Dry Runs and Decoys

It appears a dry run for the Christmas Day airline attack took place last month:

"Meanwhile, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday that a man tried to board a commercial airliner in the Somali capital of Mogadishu last month carrying powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe in a case bearing chilling similarities to the Detroit airliner plot.

The Somali man - whose name has not yet been released - was arrested by African Union peacekeeping troops before the Nov. 13 Daallo Airlines flight took off. It had been scheduled to travel from Mogadishu to the northern Somali city of Hargeisa, then to Djibouti and Dubai."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AIRLINER_ATTACK?SITE=WCNC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

This is a good reminder that a key part of a terrorist operation is testing the security system, then adjusting the plan according to the results. These probes could involve surveillance or penetrating security with the actual substance or device that will be used during the primary operation.

Another probe? Yesterday in NYC, police responded to an abandoned van near the area that will host the New Year's Eve celebration in less than 24 hours. The windows of the van were covered by a tarp, and a bogus placard was placed on its windshield -- “detectives, crime scene, New York, New Jersey area". Police are trying to find the owner of the van, which only contained some clothing. A security test or probe? Was law enforcement response being monitored? We may never know. But when working a scene, it is important not to write off what looks benign.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/abandoned-van-prompts-police-response-on-times-square/

Finally, a colleague in the law enforcement community brought up an excellent point--we should consider that the attempted bombing of an aircraft on Christmas Day may have been intended to deflect our national attention from a completely different type of operation. Certainly our full focus is back on airline security, but we should similarly increase attention towards major events such as the upcoming Times Square celebration and the Superbowl, as well as trains and subway systems.

I look forward to your comments! Safe travels over the New Year's holiday.

According to the U.K.: 25 Would-be Terrorists Now Training in Yemen

Again, being widely reported overseas but no mention in the U.S. news this morning...

"British authorities fear that 25 British-born Muslims are plotting to bomb Western planes. The men are in 5 groups, training at secret camps in Yemen.

It was there London-educated Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, is believed to have prepared for his alleged bid to blow up a U.S. jet on Christmas Day. The British extremists in Yemen are in their early 20s and from Bradford, Luton and Leytonstone, East London. They are due to return to the UK early in 2010 and will then await internet instructions from al-Qaeda on when to strike. A Scotland Yard source said: “The great fear is Abdulmutallab is the first of many ready to attack planes and kill tens of thousands. “We know there are four or five radicalised British Muslim cells in the Yemen. “They are due back within months when they will be under constant surveillance.”

The 25 suspects, of Pakistani and Somali descent, were radicalized in UK mosques. Some had been to university and studied engineering or computer sciences. Others were former street gang members. Special Branch monitored them as they flew to Yemen, in the Middle East, from British airports in the spring and summer. In almost every case, their tickets were paid for in cash and bought less than a week before travel."

Why aren't these 25 men on the no-fly list if another country has verified they are actively training to carry out terror attacks? If they are monitoring these men, why didn't the British authorities alert the U.S. authorities when Abdulmutallab was flying on Christmas Day, on a a U.S. flagged aircraft? And why will the U.K. allow these men back into the country?

I find this article very telling indeed. Why isn't this news on the front page of U.S. papers like it is in Britain, Australia, Jerusalem today? Are we afraid to scare our citizens, when they could actually be used as force multipliers in the fight?

And do we have the collective "appetite" to take the necessary (difficult and unpopular) steps to actively and fully protect our citizens from attack?

http://www.nationalterroralert.com/updates/2009/12/27/25-british-born-muslims-plotting-to-bomb-western-airliners/

Justice Department Releases Info on Flight 253 Attacker

Six page indictment:

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM145_letter.html

News release:

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/December/09-nsd-1383.html

Response to Anonymous Comment

This was a great comment I received regarding my post on the attempted terrorist attack on the Northwest flight Christmas Day. Thought I would reprint for all:

Anonymous said...

Unfortunatley, what we used to know as Al Qaida now seems to have morphed into a many headed old style Greek Mythological monster, with several heads and arms.
Adherents, or those involved in their cause, have changed both their ideologies along with tactics.
I believe that both West and North African based former lower level criminals, are now being used, as they have little to lose.
It is vital that we have shared International Police and Intelligence data bases.
Even though some of the suspects may have no prior record of activity.

Their flexibily and adaption to our counter strategies, will indeed require the involvement of an educated, informed and reactive public, if we are to keep on top of it.

December 26, 2009 3:38 PM

Thank you for your comment. I completely agree - al Qaeda, as we used to know it, has flattened. franchised and morphed. Individual cells are fundraising and planning operations independent of any direction from a headquarters, and without the need for approval from a leader. As with all religious terrorist groups, the cells are very well hidden and often protected, thus their detection is difficult and infiltration nearly impossible.

The organizational structure of al Qaeda and its splinter groups is hindering our counterterrorism efforts on many levels. I would also argue that the capture and/or death of bin Laden would have little impact on the overall organization or the radical Islamist ideology. In fact, it may elevate him to martyr status and may spur attacks. I wonder if the Yemen group targeted this week pushed for the Northwest airline operation in retaliation for the attack. Anytime a successful attack is carried out against AQ or its organization, the threat will be elevated and the appropriate security measures for increased posture should be implemented...

We are fortunate to have heroes in the public domain that will step in when law enforcement or other similarly trained personnel are unavailable, such as on the Northwest flight. I am a huge proponent of educating the public on the current threat and giving them tools to help us engage. Air marshals can't be on every flight and law enforcement is resource constrained due to competing priorities. Various natural disasters in the US have also shown the public is still over reliant on the government for help, and uneducated about how to take care of themselves and their families in the event of an emergency. I'd like to see us do a better job of shifting some of the burden of security and safety of our country to private citizens.

Again, thank you for your comment and for your interest in global security. Jenni

al Qaeda Linked to Failed Explosive Device Detonation on Northwest Flight Christmas Day

U.S. senior counterterrorism officials confirm that a Nigerian man who tried to detonate an explosive device on a Northwest Airline flight from Amsterdam to Detroit was acting on instruction from al Qaeda. As the aircraft approached the Detroit airport for landing, the man attempted to ignite a device made of a powdery substance and liquid, injuring himself and surrounding passengers. At least one passenger jumped on the man and restrained him until the flight landed. The White House is labeling this event an attempted act of terrorism. The attacker indicated a connection to a source in Yemen.

A few takeaways from this event:

- The threat of attack on an aircraft remains viable.

- The enemy is finding new ways to construct a device using components they can get through security.

- Passengers are more alert and willing to engage post 9/11- actions taken on this flight by passengers were similar to those who subdued the "shoe bomber" Richard Reid in December of 2001. This underscores the importance of educating the average citizen on current threats and ways to engage, making them force multipliers.

- If instructions came from al Qaeda, this should be another wake up call - the enemy is patient and planning. If a cell in Yemen was responsible, the U.S. government needs to continue to support attacks against operatives within Yemen until the threat is eradicated.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-12-25-airliner-disturbance-detroit_N.htm

Air Strike on Yemen Today Probably Killed Radical Cleric al-Awlaki

U.S. officials this morning confirm that radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki was "probably" one of dozens of militants killed in the airstrike on Yemen this morning. Also killed in the strike were al Qaeda's top leadership in Yemen. Appears Awlaki was with the al Qaeda members at the time of the strike - confirming his connection to the terrorist group.

Recall that al-Awlaki is the radical Imam linked to Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood murderer, and also provided counsel and safe harbor to at least 3 of the 9/11 hijackers. See my previous post on al-Awlaki for a full analysis of his complicity in recent terror events in our country.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/12/sources-air-strike-in-yemen-may-have-killed-imam-who-inspired-fort-hood-shooter-two-top-al-qaeda-officials.html

North Carolina Jihad Cell and the Quantico Marine Base Plot

Found this presentation on the North Carolina jihad cell (consisting of U.S. citizens) on the NEFA website - worth a look, for sure!

http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/FeaturedDocs/nefa_NCJihadCell1109.pdf

Highlights:

On July 22, 2009, a North Carolina grand jury indicted the following:

• Daniel Patrick Boyd (aka “Saifullah”), 39, a U.S. citizen and N.C. resident
• Zakariya Boyd (aka “Zak”), 20, a U.S. citizen and N.C. resident and Daniel Boyd’s son
• Dylan Boyd, 22, a U.S. citizen and N.C. resident and Daniel Boyd’s son
• Hysen Sherifi, 24, a native of Kosovo and a U.S. legal permanent resident living in N.C.
• Anes Subasic, 33, a naturalized U.S. citizen and N.C. resident
• Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 22, a U.S. citizen and N.C. resident
• Ziyad Yaghi, 21, a U.S. citizen and N.C. resident
• Jude Kenan Mohammad, 21, a U.S. citizen believed to be in Pakistan.

On September 24, 2009, a superseding indictment charged Daniel Boyd and Hysen
Sherifi with conspiring to murder military personnel in a plot targeting the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia.

High powered weapons seized at the residence - 26
Rounds of ammo seized - 27,000
Cash - $13K

These would-be terrorists participated in fundraising, training, recruitment and radicalization. The case highlights the growing home-grown domestic terror threat. It proves again that U.S. citizens (including college students, Eagle Scouts and military dependents) are susceptible to the radical Islamist ideology.

This case also shows the need for vigilance in our smaller communities, which unknowingly can provide cover for these types of cells. Kudos to the FBI, ATF and local law enforcement for identifying this cell, forming a cohesive team of 100 agents to take them down in July, 2009, and meticulously gathering the evidence needed to convict.

Scotland Yard Warns London: Prepare for a Mumbai-Style Attack

Increased "chatter" intercepted by intelligence analysts in the the UK led to a recent warning of a possible Mumbai-style attack. Officials believe an attack is in the planning stages for early 2010.

SO15, the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism command issued the alert 12 days ago. Although there was previous speculation of a plot, officials are now convinced the threat is real and imminent. Recent “chatter” on a prominent jihadist website indicate that planning is underway.

In an online discussion, one contributor suggested fighters could use automatic weapons to strike places such as nightclubs, sporting venues and Jewish centers. Another contributor invited suggestions for carrying out “guerrilla warfare” and proposed “a group of mujaheddin raid police stations and fire at them”. Another said: “Make sure that all those at the location are of age, that there are no children and so on. Insist on the locations and times where no Muslims or children are to be expected. “If machine guns are available, and explosive and expertise for [explosives] are not available, this is a good way ... The [Mumbai] operation is the ideal scenario for operations you are talking about.” A third contributor said targets should be “chosen in a studied manner”. He added: “In general, targeting economic joints and intelligence centres if possible has priority over police stations.”

Earlier this year, police, military and intelligence services held an exercise in Kent to see whether they could defeat a commando raid in London by terrorists.

See my post on Mumbai for lessons learned from the attack - some similarities in the city's topography do exist. For instance, the waterways in London could certainly be used as a point of entry for the attackers. The city is also dense, with many prominent hotels and transportation hubs within a small radius.

Having lived in the UK twice, I noted that London's previous experience with IRA and al Qaeda attacks led to a more alert and responsive populace. Security announcements are heeded, unattended baggage and suspicious activity reported. The most recent attacks in London were on 7 July 2005, when 56 citizens were killed and 700 injured at the hands of British citizens/al Qaeda sympathizers.

The recent alert is a reminder to continue studying past attacks and to fight complacency -- our enemies are patient, persistent and planning.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6962867.ece

DEA Infiltrates al Qaeda Cocaine Operation

Not receiving much coverage in the U.S. press - so taken from the BBC website this morning:

Three al Qaeda operatives (part of AQ's North African branch) were extradited from Ghana to New York, and have been charged by the U.S. government with narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.

To infiltrate the operation, DEA agents posed as FARC members from Colombia. This does not surprise me - as stated in a previous post, FARC is pushing drugs from South America to the West African coast, typically through Venezuela, the closest jumping off point.

FARC, al Qaeda and Hezbollah are all operating in the same "space" in South America and Africa, so the liaison of these groups with regards to drug trafficking is likely. Dissimilar groups will work together - we're talking about vast amounts of money in the drug trade, as well as established trafficking routes that can be used to safely move not only drugs but bulk cash, weapons and even human slaves.

Here are the key takeaways:

"The US authorities say the men are associates of al-Qaeda's North African branch and had told US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informants that al-Qaeda could protect major shipments of cocaine in the region, driving the drugs by lorry through the Sahara desert."

"During the negotiations, the al-Qaeda suspects allegedly offered to move cocaine from west Africa to north Africa for about 3,000 euros ($4,200) per kilo."

This should be of great concern, especially as related to WMDs. If al Qaeda can tap into an unlimited amount of money via narcotrafficking, the funds could be used to buy technology and material, and put the right scientists and engineers on their payroll.

Or skipping the hard work, they could just buy a weapon outright from a rogue nation or group and pay whatever price to move, assemble and detonate.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8422010.stm

Another Day of Violence in Mexico: Tijuana and Durango

Tijuana sits right across the border from San Diego, which surely must cast a wary eye south when it hears about the brutality of the violence in its "sister city" of Tijuana. Today, a man was left hanging from a bridge - a note threatening one of the drug cartels was found on his body. It was the third such hanging in two months. 300 people were killed in 2009 due to cartel related violence in the city.

Can you imagine drug cartels hanging bodies from bridges in our major metropolitan cities?

Yesterday, authorities found the decapitated bodies of four men and a grenade attack occured at a police station, wounding a pregnant woman and her 3-year-old daughter.

And just a little further to the east, 6 policemen were found decapitated in the state of Durango.

What if the rule of law and its enforcers were not only disregarded, but brutally attacked in our country?

The Gulf and La Familia drug cartels are battling for control in Tijuana. They both hope to corrupt government officials with cash and drugs, and deter law enforcement from engaging through direct attack. They will step into the resulting vacuum and assume control.

As I covered in my last post, the cartels have been detected in over half of the states in the U.S. There have already been gangland style killings and kidnappings in Tuscon and Atlanta. The cartels are also targeting smaller towns - last year, the DEA discovered airports in Brockton, Mass., Lancaster, Pa., and Stow, Ohio were being used by cartels as destinations for drugs coming out of California.

This highlights issues with security at our small airports around the country, but that is another blog altogether....

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_DRUG_WAR_MEXICO?SITE=NCJAC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1132716&lang=eng_news

Mexican Drug Cartels - Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

I found this very interesting interactive product on the AP website. One map illustrates the extent to which Mexican cartel activities have pushed northward into the U.S. and highlights areas controlled by the cartels in Mexico. If you click on a specific cartel, a window pops up with additional info on the cartel's leadership, etc. Other maps on this site show drug trafficking routes, the gun trade and cartel related deaths.

Narcotrafficking violence in Mexico and around the U.S. border is escalating as the cartels fight for territory and control - this situation is a direct threat to our national security. Why is this violence different from any other criminal activity? Law enforcement, military leadership and government officials as primary targets. The armed "enforcement" wings of the cartels aren't afraid of the law - they step up, confront and engage. Their tactics are military in nature and the weaponry sophisticated and plentiful. The murders are violent - victims have been tortured, doused with gasoline and burned alive, or dismembered. Recent cartel-related murder cases in the U.S. show the same level of brutality.

The U.S. government continues to expend millions of dollars in training, support and other resources to help Mexico address this serious situation. The states along the border are struggling to keep the violence at bay, and all of our federal law enforcement agencies have detailed extra agents to the border area and into Mexico to assist. The word "crisis" is not an exaggeration. Factor in the possibility of terrorist group activity in the same "space" or a possible liaison in sharing trafficking routes, resources and tactics - and this situation could be potentially catastrophic.

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_international/mexican_cartels/index.html?SITE=WYCHE

Response to Mr. Clark ref Hezbollah

My response to Mr. Clark sort of took on a life of its own, so thought I would post it here for all to easily read:

Ed Clark said...

COL Hesterman,

What are your thoughts on Hezbollah's reach internationally, especially in South America? I have recently conducted a threat assessment for the US / Mexican Border and my analysis shows a great deal of Hezbollah influence and presence as they leverage the drug trade to raise revenue for their cause, while sharing tactics and techniques with Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

December 9, 2009 7:18 AM

Ed - Hezbollah definitely has a stronghold in South America, especially in the tri-border area (where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina intersect). There are approx 25,000 immigrants from Lebanon who came to the area in two waves, after the 1948 Arab/Israeli war and in 1985 after the civil war in Lebanon. Hezbollah has garnered support from these communities and is heavily engaged in charitable fundraising, DVD piracy, tax evasion and money laundering schemes, and other money making ventures. In November of 2002, the CIA reported a "summit" meeting took place in Ciudad del Este between Hezbollah leaders and other radical Islamist terrorist groups, possibly al Qaeda.

A few months ago, Admiral Stavridis (while at the helm of SOUTHCOM) went on record that Hezbollah presence was detected in Colombia and he stated the group is heavily involved in the drug trade. Also factor in Chavez's public support of Hezbollah. After winning political campaigns and cabinet seats in Lebanon, Hezbollah hung signs in the Beruit proclaiming "Thanks, Chavez".

The government in Colombia, along with the other countries engaged in the drug war, successfully cut off many established drug routes through the country that pushed into the Pacific and Caribbean -- but Chavez is allowing the drugs to pass through Venezuela. This has allowed a new front of trafficking - from Venezuela directly across the Atlantic to the westernmost part of Africa, Guinea Bissau. Hezbollah is also present there (as is AQ and FARC). In fact, the West African drug trade is growing exponentially, feeding the insatiable (and growing) appetite for heroin and cocaine in Europe.

So I would say the Hezbollah foothold in South America is well established, and expanding, potentially into Central America and closer to our border. Of course the profit reaped from trafficking is much greater than charitable giving and sale of bootlegged goods, so this new business venture is very worrisome. The increase of weapons on the border of Lebanon, the sophistication of the weapons, and rumors they may now have chemical weapons caches in the country could mean that Hezbollah's financial position is improving.

As for sharing techniques with traffickers, I believe it is inevitable if they are operating the same "space". One of my mantras is this: groups with dissimilar goals, beliefs, et al will work together. Several historic examples exist - the IRA teaching FARC bomb building around 1999-2001 time period, for instance. It is believed that the Spanish separatist group ETA made the introduction between these groups. A recent example is the Italian mafia harboring al Qaeda in a safehouse in Italy. Money talks and all of these groups share these attributes: a complete lack of regard and respect for international law, or governing bodies; disregard for law enforcement and even worse -- boldly stepping up and confronting it; no constraint due to moral or ethical standards; and the scary one - in the case of religious terrorism, an apocalyptic agenda that could lead to unconstrained use of WMD.

Of course Hezbollah operates much closer to home with their influence and activity just north of the border in Canada....but that is a whole other story!

Thank you for reading, Mr. Clark, and for your contributions to national security. Jenni

David Headley - Chicago Businessman, International Terrorist

Chicago resident (and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba {LeT} operative) David Headley, previously known as Daood Gilani, was charged today with helping LeT terrorists plan the Nov 2008 Mumbai attack. Headley had extensive travel from the U.S. to India in the 2 years prior to the attacks. He conducted reconnaissance of sea routes and targets attacked in the Mumbai operation, including a Jewish center which he entered by claiming to be of the Jewish faith. He may have visited other major cities in India -- law enforcement officials there are retracing his steps and have issued security warnings to several states.

Headley, age 49, was born in Washington D.C. He is the son of a Pakistani diplomat and an American mother, who was a secretary at the embassy. When their marriage failed, Headley lived in Pakistan with his father, attending a military academy during his high school years. He returned to the U.S. in 1977 to live with his mother in Philadelphia, eventually running a video store. He opened other stores in NYC, and In 1998, was convicted of smuggling heroin into the U.S. from Pakistan. He served an 18 month sentence (reduced due to his cooperation with law enforcement officials) and then moved to Chicago with his wife and 4 children and resumed his business career.

Headley/Gilani's name may sound familiar. In August of this year, he was charged with plotting the death of the Danish cartoonist who depicted Muhammad in his work. Officials were suspicious of Headley''s movements, and awaited his return from a trip to Denmark. Customs and Border Patrol agents expertly interviewed Headley, who was deceptive and subsequently detained. Officials then learned he had been scouting targets in Denmark, including the cartoonist's place of work. The Mumbai connection did not come to light until recently, the result of an FBI investigation into Headley's activities.

Much more will come to light about David Headley in the coming days and there are rumors a second Chicago man was also involved with the Mumbai massacre.

Once again, we witness the powerful call of jihad.

Next posting: Christopher Paul -- Columbus, Ohio resident, International Terrorist.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/us/22terror.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126031945175982795.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLTopStories

DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/editorial_0542.shtm

This DHS report is posted daily, usually mid morning. It covers significant security-related events in the following areas: Energy • Chemical •Transportation • Nuclear Reactors, Materials and Waste • Banking and Finance •Postal and Shipping • Critical Manufacturing • Information Technology • Defense Industrial Base • Communications • Dams • Commercial Facilities • Agriculture and Food • Government Facilities • Water •Emergency Services • Public Health and Healthcare • National Monuments and Icons

I scan it every day and usually find one or two items of interest that aren't being covered by mainstream media. For instance,

3 Dec report: Air passengers may be at risk of terrorist attacks because of air-cargo screening flaws, according to a report released by the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general on Monday (30 Nov). Thirty percent of 6,767 cargo inspections by the Transportation Security Administration found security violations in the three quarters ended in June 2008. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=arLyVRZNwew8

Terrorist Attack in Somalia Kills Government Officials--al-Shabaab Suspected

A terrorist targeted a medical school graduation ceremony in Mogadishu yesterday, killing at least 22 people, including 3 government officials. A man, dressed as a woman, entered the ceremony and detonated an explosive device.

Sadly, there aren't many college level graduates in Somalia and this was a very special group - physicians. Doctors are in extreme short supply in the country, and this ceremony represented only the second graduating medical school class in 20 years. Read more about the attack here:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AF_SOMALIA?SITE=CAANR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Although no group has taken responsibility, al-Shabaab is the likely source of this terror operation.

Who is al-Shabaab? A group of Somali Islamists founded in 2004 and designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department. Trained with al Qaeda in Afghanistan and closely aligned with the group. May be exacting money from pirating activities off the coast of Africa. Membership was 3-5,000 at its peak, probably lower now after government and international intervention.

Why should you care about this group? al-Shabaab actively recruits jihadists, including young men from the United States. In 2008, 20 Somali-Americas between the ages of 17 and 27 vanished from their homes in Minneapolis with no explanation. After one of the men, Shirwa Ahmed, commited a suicide bombing in Somalia, the dots were connected -- the men were recruited by al-Shabaab to leave their homes and join the war in Somalia. Most of the men studied at the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center or the more radical Imam Shafii Mosque in Minneapolis. The youngest was a high school senior with college aspirations. All had been in the States since they were very young children and were, from all accounts, happy and well adjusted.

This was a sophisticated plan. Their passage was provided for - airline tickets, passports, and a complete travel itinerary from Minneapolis to Somalia. They traveled separately and made connections in different cities. The tickets were paid for with cash via a travel agency.

Experts worry about radical recruitment that goes on in our communities, off the radar. It is a concern that a person who is not disenfranchised and was raised in the U.S. would be so strongly drawn to the call of jihad and leave the comforts of their home for the unknown. Also, there is concern one of these recruits will take up the call of jihad and carry out an attack in the U.S.

Here is an outstanding article from the Jan 2009 Newsweek about the Minneapolis case if you want to read more:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/181408

U.S. to Blame for all Terrorism: The World According to Hezbollah

"American terrorism is the source of every terrorism in the world" according to Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah who issued a new manifesto yesterday. He also called for all Arabs and Muslims in all countries to "liberate Jerusalem from Zionist occupation". And of course Nassan praised Syria and Iran, Hezbollah's two largest financial and technical benefactors. Here is a great article from CNN with the specifics:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/11/30/lebanon.hezbollah/

5 things about Hezbollah you should know:

#1 - Prior to 9/11, Hezbollah was responsible for the deaths of more Americans than any other terrorist group. They had a hand in the 1983 bombing of the Marine Barracks (241 U.S. military dead, 60 wounded); the kidnapping and murder of U.S. officials in Lebanon; and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia (19 U.S. military dead, 372 wounded).

#2 - According to the State Department, Hezbollah is the most technically competent terrorist group in the world. They may now have chemical weapons in their arsenal.

#3 - Hezbollah has been in operation for 30 years. The group is complex in nature with several "arms" including military, political and community support. This complexity makes engagement difficult.

#4 - The group is now global with presence in Central and South America, Western Africa and Europe. They operate in the same "space" as other major terror groups such as FARC and al Qaeda. The liaison of Hezbollah with these groups - sharing tactics, trafficking routes, etc - is of great concern.

#5 - They vigorously raise funds in the U.S. through charities and intellectual property crime (IPC) - especially through knock off designer purses, DVDs, baby formula and even pharmaceuticals like Viagra.

See my current article in the Dec/Jan issue of The Counter Terrorist magazine entitled Hezbollah, The Party of God: 2009 for more info. The study of Hezbollah is valuable as other terrorist groups continue to mature, globalize and grow in complexity and influence.