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COUNTER-TERRORISM
Overview
| Domestic Terrorism
| Strategies and Challenges
Domestic Terrorism Incidents Post-9/11
Since September 11th, 2001 there have been over 100 incidents of "home-grown" or domestic terrorism in the United States. To provide a valuable resource on this topic, the Crime Commission has compiled an extensive database of incidents including attacks, plots, support for, membership in, or connections with a terrorist organization. While information about terrorist incidents are available elsewhere, both on and off the Internet, the Crime Commission's database is unique in providing a centralized, concise, user-friendly, and visually engaging informational resource on domestic terrorism. We will continue to add new incidents as they occur, while also monitoring previous incidents to report on the latest developments as warranted.
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January 7, 2012
Tampa, FL
Sami Osmakac
Plot: Bomb
Plot: Firearm
None Confirmed
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Florida Resident Plots to Bomb Crowded Locations in Tampa
On January 7, 2012, Sami Osmakac, 25, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kosovo, was arrested for allegedly developing a plot to attack highly populated locations in Tampa, FL with weapons including bombs and firearms.
Authorities were tipped off in September 2011 by a confidential human source, receiving information which indicated that Osmakac had asked for al-Qaeda flags. The source reported that Osmakac discussed potential targets where he planned to perform violent attacks. This information initiated a five month investigation which ended with a sting operation. Osmakac allegedly bought explosives and firearms from an undercover FBI agent (weapons were made inoperable), providing a down payment of $500. He met with the agent and revealed his intentions to buy Uzi sub-machine guns, an AK-47-style machine gun, large capacity ammunition magazines, grenades and an explosive belt. Osmakac claimed that he wanted to build bombs to be set off remotely in crowded areas such as nightclubs and pubs. He also would allegedly target the Operations Center of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Ybor City and a business in the South Tampa area of Tampa, Florida. He then allegedly planned to follow the bombings up with an attack using his other weapons. Osmakac recorded an eight-minute video prior to meeting with the agent to purchase the weapons. In the video he expressed his belief that Muslim blood is more valuable than the blood of those who do not practice the Islam faith. He said that he wanted payback for the wrong done to Muslims. Osmakac was arrested right after meeting with the agent, while preparing to drive-off with the weapons.
Sami Osmakac awaits trial in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on the charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property in the United States. If convicted, he could be fined $250,000 and imprisoned for life.
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February 17, 2012
Washington, DC
Amine El Khalifi
Plot: Bomb
None Confirmed
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Illegal U.S. Citizen Arrested in Capitol Suicide Bombing Plot
On February 17, 2012, federal agents arrested Amine El Khalifi, a Moroccan national living illegally in the U.S. on an expired tourist visa from 1999. Alexandria, VA, resident El Khalifi allegedly planned to carry out a suicide bombing at the U.S. Capitol Building.
The FBI Washington Field Office's Joint Terrorism Task Force was running an undercover operation closely monitoring El Khalifi. The investigation began in January of 2011 when a confidential informant reported that El Khalifi met with a group of individuals at a residence in Arlington, VA. During this meeting, weapons including an AK-47 and two revolvers were present, and El Khalifi agreed with statements made referring to the "war on terrorism" being a "war on Muslims." On December 1, 2011, El Khalifi was introduced to two undercover law enforcement officers whom he believed to be part of an armed extremist group. He allegedly expressed to these undercover officers his intentions to carry out a bombing attack on targets including a synagogue, a building containing U.S. military officers, U.S. Army generals, and a restaurant where many military officers frequent. On January 7, 2012, one of the undercover officers informed El Khalifi that he was an Al Qaeda operative, and the two came to an agreement that El Khalifi's planned attacks against a military installation and a restaurant bombing would be part of an Al Qaeda operation. Court records state that on January 15, 2012, El Khalifi allegedly changed the target and method of his plot to instead be a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol Building which he indicated would occur on February 17, 2012. Throughout the next month he allegedly made several trips to the U.S. Capitol Building to conduct surveillance of the area and plot his attack accordingly. On February 17th, El Khalifi allegedly entered a parking garage near the U.S. Capitol Building armed with a MAC-10 automatic firearm and a vest which he believed to be a bomb. Both weapons were made inoperable by law enforcement. While walking toward the U.S. Capitol Building, before even exiting the parking garage, El Khalifi was arrested and taken into custody.
El Khalifi appeared in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for a hearing on February 22, 2012, during which time he waived his right to a detention hearing, as well as his right to a preliminary hearing. He awaits trial.
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