Terror plot targetting Washington foiled by feds

[airdata]

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/feds-...ne-terror-attack-washington/story?id=14626433

Or was it?

This is yet another example of our "anti-terror" teams. This news story has the bold title "
Feds Foil Remote-Controlled Terror Attack on Washington

But when you actually read the article it is clear that no terror plot was actually foiled. He was recruited in 2010 by FBI agents posing as Al Qaeda.

This has happened before in several places including Dallas Texas where the similar plot unravels. FBI finds young arab guy online, and gets him to commit a mock terrorist act w\ fake explosives, etc.


I can see where you may say that the guy was capable of doing it... but at what point do we put people in jail for their thoughts? Without FBI intervention this guy could have led a long life working in a cubicle silently hating america as he programs java script for $80/hour... but now he'll likely spend 25-30 years in prison for being trolled by the FBI.

 

[Macamus Prime]

Sounds like the Feds have a quota to meet.

 

[Genx87]

At least they gave him AK-47s that werent functional unlike the Mexican cartels.

 

[actuarial]

While I'm glad this guy is going away for a long time, how close is this to entrapment?

Would he have actually gone through with anything had the FBI not provided him the (fake) resources to?

Even still, an evil dude who deserves to be behind bars.

 

[PokerGuy]

If someone demonstrates that they are willing to harm innocent civilians, they are a threat to society and should be locked away. The fact that it's a sting just means we were lucky that the FBI got to him before some terrorist group did. This is good work and a good way to help root out the bad guys.

I don't buy the whole "entrapment" or "he wouldn't have done it if they hadn't provided him the means" bull. If someone approaches me with the plan to harm innocent people, I'm not going to do it -- period. If someone's willing to do it if provided the means, they need to be locked away.

 

[43st]

Like the other cases this has little to do with him and more to do with the long term goals of Homeland Security and it's contractors. Look at what this prompts in terms of legislation and/or sales of new equipment, then you'll see the real payload. Back-scatter scanners anyone?

 

[ElFenix]

If someone demonstrates that they are willing to harm innocent civilians, they are a threat to society and should be locked away. The fact that it's a sting just means we were lucky that the FBI got to him before some terrorist group did. This is good work and a good way to help root out the bad guys.

I don't buy the whole "entrapment" or "he wouldn't have done it if they hadn't provided him the means" bull. If someone approaches me with the plan to harm innocent people, I'm not going to do it -- period. If someone's willing to do it if provided the means, they need to be locked away.

i dunno, the stanley milgram experiment says there's a lot of people out there willing to harm people for no apparent reason.

 

[airdata]

If someone demonstrates that they are willing to harm innocent civilians, they are a threat to society and should be locked away. The fact that it's a sting just means we were lucky that the FBI got to him before some terrorist group did. This is good work and a good way to help root out the bad guys.

I don't buy the whole "entrapment" or "he wouldn't have done it if they hadn't provided him the means" bull. If someone approaches me with the plan to harm innocent people, I'm not going to do it -- period. If someone's willing to do it if provided the means, they need to be locked away.

Well, there are both sides. I think you're right w\ the fact that he was a 'recruitable person' in that REAL terrorists could have recruited him.

But then, they are just setting them up and in many cases providing them w\ fake explosives before sending them off on their 20-30 year prison sentence.

It's just that w\ our great american justice system, they're really redefining how it works. This stuff really is driving us toward the sort of minority report situation.

 

[PokerGuy]

But then, they are just setting them up and in many cases providing them w\ fake explosives before sending them off on their 20-30 year prison sentence.

What do you mean setting them up?? Lets face it, if a normal person is offered explosives and told to blow up innocent people, they wouldn't do it. Just not going to happen. The fact that these guys are willing to do it is enough to lock them up and throw away the key.

This stuff really is driving us toward the sort of minority report situation.

Huh? These guys are getting nabbed after they actually decide to go through with committing the crime (with fake explosives etc). Obviously you're not just talking about someone thinking about doing something, you're talking about someone who demonstrates that they actually do it.

 

[momeNt]

I support stealth patriot tests.

If you get carded at a bar and asked if you love your country - always say yes- chances are its a federal agent attempting to entrap you!

 

[Jaskalas]

I support stealth patriot tests.

If you get carded at a bar and asked if you love your country - always say yes- chances are its a federal agent attempting to entrap you!

I WUB AMERIKA! :wub:

Yeah... not sure how I feel about FBI recruiting terrorists.

 

[JS80]

lol not exactly the Jack Bauer anti-terror agent you would imagine

 

[Nebor]

I have serious doubts about the actual danger of his plan anyway. Anyone familiar with remote control aircraft can tell you how weak the engines are, and how small additions of weight drastically alter it's handling and ability to fly.

 

[momeNt]

I WUB AMERIKA! :wub:

Yeah... not sure how I feel about FBI recruiting terrorists.

Maybe they'll do something really cool like in Traitor

**Spoiler**

Spoiler

where they recruit a bunch of suicide bombers and put them in the same bus!

 

[GuitarDaddy]

It shows that the FBI and Homeland security are adept at entrapping low threat imbiciles that openly display hatred for america. But intelligent and/or trained terroists domestic or foreign with the backing and resources to pose a real serious threat, probably not so much

 

[woolfe9999]

While I'm glad this guy is going away for a long time, how close is this to entrapment?

Would he have actually gone through with anything had the FBI not provided him the (fake) resources to?

Even still, an evil dude who deserves to be behind bars.

I'll comment here because you raise a legal question about what is "entrapment." The test of entrapment is not whether the defendant would have committed the crime absent the involvement of law enforcement. It is whether the defendant would have had the requisite criminal intent absent law enforcement. Classic entrapment is tempting an otherwise law abiding person to do something that the person would never think to do otherwise. According to the article, this guy had been planning attacks for years. It's irrelevant that but for law enforcement he may or may not ever have been able to pull them off because of a lack of equipment or other practical difficulties. The fact is he wanted and intended to do so. This does not appear to be a case of someone otherwise innocent of intent being tempted to the dark side, and hence it likely isn't a case of entrapment.

- wolf

 

[halik]

I support stealth patriot tests.

If you get carded at a bar and asked if you love your country - always say yes- chances are its a federal agent attempting to entrap you!

Yeah that's definitely a fitting analogy to someone willing to blow stuff up and shoot up the survivors.

 

[momeNt]

Yeah that's definitely a fitting analogy to someone willing to blow stuff up and shoot up the survivors.

The conversation has to start somewhere.

 

[Munky]

Must keep the illusion of terror threat. How else are all those TSA and DHS clowns gonna justify wasting taxpayer's money?