in recent years.

According to the criminal complaint affidavit, in January 2011, “a confidential human source reported to the FBI that El Khalifi met with other individuals at a residence in Arlington, Virginia.” Media reports however noted that more than a year back it was Khalifi's landlord, Frank Dynda, who had alerted authorities to his presence after Khalifi threatened to beat him up.

The FBI case against Khalifi noted that during the various meetings he had at that residence, “one individual produced what appeared to be an AK-47, two revolvers and ammunition... and Khalifi allegedly expressed agreement with a statement by this individual that the “war on terrorism” was a “war on Muslims” and said that the group needed to be ready for war.”

With an undercover officer only known as “Yusuf” assigned to the Khalifi case, the FBI affidavit further said that throughout December 2011 and January 2012, Khalifi had described to Yusuf his proposed targets in a bombing attack, including a building that contained U.S. military offices, a synagogue and a restaurant frequented by military officials. He also spoke of a “his desire to conduct an operation in which he would use a gun and kill people face-to-face,” the FBI said.

Today's case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists,” said Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, adding, “Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort, El Khalifi's alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed.” Authorities were quick to reassure that the explosives and firearm that Khalifi sought and attempted to use had been rendered inoperable by officers and at no time posed a threat to the public.

“This individual allegedly followed a twisted, radical ideology that is not representative of the Muslim community in the U.S.,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge, James McJunkin. “He became known to the Joint Terrorism Task Force because of his stated desire to carry out attacks in the U.S., specifically, the U.S. Capitol building,” the officer said.

While drone strikes have thus far been the bane of militants residing in the remote tribal belt of Pakistan, this week they were almost deployed to take out the Pentagon and the Capitol.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Wednesday that Rezwan Ferdaus (26), a U.S. citizen from Ashland, Massachusetts, had been charged in connection with a plot to destroy the key federal government buildings using large radio-controlled F-86 Sabre aircraft filled with what he thought was C-4 plastic explosive.

Ferdaus, said to be a graduate of Northeastern University, was also charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to al-Qaeda with the aim of facilitating attacks on U.S. soldiers overseas; attempting to destroy national defence premises; and attempting to destroy buildings owned by the U.S. using explosives.

According to a cooperating witness in an apparent sting operation by the FBI, Ferdaus stated in January 2011 that he planned to attack the Pentagon using aircraft similar to “small drone airplanes” filled with explosives and guided by GPS equipment.

Outlining his planned attack in chilling detail, Ferdaus told undercover officers: “With this aerial assault, we can effectively eliminate key locations of the P-building. Then we can add to it in order to take out everything else and leave one area only as a squeeze where the individuals will be isolated. They'll be vulnerable and we can dominate.”

In a statement, the FBI underscored Ferdaus' determination to execute his plan despite being presented with multiple opportunities to back out, including being told that his attack would likely kill women and children.

Instead, Ferdaus invoked the option of a Mumbai-style ground attack to complement the aerial strike, and reportedly told federal agents that once he isolated individuals in the two buildings into “one area only as a squeeze,” he would ensure that a six-man team armed with assault rifles would “open up on them” and “keep firing” to create “chaos” and “take out” everyone.

As part of the operation, conducted by more than 30 federal, state, and local agencies on the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, agents supplied Ferdaus with an unspecified amount of “C-4 explosives,” an F-86 small drone aircraft, three grenades and six fully-automatic AK-47 assault rifles. In the course of the investigation, Ferdaus also delivered eight detonation devices to the undercover officers and a training video demonstrating how to make cell phone detonators.

At his final meeting with officers on Wednesday at which Ferdaus inspected the components, brought them to his storage unit and took possession of the entire inventory, he was arrested, the FBI said in a statement. It added that at no point in time was the public in any danger from explosive devices, which were controlled by undercover FBI employees.

No community targeted

Prosecuting officials were quick to dispel any notion that the sting operation against Ferdaus had targeted any larger community. U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said: “I want the public to understand that Mr. Ferdaus' conduct, as alleged in the complaint, is not reflective of a particular culture, community, or religion.”

If convicted, Ferdaus faces a total of up to 55 years in prison for all three charges and a $250,000 fine.