Outside the Beltway

Miami Domestic Terrorism Raids (Video)

James Joyner · Thursday, June 22, 2006 · 3 comments

The FBI is conducting a massive raid on “domestic terrorists” in Miami, according to FBI Director Robert Mueller.

FBI agents were raiding sites in Miami, Florida, on Thursday in connection with a domestic terrorism investigation, law enforcement sources said. The FBI said one search warrant was being executed in the Liberty City area of Miami. Officials said no weapons or bomb-making materials had been found in the searches so far. “We are conducting a number of arrests and searches, and we’ll have more about that when the operation is completed, probably tomorrow morning,” FBI Director Robert Mueller told CNN’s Larry King in an interview to be broadcast Thursday.

Asked about the gravity of the operation, Mueller said, “Because it’s an ongoing operation, we really can’t get into details. But whenever we undertake an operation like this, we would not do it without the approval of a judge. We’ve got search warrants and arrest warrants and the like, so yes — its a concern.”

In a statement, the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami said federal, state and local agencies had made several arrests Thursday in connection with a domestic “terrorist-related matter.”

There’s simply not enough information here to know what sort of “domestic terrorists” we’re talking about, let alone how many. It’s quite odd that Mueller would talk to Larry King about it and yet not have more to say.

There’s a javascript video here.

UPDATE: AllahPundit has been transcribing the CNN television coverage, noting that they are smoking Fox on this story, and appears to be updating rapidly.

He also links to ABC News, which has a better print summary:

ABC News has learned that federal agents, including the FBI, are launching a series of raids tonight targeting a suspected terror cell based in Miami. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the group allegedly planned to bomb the FBI building in Miami and the Sears Tower in Chicago. The group has been under surveillance for some time and was infilitrated by a government informant who allegedly led them to believe he was an Islamic radical. The suspects are described as African Americans and at least one man of Caribbean descent.

Sources say the arrests reflect the government’s concern about so-called “homegrown terrorists.” It’s a threat FBI Director Robert Mueller discussed during a recent speech in New York.

Wow, indeed.

More coverage: John Stevenson, Kim Priestap

UPDATE: The latest from AP as of 2125:

Seven people were arrested Thursday in connection with the early stages of a plot to attack Chicago’s Sears Tower and other buildings in the U.S., including the FBI office here, a federal law enforcement official said. As part of the raids related to the arrests, FBI agents swarmed a warehouse in Miami’s Liberty City area, using a blowtorch to take off a metal door.

The official told The Associated Press the alleged plotters were mainly Americans with no apparent ties to al-Qaida or other foreign terrorist organizations. He spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt news conferences planned for Friday in Washington and Miami.

Miami U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said in a statement that the investigation was an ongoing operation and that more details would be released Friday. “There is no imminent threat to Miami or any other area because of these operations,” said Richard Kolko, spokesman for FBI headquarters in Washington. He declined further comment.

So, maybe these are Tim McVeigh types? Although, April 19 is long past.

Confederate Yankee notes that Democratic Underground is charging “voter intimidation.” Well, Election Day is right around the corner.

Dan Riehl is rounding up the usual suspects.

Bill Quick suspects there may be Muslims involved.

Sister Toldjah is also on the case.

Jeff Goldstein has the requisite “FISA warrants” jokes.