"The FBI began tracking Mohamud in August 2009 when they discovered he was e-mailing a former Oregon student who was living in Pakistan's lawless northwest region, where Al Qaeda has a stronghold. The Associated Press reported that the bureau was led to Mohamud by a tip from someone concerned about him." LA Times
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The FBI has developed the ability to provide would be terrorists the opportunity to live out their dream of violent Jihad. In the last year or so there have been several instances in which this technique has been used with success. I hope the FBI continues to do this.
I was consulted by the defense in one of these cases. After considering the available evidence of what had occurred my opinion was that the Bureau had acted appropriately and that the man was both guilty and a danger to the American public. Accordingly I informed the defense that although the man was entitled to a defense he was not entitled to have me participate in it as an expert witness and I declined to do so.
Consider a typical scenario. A young man develops the urge to violent jihad. He contacts someone to say that. This communication is brought to the attention of the FBI. The Bureau responds by contacting him with a role player or two to ask if he is serious. He indicates that he is. That resolve is tested by offering the suggestion that he might want to act. A planning process emerges in which the wannabe jihadi is a willing participant in reconnaissance, target selection, weapon design, etc. He is reminded several times including at the time of simulated attack that many civilians will die or be wounded in this attack. He persists. A fake weapon is constructed by the FBI and provided to the "jihadi" who triggers the weapon in the full belief that he is killing hundreds. In the case that I am most familiar with the "attacker" rejoiced in the existence of a child care center in the targeted building and suggested where to park the truck so as to kill as many children as possible. He then radio "detonated" the bomb and was arrested.
Bravo FBI! Bravo! pl
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-portland-bomb-plot-20101128,0,7641294.story
