Terrorist Plot to Bomb Holland Tunnel Uncovered
Islamist terrorists planned to bomb NYC’s Holland Tunnel, the NY Daily News reports.
The FBI has uncovered what officials consider a serious plot by jihadists to bomb the Holland Tunnel in hopes of causing a torrent of water to deluge lower Manhattan, the Daily News has learned. The terrorists sought to drown the Financial District as New Orleans was by Hurricane Katrina, sources said. They also wanted to attack subways and other tunnels.
Counterterrorism officials are alarmed by the “lone wolf” terror plot because they allegedly got a pledge of financial and tactical support from Jordanian associates of top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi before he was killed in Iraq, a counterterrorism source told The News.
AP and NYT have more about the plot, apparently foiled in planning stages. The latter is quick to note that, “But no credible evidence was found linking Al Qaeda to the plot.”
The accounts are still a bit sketchy at the moment but Cori Dauber is updating as news pours in, as are AllahPundit and Kim Priestap.
Dauber notes that, “like the Toronto 17, this plot was discovered through the monitoring of Internet chat rooms. That’s likely where the action’s going to be from now on, or lot’s of it, as cyberspace replaces the lost sanctuary in physical space.” AJ Strata adds, “Most disturbing is this terrorist action here in the US has all the characteristics of having been stopped using the very same programs the NY Times has crippled in its mindless attacks on the Bush administration. Monitoring communications includes monitoring the overseas access to internet chat rooms. One can see the now exposed monitoring of the terrorists’ finances and NSA monitoring of overseas terrorists in the information being provided – meaning they may have had to act now because the terrorists were adjusting their tactics.”
Meanwhile, Chuck Keller thinks this is all scare mongering.
The closer we get to November, the more we will see “NEWS” stories about “potential” terrorist threats. Last week it was the “Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight” in Miami. Now New York is announcing a foiled “terrorist” attack on the Holland Tunnel. “PLOT” FOILED Wow! Homeland Security makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. It is such a relief knowing they are out there working so hard 24/7 “protecting” us.
When and if the bad guys decide to hit us, they will. Hell, “Georgie” isn’t even worried about Bin Laden anymore. The special force assigned to look for him has been reassigned to “more important” matters.
Sigh.
So, did the Daily News expose an ongoing investigation before it was completed? Has their story hampered the investigation?
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., … said he had been unable to publicly disclose the plot because to do so would risk the investigation.
“This is ongoing, that’s why I’ve said nothing about it until now,” King said. “It would have been better if this had not been disclosed.”
I expect blogospheric indictments for treason to issue momentarily. Surely, blowing an ongoing criminal investigation into particular persons is an order of magnitude worse than generally disclosing the existence of a spy program that any nitwit would realize existed.
Most disturbing is this terrorist action here in the US has all the characteristics of having been stopped using the very same programs the NY Times has crippled in its mindless attacks on the Bush administration.
“Mindless” better describes the author of this sentence. Pretty clever, stopping the plot with a “crippled” program. Like hitting the bad guys with our crutch?
The NSA’s monitoring of global communications (ECHELON, etc.) has been public record for well before 9/11.
The terrorists use chat rooms anyway b/c they are (1) without viable alternatives, (2) willing to try the odds, or (3) stupid.
Of course, the stupid wannabes are also the easiest to catch, as seems to be the case with our Sears-Tower paintball squad in Miami. Somehow, I doubt that Mohammed Atta was hangin’ in chat rooms and expounding on what he was going to do to the WTC.
But have you noted the reaction of Chuckles the Clown? He suddenly likes monitoring programs again….
Oh come on now .. just was just a plot to make “America more likable” again.
As Christopher Hitchens points out, “The last time everybody said they liked the United States (or said that they said they liked the United States) was just after Sept. 11, when the nation was panicked and traumatized and trying to count its dead.”
So after the feds put in all those billions into NYC, the least they could do is offer up a few dozen citizens for slaughter so “America more likable” again. Don’t get me wrong here, I don’t mean anyone important .. just a few “little Eichmanns”.
I’ve driven through the Holland Tunnel more a few times recently. I’ve always wondered how easy it would be do do something like this. There’s a tremendous amount of traffic going through this bottleneck, and it would be relatively easy to do. After 9/11, the Port Authority put police at the entrances to inspect all large vehicles, but I haven’t seen any lately at the Holland nor the Lincoln. I hope they are watching nonetheless.
Isreal using Lebanon again to pay off for invading Gaza and we can’t forget these too:’Jordanian associates of top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi .’
Holland Tunnel is old as the original 9/11. Maybe we should call up that FSB agent that worked out of the New York FBI field office?
Iâ??ve driven through the Holland Tunnel more a few times recently. Iâ??ve always wondered how easy it would be do do something like this.
Maybe the plotters will turn out to’ve been inspired by John Updike, who will thus be the next treason indictee. Because it looks like the Daily News is getting a pass.
(And what the hell ever happened to “no comment” in response to a news story about sensitive matters? Why can’t Peter King shut his mouth?)
‘The closer we get to November, the more we will see â??NEWSâ?? stories about â??potentialâ?? terrorist threats. Last week it was the â??Gang That Couldnâ??t Shoot Straightâ?? in Miami. Now New York is announcing a foiled â??terroristâ?? attack on the Holland Tunnel. â??PLOTâ?? FOILED Wow! Homeland Security makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. It is such a relief knowing they are out there working so hard 24/7 â??protectingâ?? us.’
The terror symps have a good thing going. If anyone gets arrested it’s propaganda and oppression and if there are any successful attacks it’s criminal incompetence. But don’t question their patriotism.
I could say something equally stupid:
The right-wing fascists in the US have a good thing going. If there are no attacks, then torture, illegal surveillance programs, and lost civil liberties are working. If there are successful attacks, then we need more torture.
But I won’t because it is just silly, and doesn’t really advance the debate about keeping the US safe.
The one thing I’ve noticed in all of this though, is a change of attitude about how the Federal government wasn’t spending enough DHS dollars to keep the York city safe.
Or, at least, the ones doing the complaining about a week ago , have shut up about it. This is likely the strongest admission of a success at the hands of George W. Bush that you’re going to find these days.