FBI/LA says homegrowns are concern

[Seth]

AP Interview: FBI’s LA boss says homegrown terrorists top concern

By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ
Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI’s new regional chief says the threat
of homegrown militants remains a top concern five months after
authorities uncovered an alleged terrorism plot by Americans
targeting synagogues and military recruiting centers around Los
Angeles.

“What keeps me awake at night? A homegrown cell that has taken
seed and grown,” J. Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge
of the Los Angeles field office, told The Associated Press in an
interview Wednesday. “That is one of the things that we fear the
most.”

Three men — two of them U.S. born — were indicted last month on
federal charges of conspiring to wage war against the government
through terrorism for allegedly planning shooting rampages at the
Los Angeles-area sites. All three have pleaded not guilty.

Tidwell said the homegrown threat has increased as terrorist
groups have spread their ideology overseas through propaganda. He
said one of the suicide bombers in the July attacks on London’s
public transit system was a citizen who’d been radicalized in a
year.

“Now, it’s an idea,” he said. “That’s why you’ve got
radicalized homegrown entities picking up the sword ... that gives
us pause.”

Also Wednesday, Tidwell announced that appointment of a 20-year
FBI veteran as the bureau’s anti-terrorism chief in Los Angeles.

Warren T. Bamford will serve as special agent in charge of
counterterrorism and domestic terrorism. He is currently section
chief of the bureau’s Strategic Information and Operations Center,
a 24-hour clearinghouse for strategic information and the center
for crisis management and special event monitoring.

Though there currently is no specific credible threat against
Los Angeles-area sites, Tidwell noted that the region is home to a
number of possible targets, from Hollywood studios to the Los
Angeles-Long Beach port complex, one of the world’s busiest.

He expressed concern terrorists would try to carry out suicide
bombings on those targets.

“That’s why you see so much talk about suicide bombings,” he
said. “That’s why you see every police department of any size
going over to Israel to see how they’re dealing with it.”

AP-WS-01-19-06 0308EST

[Ret10Echo]

Terrorism defendant talks of 'Islamic army' on FBI tape

The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
MIAMI: The leader of a group accused of plotting terrorist attacks in the U.S. said on an FBI videotape played at trial Wednesday that he sought to raise an "Islamic army" to fight a guerrilla war.

Narseal Batiste was also recorded saying he needed boots, black uniforms and machine guns for his soldiers.

"I cannot show them strength, I cannot show them power, if I'm still weak," Batiste said during a secretly videotaped meeting with an FBI informant posing as an al-Qaida operative named Mohammed.

Mohammed asked Batiste, "What's your plan?"

"To build an Islamic army. For Islamic jihad," Batiste replied.

The meeting on Dec. 16, 2005 was among the first between Batiste and Mohammed, a Yemeni paid about $80,000 (€56,357) by the FBI to pose as the al-Qaida emissary. The FBI had been investigating Batiste and six other men from Miami's impoverished Liberty City neighborhood after another informant tipped agents about the group in September 2005.

The so-called "Liberty City Seven" are accused of plotting to destroy the 110-story Sears Tower in Chicago and bomb FBI offices in five cities to ignite a war aimed at overthrowing the U.S. government. They face up to 70 years in prison if convicted of all four charges, which include conspiracy to levy war against the United States and providing material support to al-Qaida.

The purported Sears Tower plot was never mentioned directly on the FBI videotape, but Batiste told Mohammed at one point, without being specific, "It's there. We're going to bring it down."

"I like the word you said, 'bringing down,'" Mohammed answered.

All the defendants are black, many of them with ties to Haiti. They have been in custody since their June 2006 arrests.

Defense lawyers insist that the men only went along with Mohammed in hopes of scamming him out of about $50,000 (€35,223) and never intended to carry out any attacks. On the tape, Mohammed repeatedly tries to get Batiste to describe the group's intentions — "I'm asking you if I'm wasting my time," he said — and at one point said Batiste is too soft-spoken.

"Can you higher your voice, because I have a problem hearing?" Mohammed asked.

Batiste is clearly suspicious at first of Mohammed, asking at one point if the radio could be turned on, presumably to drown out their conversation. At another point, Batiste said, "I don't trust this place."

But at the end of the meeting, the two stood and embraced, and Batiste saluted Mohammed. "Carry on," Mohammed responded.

Batiste, wearing a white turban, made clear that he is serious and would continue with his plans whether Mohammed provides assistance or not. He described his group as "seven generals" and says they have been training in military and martial arts skills.

"I'm the man who is determined, whether I get any kind of help from you or not," Batiste said. "I'm going to do what needs to be done. And I'm well on my way to accomplishing it."

Mohammed asked Batiste to write out a list of his main needs, and Batiste used a hotel notepad to comply: "Boots — knee high. Automatic hand pistols. Black security uniforms. Squad cars. SUV truck — black color. Cell phones."

Batiste initially says on the tape he is unconcerned about money, but later he acknowledged that "I'm exhausted financially. We have nothing."

Mohammed did eventually provide the group with boots but not the weapons, money or other supplies. The men never obtained any explosives and U.S. officials have said their plot never got past the talking stage, although they were videotaped in March 2006 taking an oath to al-Qaida and Osama in Laden.

The hotel meeting tape was played during testimony of the lead FBI agent on the case, Anthony Velazquez. Defense attorneys were scheduled to begin cross-examining Velazquez later Wednesday.

The trial is expected to continue into December.