A PLOT TO BLOW UP MANHATTAN
Randy L. Harrington
July 07, 2006
NEW YORK—Federal authorities announced that a year old plot to blow up transportation tunnels in Manhattan has been foiled, and the mastermind was arrested in Lebanon and confessed.
A year ago FBI agents monitoring an internet chat room believed to be used by terrorists uncovered the planning to destroy vital transportation networks in New York city, and possibly attack other United States targets in late 2006.
Amir Andalousli was arrested a month ago by Lebanese internal security police at the request of the United States. Within hours of his arrest he disclosed the entire plot in a confession, and said that the plan was to be carried out in the Fall of 2006. Andalousli also admitted to having pledged an oath to al Qaeda. Andalousli also told Lebanese security and intelligence officials that his real name was Assem Hammond, and that he was a native of Beirut. It was also reported that Lebanese security officials seized an American Passport from Andalousli.
Lebanese internal security police in a rare public briefing said that Andalousli told them that the plot was designed to destroy New York's financial district. By blowing up the Holland Tunnel between New Jersey and New York water would rush in and flood New York's financial district. The terrorist plot to flood New York's financial district probably would not have worked because the financial district is above the water line, and the flooding would have not affected higher ground.
Sources close to the investigation said that the terrorists wanted to drown the New York area like New Orleans.
Lebanese intelligence officials seized documents, and other information from Andalousli that identified other targets in the United States, but officials did not indicate what those targets were, or whether or not planning had been complete.
Counter-terrorism officials working out of the United Kingdom who became familiar with the case were concerned because Jordanian terrorists connected with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pledged financial, and tactical support to the plots before he was killed by US forces in Iraq last month.
The Holland Tunnel is supposed to be constructed and protected by bedrock, but also by reinforced concrete and cast iron steel. Much like the concrete, and steel that was used in the construction of the base of the World Trade Center.
Counter-terrorism sources have said that it is doubtful that the plot to blow up the Holland Tunnel would have been feasible, because of the huge amounts of explosives and detailed engineering knowledge of the blast effect that would have been necessary to make the plot a reality. However, such an attack would no doubt have cost the lives of many people.
International intelligence officials in Brussels, Germany, and Turkey are looking for an additional number of unspecified suspects worldwide.
Last month federal authorities arrested seven men in Miami and Atlanta that were in the early stages of planning to blow-up the Sears Tower and other targets in the United States. It was alleged that the seven arrested all took an oath to al Qaeda, and were also seeking financial, and operational support from al Qaeda.
William Jean Bruleit, an International intelligence expert in London said that this is probably just one of the several thousand plots against American targets in the wake of America's stepped up prosecution of the war on terror.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: UP WIRE; JAMES KINCADE A FREELANCE JOURNALIST IN LONDON CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
A year ago FBI agents monitoring an internet chat room believed to be used by terrorists uncovered the planning to destroy vital transportation networks in New York city, and possibly attack other United States targets in late 2006.
Amir Andalousli was arrested a month ago by Lebanese internal security police at the request of the United States. Within hours of his arrest he disclosed the entire plot in a confession, and said that the plan was to be carried out in the Fall of 2006. Andalousli also admitted to having pledged an oath to al Qaeda. Andalousli also told Lebanese security and intelligence officials that his real name was Assem Hammond, and that he was a native of Beirut. It was also reported that Lebanese security officials seized an American Passport from Andalousli.
Lebanese internal security police in a rare public briefing said that Andalousli told them that the plot was designed to destroy New York's financial district. By blowing up the Holland Tunnel between New Jersey and New York water would rush in and flood New York's financial district. The terrorist plot to flood New York's financial district probably would not have worked because the financial district is above the water line, and the flooding would have not affected higher ground.
Sources close to the investigation said that the terrorists wanted to drown the New York area like New Orleans.
Lebanese intelligence officials seized documents, and other information from Andalousli that identified other targets in the United States, but officials did not indicate what those targets were, or whether or not planning had been complete.
Counter-terrorism officials working out of the United Kingdom who became familiar with the case were concerned because Jordanian terrorists connected with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pledged financial, and tactical support to the plots before he was killed by US forces in Iraq last month.
The Holland Tunnel is supposed to be constructed and protected by bedrock, but also by reinforced concrete and cast iron steel. Much like the concrete, and steel that was used in the construction of the base of the World Trade Center.
Counter-terrorism sources have said that it is doubtful that the plot to blow up the Holland Tunnel would have been feasible, because of the huge amounts of explosives and detailed engineering knowledge of the blast effect that would have been necessary to make the plot a reality. However, such an attack would no doubt have cost the lives of many people.
International intelligence officials in Brussels, Germany, and Turkey are looking for an additional number of unspecified suspects worldwide.
Last month federal authorities arrested seven men in Miami and Atlanta that were in the early stages of planning to blow-up the Sears Tower and other targets in the United States. It was alleged that the seven arrested all took an oath to al Qaeda, and were also seeking financial, and operational support from al Qaeda.
William Jean Bruleit, an International intelligence expert in London said that this is probably just one of the several thousand plots against American targets in the wake of America's stepped up prosecution of the war on terror.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: UP WIRE; JAMES KINCADE A FREELANCE JOURNALIST IN LONDON CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY
Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.