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6 Charged In Alleged Terror
Plot Against N.J. Soldiers
WNBC
Tuesday May 08, 2007
NEW YORK -- Six men from New Jersey have been charged in an alleged
terror plot against soldiers at Fort Dix, according to law enforcement
sources.
Investigators said the men planned to use automatic rifles to enter
Fort Dix and kill as many soldiers as they could at the New Jersey
military base. Fort Dix was just one of several military and security
locations allegedly scouted by this group, authorities said.
The Dukas, believed to be Islamic radicals, are in the United States
illegally, while Shnewer is a U.S. citizen born in Jordan, according
to the Justice Department.
The U.S. Attorney's office has told NewsChannel 4 that one of the
suspects was born in Turkey and four in the former Yugoslavia. Investigators
said most of the suspects have spent several years in the United
States.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Tuesday there is "no
direct evidence" that the men have ties to international terrorism.
"They are not charged with being members of an international
terrorism organization," Snow said. "At least at this
point, there is no evidence that they received direction from international
terror organizations."
Investigators told NewsChannel 4's Jonathan Dienst that these arrests
are the result of a tip to the FBI and use of an informant to track
the suspects. Authorities were alerted in January 2006 after the
terror suspects traveled to the Poconos for a training exercise
where they practiced firing weapons, investigators said.
Sources have told NewsChannel 4's Brian Thompson that the suspects
tried to have a training videotape converted to DVD at a store in
Cherry Hill, N.J., but the store owner alerted authorities.
Authorities then inserted a cooperating witness into the alleged
terror cell to be a go-between in their attempt to purchase M16
and AK-47 rifles. Arrests were made Monday night after the informant
delivered dummy weapons paid for by the alleged terror cell suspects,
authorities said.
Investigators said the group discussed targeting numerous locations
-- such as Dover Air base, Fort Monmouth, a Coast Guard building in
Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federal building -- before deciding
on Fort Dix as their intended target. Fort Dix is run in part by the
Army and is a reserve-training center, but active units take part
in training, some of which focuses on counter-terrorism.
Sources told NewsChannel 4's Brian Thompson that the family of
one of the suspects owns Super Mario's Pizza, a restaurant near
Fort Dix, and that the suspect claimed to know the base "like
the back of his hand." The same suspect told the alleged terror
group it would be easy to penetrate to "get the most soldiers
killed," sources said.
Investigators said the group of suspects have been discussing and
planning for much of the last year. They allegedly pooled their
savings to pay for the operation targeted at soldiers, according
to investigators.
Some of the group's alleged planning was caught on videotape, investigators
said. On the videotape there is significant discussion of martyrdom.
"Who is going to take care of my wife and kids?" one
suspect asks on the tape, according to investigators. Another responds,
"Allah will take care of your wife and kids."
The alleged terror cell is described by investigators as disciples
of Osama Bin Laden. Among the evidence seized was the downloaded
will and testament of two Sept. 11 hijackers.
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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