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The Pizza Connection; Easy Access to Fort Dix
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ShareMay 08, 2007 2:30 PM
The six men charged with planning an attack to kill several hundred U.S. soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., thought they would have easy access to the base by pretending to deliver pizzas.
In a criminal complaint filed this morning, an FBI agent writes that "SERDAR TATAR's father owned a restaurant near Fort Dix and made deliveries onto the base."
The father, owner of Super Mario's Restaurant, told ABCNews.com today that his staff often made pizza deliveries on to the base and to the nearby McGuire Air Force Base.
The complaint says Tatar was able to acquire a map of Fort Dix, labeled "Cantonment Area Fort Dix, N.J.," and gave it to the five other men arrested by the FBI.
Officials say the map was used by pizza delivery men to find their way around the base.
According to the complaint, Tatar "described a place at Fort Dix they could target that would cause a power outage and allow for an easier attack on the military personnel there."
"What we are witnessing here is kind of a brand new form of terrorism," said J.P. "Jody" Weis, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia field office, at an afternoon press conference. "They operate under the radar...they strike when they feel it is right whenever that might be."
Video Officials Call Fort Dix Terror Plot 'a Brand New Form of Terrorism'
Tatar's father told ABCNews.com he talked to his son only yesterday, and there was no indication of anything unusual, no indication that his 24-year-old son harbored a deep hatred of the United States.
"There's something wrong here," the father said. "I came here from Turkey in 1992, and this is my country. I love this country."
He said his son had not worked at the restaurant for at least a year, and he believed his son was working at a 7-11 convenience store in Philadelphia.
The criminal complaint tells a much different story, describing Tatar as suspicious of the FBI's undercover operative who infiltrated the group.
Last November, Tatar allegedly contacted a sergeant in the Philadelphia police department to check the name of the undercover informant.
The complaint quotes Tatar as telling the undercover operative, "Whether you are or not (FBI), I'm gonna do it. Know why? It doesn't matter to me, whether I get locked up, arrested or get taken away, it doesn't matter. Or I die, doesn't matter, I'm doing it in the name of Allah."
"Allah Akbar," meaning "God is great," was a phrase the men arrested knew well. According to the federal complaint, an investigation was launched 17 months ago after a photo shop clerk alerted authorities to a video brought in by one of the suspects with "disturbing" content on it.
The video "depicted 10 young men who appeared to be in their 20s shooting assault-style weapons at a firing range in militia-like style while calling for jihad and shouting in Arabic, 'Allah akbar,'" the federal complaint says.
The investigation, through electronic eavesdropping and the confidential informant who had infiltrated the group, soon determined the men were serious in their intent to attack a military base using automatic weapons.
The plot never reached an operational phase, but the alleged cell members had finished their surveillance and selected Fort Dix as their target.
Tatar, along with Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, 22, Eljvir Duka, 23, Dritan Duka, 28, and Shain Duka, 26, is charged with "plotting to kill as many soldiers as possible" in an armed assault on Fort Dix. The sixth man, Argon Abdullahu, 24, was arrested on related charges of aiding and abetting the possession of illegal firearms.
Shnewer, regarded as the group's ringleader, said he wanted to kill at least 100 soldiers.
"My intent is to hit a heavy concentration of soldiers...This is exactly what we are looking for. You hit four, five or six Humvees and light the whole place [up] and retreat completely without any losses," he was recorded as saying.
Shnewer, who was born in Jordan, is employed as a Philadelphia cab driver. Eljvir, Dritan and Shain Duka are brothers, all of whom were born in the former Yugoslavia and are illegally residing in the U.S. They run a roofing business together. Abdullahu was also born in the former Yugoslavia and is employed at a Shop-Rite Supermarket.
As for Super Mario's Restaurant, its chef, Joseph Hofflinger, 35, quit today after finding out the news that the restaurant's owner was the father of one of the suspected terrorists.
Video See the Chef and Hear in His Own Words Why He Quit
When asked by reporters as to why he quit, Hofflinger said, "Because I won't work for somebody that has any ties or admission to terrorists." He continued, "My son is in the 82nd Airborne. I won't work for a place that supports terrorism so I'm out."
This post has been updated.
May 8, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (199)
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Why isn't it mentioned that these were Jihadists???? No mention of radical Islam except for the last sentence linking them to Allah.... THIS is why we don't take our news from ABC. On GMA they were identified as Albanian... FACE the facts. They are jihadists intent on doing harm to US military. THIS should be story number ONE
Posted by: Susan | May 8, 2007 1:21:32 PM
I feel we should not spend the time and money for a lengthy trial. try them and get it over, we don't need to support them for the rest of their life.
Posted by: L. Harris | May 8, 2007 1:24:06 PM
Great reporting, except you conveniently forgot to include weather these terrorist were here illegally or not. Nice!
I think based upon on current social climate it would be beneficial to concerned citizens that you would include this information, don't you think? Unless the editorial climate for your network is more interested in protecting the rights of Illegals then protecting US citizens. Your bias will no longer go unnoticed. Also it should not take a concerned citizen to ask the right questions and get the information that is most beneficial to the public.
Oh yeah just in case you were concerned (which I doubt) 3 of the men were here illegally.
Very disappointed
Posted by: Elliot Rodriguez | May 8, 2007 1:27:42 PM
With all the ignominious acts perpetrated in his name, Allah does not get my vote.
Posted by: Jean-Victor Côté | May 8, 2007 1:30:33 PM
I did my basic training on that base back in the mid 80's. I remember back then getting a pizza delivered only to have the drill sergeant take it from us because it was contraband. But you couldn't get off that base much less get on to it. To think that we have such big holes in our security on our bases is scary. I could only imagine how big of a massacrer this could have been had not an attentive clerk not noticed the video.
I'm sure our soldiers on our various bases will no longer be able to have pizza delivered to them...
Posted by: Mike | May 8, 2007 1:35:22 PM
should have waited at the gate for them and slaughtered em. Why waste time on a trial. Maybe we would have gotten lucky and they would have brought more with em. Sorry allah not this time!!! GOD BLESS THE USA
Posted by: mylili2 | May 8, 2007 1:46:04 PM
Susan..the Islamic connection was not mentioned because it does not the fit the 'Drive By Media' template. The DBM template is that Bush is the cause of all terrorism and the poor terrorists are just victims of US aggression.
Posted by: Tim | May 8, 2007 1:46:28 PM
Sounds like AL-CIADA
Posted by: Skid Plate | May 8, 2007 1:47:28 PM
L. Harris - whether they were here ilegally or not - does it really matter? Stick to the point! The most IMPORTANT thing is they were caught and no attack occurred!!
Posted by: Rob | May 8, 2007 1:47:48 PM
The Ethnic Albanian identity of the Islamic terrorists in this storyis going to be burried very quickly because the US is pushing for these same Islamic radicals to have Independence in Serbia's Kosovo. The US is acting like it is afraid of these people. Something smells VERY bad here. These people are our enemies by their own choosing yet we are acting like they are good. Watch how this gets burried, IMMEDIATELY!
Posted by: Sceptic | May 8, 2007 1:48:47 PM
oops my post should have been directed to Elliot Rodriguez...
Posted by: Rob | May 8, 2007 1:49:08 PM
OK, they believe in their version of Allah. Here in the US, we have Christians who blow up other Americans, in the name of JESUS. The latest school shooting starred a fella who compared himself to JESUS! Should we lock up all the good Christians now? This is about despair and rage, not GOD. Lets address the real problem and stop being ignorant.
Posted by: Andrew | May 8, 2007 1:57:20 PM
The plot failed because too many people were involved and one turned in the others. 9/11 should have also failed because it was an intricate plan with many players, but the authorities were caught totally offguard. One lunatic, like the Va. Tech killer, has a much greater chance of success than a group that has to share their plans with others.
Posted by: Peter Risbergs | May 8, 2007 1:58:05 PM
I enjoyed reading many of the comments in regards to this situation and if these individuals are truly terrorists, then it's a great thing that we stopped them! However, I am quite reserved with radical comments of shooting to kill these people and the advocacy of violating our laws in bypassing the legal process as it is the best safeguard in getting truth to the public and protecting the integrity of our republic. The fact is, we lock up too many people (over 700,000 people arrested for marijuana for simple possession in 2006) and we chould have much more space in jail for real criminals. Our nation has compromised it's values of justice and liberty for chains of security by the patriot act and many other obscure powers that were never intended for the government to behold. We are not being defeated by a small fringe group of terrorists, but rather within by ineffective leadership who sell fear and not empower the people to unite to watch together. Also, my concerns are deep in regards to our federal and local governments because on the federal level, we attack and overthrow a government in Iraq without articles of war which is also another violation of the Constitution and upon the voice of reason. I hope and pray that America wakes up and demands the cowards who run our country to step down. We need new leadership and people of character who will be honest to the people and lead the world by peace than by violent assertions.
Posted by: Allahomahaha | May 8, 2007 1:58:18 PM
This is pure and simple a matter of illegal entry and terrorism. This is what the press and the liberals did not want. Now you have a border being crossed by terrorists and that scares everyone. We all knew it was going to happen. Not if, just when. Now lets see the illegals march in the streets. I don't think there is alot of sympathy anymore.Matter of fact this might just wake up everyone, we are in serious danger.HERE!
Posted by: Mark | May 8, 2007 1:59:09 PM
I hope my fellow Americans know their history. The majority of terrorist acts here in the US, have been caused by Christians and US citizens. Wake up!!!!!! Do a little research.
Posted by: Andrew | May 8, 2007 2:02:14 PM
Sounds like Allahomahaha believes in dialogue. Lets just talk and teach them to like us. Blah, blah and more blah.
Posted by: steve | May 8, 2007 2:02:17 PM
The fact these were Islamists seems to be getting burried and it should be the big fact. Bush says we need an army in Iraq or the islamists will be here. Well, they seem to be here so the Iraq plan isn't working and W is out of excuses.
Posted by: Cassie | May 8, 2007 2:04:46 PM
Here's a wake-up for the poster that said: "9/11 should have also failed because it was an intricate plan with many players, but the authorities were caught totally offguard." -- Moussoui was caught 8/14/01 or a FULL month before 9/11. France, Russia, Isreal, Germany etc. AND our own Minnesota FBI BEGGED to interrogate him, only OUR GOV'T was ON VACATION for ALL of August, taking it easy after 7 months on the job.. THAT's why 9/11 wasn't foiled.
Posted by: Joe N. | May 8, 2007 2:06:27 PM
Ya gonna metion they were islamic radicals? Answer, no. You people are impossible to get the REAL FACTS from. Long live Thr Fox News Channel.
Posted by: Albert Peterson | May 8, 2007 2:08:32 PM
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