AP: Terrorism Arrests: Snitch, Sting, Then Controversy

[Hissyspit]

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/us?guid=20090524/4a18c640_3426_13350200905241722619882

Terrorism arrests: snitch, sting, then controversy
By DEBORAH HASTINGS (AP National Writer)
From Associated Press
May 24, 2009 7:23 PM EDT
NEW YORK - It usually starts with a snitch and a sting operation, followed by a great deal of publicity and controversy.

Case in point: Four Muslim men charged last week with plotting to blow up synagogues and military planes. The informant is a convicted felon and Pakistani immigrant who turned informant seven years ago to avoid deportation. This wasn't his first foray into undercover work for federal authorities.

With considerable fanfare, a steady stream of terrorism busts has been announced by the FBI since Sept. 11, 2001. And in most cases, accusations soon followed that the stings were overblown operations that entrapped hapless ne'er-do-wells. Federal authorities say such arrests save lives.

But what happens to these cases after the media spotlight fades and the noise dies down? And are the snitches involved reliable?

"Most of these guys don't get tried," said security analyst Bruce Schneier. "These are not criminal masterminds, they're idiots. There's huge fanfares at the arrest, and then it dies off."

The New York men arrested last week were ex-convicts down on their luck. In federal court, one admitted that he'd recently gotten stoned. "I smoke it regularly," he told the judge. Not to worry, he added, "I understand everything you are saying."

James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen were calm as they appeared in court Thursday with shackled hands. They entered no pleas and were ordered held without bail. If convicted, they face life imprisonment.

Federal authorities are proud of their work, saying agents have prevented many attacks by nipping them in the bud. Among the biggest headline grabbers were alleged plots to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago and underground gas pipes at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and allegations that others planned to storm the Fort Dix military base in New Jersey while dressed as pizza delivery men.

However, court statistics show that most domestic terrorism cases never make it to trial.

According to informant Shahed Hussain, who also helped the FBI in 2004 by posing as an arms dealer, he met the men arrested last week at a local mosque.

Cromitie, the alleged mastermind, told Hussain "I hate those mother-------, those f------ Jewish b------ .... I would like to get a synagogue," according to the complaint.

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[scarletwoman]

1. Bullshit piled on bullshit. These operations do NOTHING to "prevent attacks".

If the FBI hadn't supplied the phony C4 and phony anti-aircraft weaponry, there would have been NO way for these losers to get their hands on such things.

A few ex-cons talking smack aren't "terrorists", real terrorists require access to some sort of weaponry. If the FBI were actually "preventing attacks", they would be busting real life black market weapons suppliers, not supplying fake weapons to stupid losers with big mouths.

sw