Jordanian Busted Trying To Bomb Dallas Skyscraper

Good thing Obama stopped people from hating us.

Details.

James T. Jacks, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, and Robert E. Casey, Jr., Special Agent in Charge for the Dallas Office of the FBI, announced today that Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, has been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. Smadi, who was under continuous surveillance by the FBI, was arrested today near Fountain Place, a 60-story glass office tower located at 1445 Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas, after he placed an inert/inactive car bomb at the location. Smadi, a Jordanian citizen in the U.S. illegally, lived and worked in Italy, Texas, (approximately 45 miles south of Dallas).

He has repeatedly espoused his desire to commit violent Jihad and has been the focus of an undercover FBI investigation.

"The highest priority of the FBI and the Department of Justice remains the prevention of another terrorist attack within the United States," said U.S. Attorney Jacks. "In that effort, it is the job of the FBI to locate and identify individuals intent upon carrying out any type of attack upon this country and its citizens/residents. Whether as part of a group or acting alone, persons contemplating such acts need to know that all components of the government are working together to ferret out their activities and to insure that such individuals face the full measure of the law. The identification and apprehension of this defendant, who was acting alone, is a sobering reminder that there are people among us who want to do us grave harm," Jacks continued.

Special Agent in Charge Casey said, "Today's arrest of Hosam Maher Husein Smadi underscores the FBI's unwavering commitment to bring to justice persons who attempt to bring harm to citizens of this country and significant danger to this community. Smadi made a decision to act to commit a significant conspicuous act of violence under his banner of "self Jihad." He will now face justice. The many agents, detectives, analysts and prosecutors who helped to bring about Thursday's arrest deserve special thanks for their efforts. This case serves as a reminder of the continuing threats of terrorism we face as a nation and the FBI's resolve to meet those threats. The arrest of Smadi is not in any way related to the ongoing terror investigation in New York and Colorado."

"The criminal complaint alleges that Hosam Smadi sought and attempted to bomb the Fountain Place office tower, but a coordinated undercover law enforcement action was able to thwart his efforts and ensure no one was harmed," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

He wanted to pull it off on September 11, but that happened to fall during that very holy month of Ramadan, when these maniacs supposedly don't try to commit mass murder.

In late August 2009, while meeting with one of the undercover FBI agents in Dallas, Smadi discussed the logistics and timing of the bombing, stating that he would have preferred to do the attack on "11 September," but decided to wait until after the month of Ramadan, which ended on September 20, 2009. At the conclusion of the meeting, Smadi decided that a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) would be placed at the foundation of the Fountain Place office tower.

Unbeknownst to Smadi, the FBI ensured the VBIED contained only an inert/inactive explosive device which contained no explosive materials.

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged, and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The offense of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction carries, upon conviction, a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Here's the FBI release.

I'm sure some crackpot lefty blogger will somehow tie this to the tea parties, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, right?

Did I note he was here illegally? Sadly, his chances of being legalized and receiving free ObamaCare look pretty slim right now, but I'm sure Eric Holder and the boys will treat him leniently. He'll probably get a couple of years and first class passage back to Jordan.

Update: This is just too rich to ignore.

How can anyone criticize our President when we are at War?
Republicans are just un-American.
...
I think they should spend more time catching REAL terrorists like the assholes that strung up the census worker the other day. and less time tricking stupid gullible kids into doing idiotic things so they can pad their arrest statistics and show us all how "tough on terrorism" they are.