FBI arrests would-be Capitol bomber outside D.C. February 17, 2012 2:11 PM (CBS/AP) Updated at 6:06 p.m. ET A 29-year-old Moroccan man who authorities say wanted to be the first suicide bomber on U.S. soil was arrested Friday after strapping on what he thought was an explosive vest and heading for the U.S. Capitol, CBS News' John Miller reports. A source told CBS News' John Nolen that the suspect was identified as Amine El Khalifi, a Moroccan citizen who has lived in the United States for more than 12 years. He was taken down by FBI agents and U.S. Capitol Police officers in Alexandria, Va., outside Washington. An intelligence source confirmed the suspect's name to CBS News. The Justice Department announced that El Khalifi was charged "by criminal complaint with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property that is owned and used by the United States." He faces life in prison if convicted. El Khalifi made a brief appearance in federal court in Alexandria on Friday afternoon. He was wearing a green shirt and black parts and holding his arms together behind his back. A judge set a bail hearing in his case for Wednesday at 2 p.m. In a statement released by the Justice Department, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco said: "Today's case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists. Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort, El Khalifi's alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed." Added FBI Assistant Director in Charge James W. McJunkin: "This individual allegedly followed a twisted, radical ideology that is not representative of the Muslim community in the United States. He became known to the JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) because of his stated desire to carry out attacks in the U.S., specifically, the U.S. Capitol building. This arrest is the result of dedicated special agents, task force officers and intelligence analysts from the FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies that make up the JTTF." Last December, the suspect allegedly told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to detonate a bomb at an Alexandria building that contained offices for the U.S. military, Nolen reported. His plans changed until he settled on the Capitol. Other targets the suspect allegedly considered were a synagogue and a Washington restaurant frequented by members of the military. A high-ranking source told CBS News the man was "never a real threat." Undercover FBI agents met with the suspect Friday morning in his garage, giving him a vest filled with explosives that had previously been rendered inoperable, Miller reported. The agents also provided the suspect with an impaired automatic firearm that he allegedly planned to use to shoot U.S. Capitol Police officers, Nolen reported. Both the House and the Senate were in session Friday voting on a deal to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. At some point, the suspect came close to actual explosives and allegedly participated in a demonstration of an improvised-explosive device in a quarry, Nolen reported. El Khalifi came to the U.S. when he was 16 years old and is unemployed and not believed to be associated with al Qaeda. He had been under investigation for about a year and had overstayed his visitor visa for years, a counterterrorism official and a government official briefed on the matter told The Associated Press on a condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. According to the affidavit filed by an FBI agent, El Khalifi told acquaintances in January 2011 that he agreed the "war on terrorism" was a "war on Muslims" and that they needed to be ready for war. A former landlord in Arlington, Va., said he believed El Khalifi was suspicious and called police a year and a half ago. Frank Dynda said when he told El Khalifi to leave, the suspect said he had a right to stay and threatened to beat up Dynda. Dynda said he thought El Khalifi was making bombs, but police told him to leave the man alone. Dynda had El Khalifi evicted in 2010. El Khalifi had several men staying with him and based on packages left for him, Dynda said. It appeared that he was running a luggage business from the apartment, though Dynda never saw any bags. "I reported to police I think he's making bombs," Dynda said. "I was ready to get my shotgun and run him out of the building, but that would have been a lot of trouble." Two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Presst he FBI has had him under surveillance around the clock for several weeks. They spoke on a condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Police are close to arresting one of his associates on charges unrelated to the terror conspiracy, the counterterrorism official said. The associate was said to also be a Moroccan, living here illegally. Police are investigating others El Khalifi associated with, but not because they believe the associates were part of a terror conspiracy, the official said. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57380422/fbi-arrests-would-be-capitol-bomber-outside-d.c/
Wait... what does he have in common with the 9/11 hijackers, shoe bomber, Times Square bomber, underwear bomber, Fort Hood shooter, etc.?
Don't forget Timothy McVeigh, Frederick Thomas, Samuel Crump, et al. So, with a more complete data set, the common thread is mental illness, clearly.
Please. Radical Islam is the common denominator and being obtuse about it is childish and won't make it go away. Ever hear of al-Qaeda? What's the big international terrorist organization for Christian white guys?
If I answered that question it would clearly upset you as you are not ready for certain levels of truth. Well I simply wanted you to be direct and not ask leading questions. Just clearly state your agenda. You did just that. So thank you, thank you very much
Meanwhile the invasion continues unabated. Let's just hope the Mexicans don't ever start strapping bombs to themselves. They are much more resourceful than the camel jockey's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdc-kv7nzaU&feature=player_detailpage
Do you piss yourself when you see an Arab or Muslim? Will there be enough supply of Depends for you going forward?
Enlighten us and explain to us the origins of Al-Queda and islamofacism tell us how more American intervention will improve this.
The reality is that you live in a Matrix, 6. Your reality is that here we are, minding our own business, when a bunch of Arabs decided that they wanted to kill us all, out the clear blue sky. That is not the truth. Your perception of reality is clearly nationalistic, which is understandable. The truth is that to control large groups of people, you have to have an "other". In my day, it was the Russians. Now, today, it is the Arabs, so you conveniently ignore domestic terror committed by Christian white guys, as it does not fit your worldview. OBL, and Al Qaeda were created by the same people. They create a problem, and then provide a solution. You will of course reject this, most likely with an ad hom. But that is what is going on. You asked, I answered.