Terrorist Plot Foiled: Mall Attack Planned in Chicago Area
by John Little on 8/12/2006ABC broke the story:
ABC News has learned a Chicago-area man has been charged with plotting a terrorist attack.
Sources say the man is accused of planning to use firearms and explosives to attack a specific mall in the Chicago suburbs. The alleged plan was to target this mall during the holiday shopping season.
The suspect is being described as a “lone wolf” style terrorist and is not believed to have ties to any organized terrorist group.
AllahPundit: Supposedly, he’s not tied to any organization.
Yeah, he may be a lone wolf but the feds always seem quick to declare that. I’d wait until the facts are out to make that call. MSNBC has more:
The FBI has been aware of the plot and has been monitoring him closely, Williams reported. The plan was allegedly ideologically motivated. No other details were released, but authorities said the arrest eliminated the risk of the attack being carried out.
Perhaps he’s a Southern Baptist, Lutheran maybe? Mormon? Any ideas? Details aren’t emerging very quickly. The media is moving slowly on this one.
More from CBS Chicago which seems to be the best local media resource at the moment:
As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports from outside the courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez, a source tells CBS 2 that a suspect was arrested in a case with national security implications.
Law enforcement officials say the man was a U.S. citizen, and planned to commit some sort of terrorist attack in Chicago. The man had “ideas and desires, but no means,” law enforcement sources said.
…Law enforcement officials added that the alleged plot was not on the level of 9/11, and even “three rungs below” the recent Miami plot that was disrupted. That plot involved alleged plans to blow up Chicago’s Sears Tower.
…He has an appearance in Chicago’s federal court at 11:45 a.m.
AllahPundit: Could this be him? It says he’s a suspect in two Chicago-area attacks, but the motive is some grudge against the police. How would that have national security implications?
Wizbang!: Drudge reports that a press conference is forthcoming.
Dan Riehl remembers another interesting event at a Chicago-area mall.
Finally something about the man in question – but not much:
Authorities arrested a 22-year-old man who wanted to be a terrorist, an individual close to the investigation said Friday.
We may not learn much today:
The U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago had said that it would make charges against the man public at 11 a.m. followed by a court appearance at 11:45 a.m. But Samborn said that for unspecified reasons those plans were canceled.
A 22-year-old Rockford man with an ambition to become a terrorist has been arrested by federal authorities on allegations that he planned to set off grenades in garbage cans in a mall in Rockford.
Derrick Shareef, of Rockford, was arrested on Wednesday by FBI agents from the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
He was apprehended after meeting with an undercover agent in a Rockford store parking lot to trade a set of stereo speaksers for four hand grenades and a handgun, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.
Wow, must be some nice speakers. Thank god some of these people are stupid. CherryVale Shopping Mall in Rockford was one of many potential targets mentioned by the suspect:
Shareef allegedly planned to set off the grenades at the CherryVale Shopping Mall, near Interstate 90 and Interstate 39 on Rockford’s east side. The mall has about 130 retail stores and is owned byy a Tennessee-based company, authorities said.
Authorities reported that the mall was one of several potential targets Shareef allegedly discussed with undercover agents, and the others were primarily local government facilities.
What a shocker – the suspect apparently spoke of “violent jihad“:
Federal officials said that in September, Shareef became acquainted with a witness who was cooperating with the FBI and confided to him that he wanted to commit acts of “violent jihad,” as well as other crimes.
This guy might not have been very sharp but this still points to excellent intelligence work by the FBI. I’ve pulled key exceprts from the Department of Justice’s detailed press release in a new post.
The suspect’s statements, as recorded in the addidavit, are troubling. I’ve also posted the transcript of his martyrdom video.
Michelle Malkin: He is not alone.
Related Documents:
Complaint Affidavit
Department of Justice Press Release
Potential Targets:
CherryVale Shopping Mall
Law Enforcement:
FBI Chicago Division
Department of Homeland Security
Chicago-Area Media:
Rockford Register Star
CBS2
Chicago Tribune
ABC7
Chicago Sun-Times
FOX32
Others Blogging:
Stop the ACLU
Ace of Spades HQ
Mary Katharine Ham
The Jawa Report
Suitably Flip
7.62mm Justice
Sensible Mom
Junkyard Blog
Iowa Voice
Freedom Eden
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