Man arrested in alleged attempt to bomb Dallas skyscraper

[DU_stud04]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/092409dnmetbombarrest.1b177db8b.html


DALLAS - Federal authorities arrested a 19-year-old Jordanian citizen whom they said placed an inactive car bomb today at Fountain Place, a 60-story skyscraper in downtown Dallas.

Hosam Maher Husein Smadi has repeatedly voiced his intent to serve Usama Bin Laden and al-Qa’ida and commit “violent Jihad,” authorities said in a prepared statement.

“Today’s arrest of Hosam Maher Husein Smadi underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to bring to justice persons who attempt to bring harm to citizens of this country and significant danger to this community,” special FBI agent in charge Robert E. Casey, Jr. said in the statement. “Smadi made a decision to act to commit a significant conspicuous act of violence under his banner of ‘self Jihad.’”

Authorities said that Smadi was under continuous FBI surveillance. Federal agents posed as members of an al-Qa’ida sleeper cell. Smadi, who was in the U.S. illegally, allegedly told them that he came to the country specifically to commit “Jihad for the sake of God.”

According to authorities, Smadi identified potential Dallas targets in June and allegedly scoped out Fountain Place in July. Authorities said that Smadi lived and worked in Italy, Texas, about 45 miles south of Dallas.

http://www.dallasarchitecture.info/fountpl-1.jpg

[IrishTex]

WoW!!!!!!

:eek:

[BOCEPHUS]

I BY GAWD WUNDER IF'EN "BARRACK OBAMA" WILL COME TO HIS DEFENSE IF'EN WE DRIP SUM WATER OVER HIS RAG HEAD TO SEE IF HE HAD SUM BUDDIES...................

[95mustang]

Originally posted by BOCEPHUS
I BY GAWD WUNDER IF'EN "BARRACK OBAMA" WILL COME TO HIS DEFENSE IF'EN WE DRIP SUM WATER OVER HIS RAG HEAD TO SEE IF HE HAD SUM BUDDIES...................

Mess on that. Just call Jethro down to the jail house and release him to Jethro's custody.

[IrishTex]

Italy Texas has sure had some problems lately....

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-artstudent_19met.ART0.State.Edition1.4ba5888.html

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by IrishTex
Italy Texas has sure had some problems lately....

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/DN-artstudent_19met.ART0.State.Edition1.4ba5888.html
Italians and Jordanians ... dang!

[DU_stud04]

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/1635472.html

By MITCH MITCHELL

DALLAS — Federal agents arrested a Jordanian teenager Thursday suspected of trying to blow up the 60-story Fountain Place building in downtown Dallas.

Undercover agents with the FBI tricked Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, into thinking he was detonating a bomb placed in an SUV parked under the skyscraper before they arrested him, according to court documents. The detonating device was inert, the Justice Department said in a news release.

"The identification and apprehension of this defendant, who was acting alone, is a sobering reminder that there are people among us who want to do us grave harm," U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks said in the news release.

Undercover agents met with Smadi at least 10 times and talked to him at least 40 times while he hatched his plot to commit jihad, or holy war, against the "Romans (Christians) and Jews," an arrest warrant affidavit says. The FBI said Smadi was in the country illegally and lived and worked in Italy, about 45 minutes south of Dallas.

Federal agents said that they discovered Smadi within a group of online terrorists and that he stood out because of his willingness to conduct terrorist attacks.

"This is not related to any other investigation," said Mark White, an FBI spokesman. "This is a stand-alone terrorist."

There are ongoing investigations into other possible terrorism plots in New York and Colorado.

"This just goes to show that this type of thing can happen anywhere," said Danny Defenbaugh, a Dallas security consultant and former FBI agent. "That’s why everyone has to remain aware and diligent."

Authorities say Smadi told undercover officials that he wanted to blow up a credit card center, choosing the Wells Fargo Bank in Fountain Place. "Millions of people will incur losses," said Smadi, according to the affidavit. "Unemployment, poverty, hunger, and a strike to the head of the government. Don’t forget the psychological impacts on the loss of this beautiful building."

Authorities say Smadi originally talked to undercover agents who posed as members of a sleeper terrorist cell and one who masqueraded as a senior member of al Qaeda. Federal agents said Smadi’s love for al-Qaeda, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan; his allegiance to Osama bin Laden; and his willingness to spend the rest of his life in prison or die in the attempt to kill Americans was evident in his speech, the affidavit says.

"In the name of God, the gracious and merciful, this is my vow to you, my brother, that I am ready," Smadi said, according to the affidavit. "And if you were a lover of jihad as I am, then, by God, I am ready for the jihad life."

Federal agents told Smadi that he did not have to die to benefit jihad, but he insisted, according to the affidavit. An FBI undercover agent told Smadi that if he had any doubts, he should tell them before they revealed their secrets, and he should practice jihad in a less dangerous way. Smadi replied that he would kill and behead the backslider, authorities say. "I have chosen to be a mujahid with my self, my blood, soul and body," Smadi allegedly said.

The affidavit lays out a sequence of events leading to Thursday’s arrest. At a July 24 meeting with an FBI undercover operative at a Dallas hotel, Smadi stated his desire to attack the buildings belonging to the biggest credit card companies in America. Smadi told the undercover agent that the attack would be done by remote detonation of timed explosives. Smadi said he would case the building before delivering the bomb, to evaluate security.

During that same meeting, Smadi used his laptop computer to identify and map possible targets. The National Guard Armory and the "Dallas" airport were selected and then discarded as targets thought to be too well protected.

Smadi later cased Fountain Place and said the basement level would be a good location to plant the bomb. Smadi said the bathroom had a locking door with a drop ceiling that could be accessed by standing on the toilet.

During an Aug. 26 meeting, Smadi said he would have preferred to do the attack on Sept. 11, but decided to wait until after the religious holiday Ramadan, which would end Sept. 20.

"I will plant it in the . . . foundations . . . exactly under the building . . . when it explodes, it will shake the foundations so that the building, if it is heavy in weight, tons, all that will come down," Smadi said, according to the affidavit.

On Thursday, Smadi drove the Ford Explorer rigged with the fake bomb through downtown Dallas, the affidavit says. He set the timer, flipped the power switch, then locked and left the vehicle, walking to where an FBI undercover agent was parked. The agent drove several blocks and watched as Smadi attempted to remotely detonate the bomb with a cellphone. The agent offered Smadi ear plugs, which he refused, saying that he wanted to hear the blast.

Smadi is expected to make his first court appearance at 11 a.m. today.