Undercover Federal Provocateurs Continue to Threaten America!

Under the headline "Jihadist Bomber Nabbed in Chicago" at Examiner.com is an interestingly detailed anatomy of another federal provocateur-fueled non-threat phony bomb outside a Chicago-area Dave Matthews Band concert:

The FBI emphasized that at no time was the public in danger during this investigation. The supposed explosive device was inert and provided to [Sami Samir] Hassoun by an undercover agent. In addition, Hassoun was under intermittent surveillance as the plot developed and the undercover agents were in regular contact with Hassoun, monitoring his activities. There was no indication that any foreign or domestic terror groups were in any way connected to this plot or inspired Hassoun.

I blogged on "Myths of Domestic Terror" back in 2008 which gives more background on the activities of the Joint Terrorism Task Force also at work and play in this latest story.

Comments

[sloopyinca]

Feds get guy to buy fake bomb and then arrest him for it. I don't even see the story here. It happens every day in every police force in every city in America.

[sloopyinca]

...except it's pot or coke or stolen stereos or some other set-up bullshit sting operation.

Funny, but Merriam Webster still has an entry for entrapment. I just assumed it had been deleted by Ingsoc.

[Solanum]

How exactly is bombing a DMB concert considered an act of terrorism?

[CrackertyAssCracker]

I wonder if one of these dudes has ever called the FBI to report people trying to get them to blow shit up? Probably has, but that shit doesn't get reported. Would make a good Onion article though.

[J sub D]

See Hutaree. I'll bet the FBI agent was the one who was supposed to get them weapons and explosives.

[Brett L]

Of course. As best I can tell, ALL perons who claim to have access to bombs or claim to be willing to kill-for-hire are FBI agents or informants.

Seriously, do not trust people you don't know to kill for you or acquire explosives. This can henceforth be known as Rule Number 1. We'd be fucked if domestic terrorists had IQs higher than the average house plant.

[J sub D]

And all the people on the Internet who are willing to let you have sex with their 7 year old daughter are cops.

Q. How fucking stupid are these people?
A. Too stupid to pull off a terrorist attack without an FBI agent holding their hands every step of the way.

[Fluffy]

If bombing at a Dave Matthews concert is a crime, why hasn't Matthews himself been arrested yet?

-Cymbal crash.-

Yeah, that's pretty much the worst one-liner ever used here not written by DONNNNNDDDDEEEERRRRROOOOOOO. I dare you guys to top that one.

[Jay Leno]

I am so going to use that. Thanks!

[Tim]

The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton, 1908

"In his efforts to thwart the council's intentions, however, Syme discovers that five of the other six members are also undercover detectives; each was just as mysteriously employed and assigned to defeat the Council of Days. They all soon find out that they are fighting each other and not real anarchists; such was the mastermind plan of their president Sunday. In a dizzying and surreal conclusion, Sunday himself is unmasked as only appearing terrible; in fact, he is a force of good like the detectives."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Was_Thursday

[Mister DNA]

It's a long article, but well worth reading; James Saville was acquitted for trying to plant a bomb in Sheriff Joe's car. The jury ruled it was entrapment.

There's a "Dateline" episode about the case on Investigation Discovery, too.

[Anonymous]

Wow... I got as far as page three on this 6 year old article, and they deleted it!

[dbcooper]

If you want to see an interesting examination of a terrorist figure then check out Olivier Assayas's "Carlos the Jackal" miniseries, Carlos.

It's 5.5 hours of cinema quality, and it's damn good.

[Ryanxxx]

Shouldn't the FBI guys be charged as conspirators?

And if there was "no danger to the public" why waste time with this "terrorist" in the first place?

[darwinkilledgod]

I know we're all libertarians and what not, but let's not be stupid about it. The "danger" is that there is a person out there that, if offered an explosive, would gladly put it in a public place and detonate it.

Entrapment will depend on the details of course, of which we haven't been informed. If the police encouraged him to do something he wouldn't otherwise do, then it's entrapement. If they merely offered him the means to commit a crime that he was predisposed to commit, then it's not.

We lose a lot of traction with our Republican allies when we take silly positions like: people who try to blow up civilians aren't a danger. There are a lot of police abuses that libertarians rightly report on. I don't see any evidence that this is one of them.

[Brett L]

I think they need to pose a credible threat, ie be able to do harm without G-men walking them through it.

[affenkopf]

We lose a lot of traction with our Republican allies when we take silly positions like

Our Rebublican allies, now I have coffee on my keyboard.

[Ryanxxx]

Of course they are "a" danger. But a police state is a much greater danger. And something about cases like this just doesn't sit right. It's almost like minority report-style "pre-crime."

[highnumber]

The news stories I have seen also note that the bomber's "jihad" was strictly against Daley, nothing religious about it. Plus he did not plan to kill anyone - the undercover FBI agents convinced him that would be the way to go.

[VM]

and the "jihad" against all things non suck, DMB. how about we jettison them and U2 into space.

just to be sure.

[highnumber]

Sounds like a plan!

[P Brooks]

There was no indication that any foreign or domestic terror groups were in any way connected to this plot or inspired Hassoun.

Hasn't the SPLC declared the FBI a "domestic terror" organization yet?

They (the FBI) have guns, and everything.

[Spoonman.]

Shit, if anybody deserves the SPLC's attention it's the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department.

[Mr. FIFY]

No, SPLC is too busy claiming Ron Paul supporters are domestic insurgents.

[TrickyVic]

""Plus he did not plan to kill anyone - ""

Like the King David Hotel but without a real bomb.

[John]

They don't call them Famous But Incompetent for Nothing. The problem is that there are not that many terror plots out there. That is a good thing. Sadly, it doesn't mean that terrorism isn't a problem because one successful one can do a lot of damage. But it makes life really hard for your typical FBI hack trying to make a living. How does one get to the top when there are not any terror plots to uncover? Create your own, that is how.

[TrickyVic]

Incompetent? I don't think so. They need to show they are doing their job and remind people of why we need the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, and other WoT legislation. Gotta keep the citiznery thinking the next terrorist is around the corner.

Beside, the boilerplate repsonse is "the guy was willing to kill people".

[FBI Agent]

We've got to protect our phoney baloney jobs people! Harumph!

[Ryanxxx]

I think John nailed it on the head. Though I wouldn't underestimate the fear factor either: how do you justify two wars, a giant surveillance/police state bueracracy, and unconstitutional power grabs without a scary bad guy?

[This Associate]

Throughout the summer, Hassoun allegedly discussed with this associate ... poisoning Lake Michigan

Dude, it'll take a lot of cyanide, maybe 50 pounds, but don't you worry, I'm from California, I can get it for you.

[cynical]

How would anyone even tell?

[Robert]

Thge reporter's bio is a considerable fraction of the length of the piece.

[?????]

thanks