Posted on 06/23/2006 7:18:04 AM PDT by markedmannerf
CHICAGO Managers at the Sears Tower in Chicago say law officials have told them there's never been "evidence of a credible terrorism threat" against the landmark. The statement comes after authorities arrested seven young men in Miami on terror charges tied to alleged plots, including one to blow up the Chicago skyscraper.
The Sears Tower statement says authorities have never reported a threat "that has gone beyond criminal discussions."
Workers at the Sears Tower this morning said they didn't plan to change their routines.
A federal indictment says the suspects conspired with al-Qaida to "levy war against the United States." It also says they planned to blow up a federal building in Miami.
The men are due in court today.
(Excerpt) Read more at wavy.com ...
CNN has already dismissed the Miami 7 as wannabes and "not real terrorists" in an obvious attempt to deflect any political gains the Whitehouse might get for providing some actual security. The big story for the Times today was of course not the big arrests in Miami, but the outing of yet another clandestine anti terror program. After all, only dead Americans make for interesting news stories.
I read that story and thought, "The old, 'nothing to see here, move along' story."
Despicable.
We had the incident in a thread here, if I recall correctly. Perhaps somebody knows how to find it, and maybe there is a connection.
Shadowy trio seen studying Sears Tower
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1597860/posts
Shadowy trio seen studying Sears Tower
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1597860/posts
I can't believe that CNN actually admitted that the men were Muslim to begin with.
Thanks! That's it. I wonder...
there's never been "evidence of a credible terrorism threat" against the landmark.
Well this guy's delusional. The Sears Tower was considered in the 911 plot. I'm a busy layman in Boston and even I remember reading that.
I had forgot about that story until you mentioned it. I remembered thinking I wonder what is going on here.
I can't believe I remembered it. I have three teens in the house for Summer and I work nights. It's a miracle I remembered it actually...:-)
Well if the "wannabes" had been going blow up CNN headquarters in Atlanta, maybe they would not be quite so dismissive.
Having read the indictment, this group of wannabes don't seem like they have the ability to tie their own shoes. But in the days to come we will see if they were a valid threat or not.
Of course that would be about as likely as Al Qaeda bombing the Al Jazeera network in the Middle East. Not a chance when they benefit from all the good press they get in those news stories.
Any word on how long Osama bin Laden was a wannabe before making it to the big leagues?
Reid didn't have the ability to light his own shoes, but he was still a terrorist. Also, any idiot can make and detonate an explosive device.
They don't have to be very bright. Just vicious enough to want to kill total strangers drinking coffee at their desks some September morning...
They obviously thought they were in touch with somebody who was going to plan things for them, and this is what AQ has been looking for: domestic people who are dumb enough and violent enough to let AQ use them for operations here. Fortunately, dumb also means more likely to get caught (like the shoebomber, Muslim convert Richard Reid, whose IQ was probably only a little higher than that of his shoes).
They couldn't even get a digital camera on their own to take pictures of the local FBI building - the FBI gave them a camera. They had to get their "boots" for their "war" from the FBI agent (yes, the FBI gave them boots). They don't seem smart enough to even form an intent to harm. Richard Reid is a genius compared to these clowns. This "plan" was going nowhere. That said, I am glad we got them.
The deputy director, USAG said, "They were charged under statute 2939(A), as opposed to 2939(B), which names various terrorist organizations (hezbolla, al qaeda, etc.). Statute 2939(A) gives us the authority to charge people with conspiracy to aid terrorist organizations not specifically named in 2939(B)."
I consider that a shot across the bow of the MSM.
From Will Bunch's Attytood blog in The Philly Inquirer: " . . . and now they' ve busted another "terror cell" in Miami which we can guarantee will ultimately prove to be not what it seems to be.
"Seven young men"
THEY WERE MUSLIMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This PC sh*t is going to get Americans killed!
Yes, and that was the general theme of today's press conference with Tony Snow. Just remember: to the media, if it looks like the Bush admin is being effective in rooting out the bad guys, that's a Bad Thing for Democrats. I've already heard one 'Rat telling an interviewer that these were just "misguided youths" and not "real" terrorists.
It took the net a while. As of this morning, they were still hoping it was a bunch of crazed Christians.
Yup. That's what I heard reported.
Oh, they definitely had the intent. And someday AQ will find a bunch of dummies who get lucky and actually carry it off - unless we're right on top of them. I kept hearing lib hearing callers to Rush (well, Roger Hedgecock) say this wasn't a big deal because the guys were stupid. Does their IQ realy matter if they manage to kill you or your family? Most criminals are low-IQ, too, but that doesn't stop them from inflicting harm and death.
I think a lot of this stuff I am hearing is like the press' reaction to the WMD info - scoff and minimize it.
I have not seen or read anything yet in the media (for the most part) so I don't know what is being reported or how. I have read the indictment though and the case presented in the indictment does make these guys out as total imcompetants. So if the press is saying these guys couldn't light a backyard bbq on fire it is not an unreasonable inference from the facts described in the indictment. I am curious to physically see what these clowns look like and I am glad they got caught but this is not a case of breaking up a major terror cell that was sponsered and supported by bin laden.
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