pwaldo
02-19-2012, 03:13 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2102789/Would-Capitol-bomber-fake-suicide-vest-foiled-FBI-sting-surveillance-year-long-probe.html
A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested on Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police said he thought were live explosives.
Amine El Khalifi of Alexandria, Virginia, was taken into custody a year after the FBI received a tip from an informant fearful of his anti-U.S. attitude. Authorities immediately began tracking the suspect.
He was eventually arrested with a fake gun and explosives given to him by undercover FBI agents he believed were al-Qaeda members.
Authorities said the suspect was closely monitored by law enforcement, and the would-be explosives had been deactivated, so the public was never in danger.
Officials say he has recently arrived at a federal court in Alexandria, where he is scheduled to appear later this evening.
Two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Press he was not arrested on the Capitol grounds, and the FBI has had El Khalifi under surveillance around the clock for several weeks.
He was not believed to have any known connections to al-Qaeda, the AP reported, though NBC News said that the man had overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally.
El Khalifi expressed interest in killing at least 30 people and considered targeting a building in Alexandria and a restaurant, synagogue and a place where military personnel gather in Washington.
A 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested on Friday in an FBI sting operation near the U.S. Capitol while planning to detonate what police said he thought were live explosives.
Amine El Khalifi of Alexandria, Virginia, was taken into custody a year after the FBI received a tip from an informant fearful of his anti-U.S. attitude. Authorities immediately began tracking the suspect.
He was eventually arrested with a fake gun and explosives given to him by undercover FBI agents he believed were al-Qaeda members.
Authorities said the suspect was closely monitored by law enforcement, and the would-be explosives had been deactivated, so the public was never in danger.
Officials say he has recently arrived at a federal court in Alexandria, where he is scheduled to appear later this evening.
Two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Press he was not arrested on the Capitol grounds, and the FBI has had El Khalifi under surveillance around the clock for several weeks.
He was not believed to have any known connections to al-Qaeda, the AP reported, though NBC News said that the man had overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally.
El Khalifi expressed interest in killing at least 30 people and considered targeting a building in Alexandria and a restaurant, synagogue and a place where military personnel gather in Washington.