Exclusive: U.S. Studying Two Dozen 'Clusters' of Possible Homegrown Terrorists

August 15, 2007 7:00 AM

Brian Ross, Richard Esposito & Maddy Sauer Report:

Exclusiveusst_mn U.S. law enforcement officials say they have identified more than two dozen "clusters" of young Muslim men in the northeast United States who are on a path that could lead to homegrown terror, ABC News has learned.

"Any one of those clusters may be capable of carrying out a terrorist action that will result in fatalities," Rand Corporation terrorism expert Brian Jenkins tells ABC News.

In a report to be made public today, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly concludes the 9/ll attacks were an "anomaly" and the most serious terror threat to the country comes from clusters of "unremarkable" individuals who are on a path that could lead to homegrown terror.

Watch Brian Ross' Report on "Good Morning America"

The report by the NYPD intelligence division, "Radicalization in the West and the Homegrown Threat," plots "the trajectory of radicalization" and tracks the path of a non-radicalized individual to an individual with the willingness to commit an act of terror, multiple sources say.

"The threat is real; this is not some bogey man we are creating here. There are individuals who are proselytizing, inciting angry young men to go down this path," said Jenkins, who reviewed and contributed to the NYPD report.

Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.

The report identifies mosques, bookstores, cafes, prisons and flop houses as what it calls "radicalization incubators" that provide "extremist fodder or fuel for radicalization."

The leader of an American Arab civil rights group labeled the NYPD report as "unfortunate stereotyping" and at odds with federal law enforcement findings that the threat from homegrown terrorists was minimal.

"It is completely un-American; it goes against everything we stand for," said Kareem Shora, executive director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. "We do not want to alienate any segment of any community, and by using that language you are actually aiding the extremists in their recruiting efforts."

The NYPD report, ABC News sources said, concludes that while al Qaeda can provide inspiration and an "ideological reference point," instances of command and control by al Qaeda are the exception rather than the rule.

It states that most or many terrorist attacks and attempted attacks in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States have been thought up by and planned by local residents seeking to attack their own country of residence.

The report, in its conclusions, asserts that the most significant threat to the homeland is not al Qaeda but the spread of the ideology promulgated by violent extremist Muslims, such as those belonging to al Qaeda, into the United States where it helps to radicalize residents.

The report is seen by several individuals familiar with it as filling a large gap in the most recent National Intelligence Estimate, which was released July 17 and contained little to no explicit discussion of homegrown terrorism.

"We assess that al-Qa'ida is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the Homeland," the NIE states in its "Key Judgments."

"We assess that the spread of radical -- especially Salafi -- Internet sites, increasingly aggressive anti-U.S. rhetoric and actions and the growing number of radical, self-generating cells in Western countries indicate that the radical and violent segment of the West's Muslim population is expanding, including in the United States," the NIE says in its most significant paragraph on the topic.

"We assess that this internal Muslim terrorist threat is not likely to be as severe as it is in Europe, however," is the paragraph's close.

The NYPD report cites at least 10 well-known recent cases where local authorities, the FBI and European police and intelligence agencies have thwarted plots developed either wholly or in a very large part by homegrown "actors," with little or no support from al Qaeda.

According to multiple sources familiar with the classified version of the NIE, the body of that document does little to expand on the analysis of the issue of homegrown terror. 

High-ranking local and regional law enforcement in several North American jurisdictions tell ABC News that while it is important to acknowledge the links to al Qaeda -- whether inspirational, through the Internet or through travel -- it is far more important, from a law enforcement perspective, to try to identify at what points an individual might be ready to embrace violence.

Using the NYPD matrix, those officials say there are at least two dozen "clusters," or "pockets," of individuals in the region who are at various places along the path of radicalization.

In an Intelligence Assessment published at the end of June, New Jersey officials at the state's Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness noted, "Through its ongoing review of extremist Web logs, the Intelligence Bureau has identified numerous pockets of radical youth existing in New Jersey communities and especially on N.J. campuses."

The purpose of the structure proposed by the NYPD is to create a tool enabling authorities to measure whether these "pockets" are moving from sanctioned activities toward violence.

Other law enforcement efforts to arrive at a prescriptive approach to homegrown terrorism are underway, and law enforcement officials are conscious that while these activities seem essential, they touch on thorny political issues in many jurisdictions and have to be carefully orchestrated to avoid conflict with constitutional protections in the U.S. But, Jenkins says, those protections have an outer limit.

"Freedom of speech, freedom of religion does not provide a defense against planning and preparation for violence," he tells ABC News.

In West Yorkshire, England, a "community mapping model" is underway seeking to identify potential high-risk pockets in the region, which includes Leeds, home to several alleged conspirators of the four bombers in the July 7, 2005 attack on London's transportation system that killed 52 people.

In at least one major U.S. city, a similar pilot study is under consideration.

The New Jersey Intelligence Assessment identified prisons, the Internet, universities and religious/cultural institutions as the places where "radicalization in New Jersey appears to occur."

That report also spells out the key concern behind the intense law enforcement effort to make an effort to identify individuals who might be moving toward violence.

"There is evidence that radicalization is taking place in the U.S...Studies of this phenomenon in Europe have shown that these individuals are virtually indistinguishable from the population in which they live. Certain risk factors such as age and personality type may be identified, but they are not predicative," the New Jersey report says.

The dense, 90-page NYPD analysis is the nation's first full analysis of the potential for increased homegrown terror in the United States and the first to develop a matrix on which to plot the course of "unremarkable" people as they move toward the potential for violent action, multiple persons familiar with the report told ABC News.

Months in the drafting, the report makes use of a novel "cluster" model to determine where on the path from preradicalized and self-identification to indoctrination and jihad an individual and immediate peer group may be. As such, it is a valuable tool for assessing individuals that come to law enforcement's attention and in making cogent arguments in court cases, sources who reviewed the report's drafts told ABC News.

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August 15, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (230)

User Comments

Hey, I thought we were fightin' em over there so we didn't have to fight 'em here!

Posted by: Eric | Aug 15, 2007 7:16:47 AM

They are in MONTREAL too! I hope there are some "people" looking up here! I have observed some pretty unsettling people up here.

Posted by: How I Really Feel | Aug 15, 2007 8:37:29 AM

THis is AWESOME!! How do we get a copy?

Thank you!
Kathy

And KEEP up the good work and reporting. Especially LOVE your weekly EElvis series this week!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Kathy | Aug 15, 2007 8:56:03 AM

America is where Europe was 20 years ago, in regard to out of control illegal immigration. Today, Europe's in big trouble.

Any politician who appeases will enable tomorrow's terrorist attacks.

Posted by: moderationist | Aug 15, 2007 9:05:38 AM

Is our government going to arm its citizens like Iraq did so we can protect ourselves? Why? Because who in the hell is going to protect us since George & Dick have all our military in Iraq? Wake up people. We can't even protect our homeland now. Is that the result of good leadership? I think not.

Posted by: Ron | Aug 15, 2007 9:14:42 AM

This is exactly why we need to be policing our OWN country instead of everywhere else in the world.

When the next terrorist attack occurs, we will be pointing the fingers at our own citizens, and asking ourselves why we didn't see it coming.

Way to keep us safe, Chertoff.

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 9:15:39 AM

Terorism is a religious war, and religion extremism knows no geographic boundaries.

As long as we have Islamists in the US, we will have the potential for terrorism from within. The religion not only does not discourage such actions, it actually encourages them. As a religion, Islam would appear to be the most barbaric religion since the Spanish Inquisition.

Posted by: Rick McDaniel | Aug 15, 2007 9:17:45 AM

Run for the hills. Things are going badly in Iraq so lets have a terror story to cheer everybody up YEAH.

How a bout a story telling America 9 US troops are dead in Baghdad?

Posted by: Chris | Aug 15, 2007 9:31:47 AM

Wow. How to scare people and not really tell them anything useful.

Posted by: Anon | Aug 15, 2007 9:32:22 AM

Why are 99% of known terrorist muslims? Should we be weary of all muslims? Why are they so angry? What will it take to fix this problem?

Posted by: disabledvet46 | Aug 15, 2007 9:44:27 AM

Can you people read? The article didnt say Al Qaeda isnt a threat (it still is ) its saying this is the most SIGNIFICANT threat, you big dummies.
And Chris even the New York Slime is saying were winning the war in Iraq

Posted by: David | Aug 15, 2007 10:04:01 AM

We have the the potential for groups to do acts of "terror" at anytime in this country. What about KKK the Nazi fundamentalists, various cults who stock pile weapons, etc. That fact is the main thing these groups don't like right now are the people making decisions in this country. Vote them out of office and we all become safer. Elect the same old group of insiders and you will get more of the what the last 16 years has given us - resentment. People need to wake up, this is a war of ideology. Like the Spearhead song goes - "You can bomb them to peices, but you can't bomb them to peace."

I respect the hell out of all our vets they have done a great job and done all that can be expected of them. But our government policies are wrong and we need to admit that.

Posted by: Allen Boe | Aug 15, 2007 10:05:23 AM

Rick McDaniel--What makes you think that the only homegrown terrorists are Muslims?

Timothy McVeigh? Terry Nichols? Bueller??

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 10:05:54 AM

Where are the arrests? The plans for the attacks? The confessions? I don't believe that there are terrorists in America. Not when reports of terror are like this one.

At least, not Muslim terrorists. Good Christian American terrorists, I'll buy that...

Posted by: Sean | Aug 15, 2007 10:06:52 AM

So it wasn't good enough to invade Iraq, destabilize it economically, politically and socially, but now you want to come after young muslim men?
When will Americans learn that this is all following the path of the encampment of the American Indian, enslavement of the Blacks and racism towards Asians?

To Rick McDaniel: No religion incites war. Islam DOES NOT incite war. People do. To post such an arrogant and inaccurate reflection of a religion is pathetic. Let me remind you that barbaric methods were used in Vietnam too and they weren't muslim. Also, have you forgotten that it was your military that trained and taught rebel military techniques to the Taliban which spread to AlQaeda? Did you forget that it was the West/Europe that invaded Africa, the Middle East and Asia to loot the riches of those countries -- it's known as "imperialism". and when the "imperialist" were no longer interested they left those places in shambles. That's what is the root cause of this terrorism. The West disenfranchised Africa and the East politically, socially and econommically and the ramifications are being seen today.

Posted by: SAK | Aug 15, 2007 10:09:56 AM

Also... the Spanish Inquisition wasn't a religion... it was religiously inspired... by CHRISTIANS.

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 10:13:41 AM

This sort of "radicalization" has been going on since at least the mid-60's...do you all have amnesia? lol

Poor black folk from america's ghettos in the prison system, McVeigh types who want to bring the "system" down, Latino gangs...this isn't new...

...and moderationist is pretty much right...

Posted by: Jazz | Aug 15, 2007 10:16:32 AM

Ron, Our Military can not operate within the US. You know that right? Our military can ONLY be used in foreign countries....like for example...Iraq.
The US hasn't been hit since 9/11. Why? Maybe because we are fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here. :) I would say the fact that we haven't been hit since is an example of excellent leadership.

Posted by: Jon | Aug 15, 2007 10:16:59 AM

I feel safe knowing that our Federal Government is protecting us from Medical Marijuana while terrorism grows out of control.

Posted by: jim | Aug 15, 2007 10:23:09 AM

It seems to me that one of the tactics of the terrorists is to use our political correctness to their advantage. By driving a wedge between the the conservative and liberal philosophies they are able to operate under the radar while the two opposing factions in the US fight over the individual's constitutional rights. If a terrorists needs to divert attention to his activities he simply has to make a case that his civil rights are being violated and all the attention is drawn to his rights instead of what he is intending to do.

Posted by: John Dixon | Aug 15, 2007 10:25:08 AM

For those who are complaining about the context of this story should embrace this story and perhaps discuss it with your friends and fellow workers so you can sound intelligent for once.

Posted by: JONCON | Aug 15, 2007 10:25:31 AM

Political correctness - our country's most dangerous disease!

Posted by: Bill Dolphin | Aug 15, 2007 10:26:43 AM

How about letting us know which cities they are reporting to have "terror activity" going on? I want to make sure to avoid those places!

Posted by: Yolandah | Aug 15, 2007 10:28:56 AM

As Malcom X said "The chickens have come home to roost"

Posted by: Larry XXX | Aug 15, 2007 10:29:47 AM

"Is our government going to arm its citizens like Iraq did so we can protect ourselves? Why? Because who in the hell is going to protect us since George & Dick have all our military in Iraq? Wake up people. We can't even protect our homeland now. Is that the result of good leadership? I think not."

Apparently this person doesn't remember that the Democrats always side with all Islamic rights groups. Thats why we have to allow so many Islamic Fascist into the country, because otherwise we might be considered racist. When these Islamic Fascist start killing Americans on the East and West coast I'll bet they find a way to blame it on someone else.

Posted by: Alex | Aug 15, 2007 10:30:38 AM

Kareem Shora, executive director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Beware of these people, they appear to approve of the activities of these terror enabling groups.

I can't believe that anyone can be so naive as to think that terrorism won't come here just because we fight them somewhere else. Do a little research and see how they work. Not for your own good but for the good of future generations of Americans. We have to be informed. Never believe what you read or hear without researching the informaiton yourself.

Posted by: hp | Aug 15, 2007 10:31:14 AM

Stop ALL immigration to this country
immediately. End of story. This is war
and we're fighting for our safety.
Just look at Europe and learn from
their mistakes.

Posted by: mickey | Aug 15, 2007 10:31:33 AM

On a more serious note the bombings in London on 7/7 were caused by Moslem terrorists who were born in this country. The attempted bombings on 14/7 were caused by those moslems who had sought asylum in the UK.

It is a major threat, particularly with the ideological struggle which is being played out on the Internet, today Now.

Richard Reid the shoe bomber was influenced by the radical cleric Abu Hamza, currently in prison, shortly to be transferred to the States for trial. And this is the key both in America and britain, we must monitor arrest and deport preachers of hate in the mosques. Our Moslem communities must take an active role in eradicating the cancer in Islam which is fundamentalism.

We also need to help Musharef in Pakistan defeat extremism there, this is very urgent more urgent than getting Osama Bin Laden. The government of pakistan is creaking, and could fall, and pakistan is a nuclear power.

Only then will we be able to confront the threat and scourge of terrorism on our country's head on.

Posted by: Chris | Aug 15, 2007 10:32:23 AM

Um, have any of you complaining about our military being abroad ever bothered to learn what the posse comitatus act is? It says the US military can't be used within our own borders. The National Guard is an exception because the Guard is actually a state militia. Radical Islam knows no boundaries people. Their goal is to establish their version of Islam worldwide. They will use any means necessary including developing terrorists within our own borders. Blaming Bush is just plain lame. This problem existed well before he took office and will exist long after he leaves. Time for people to wake up to the real and present danger radical Islam poses.

Posted by: Jim | Aug 15, 2007 10:32:41 AM

Amazing yet predictable. Instead of the Arab "Civil Rights" group saying, "This is very important information, how can we help you combat Islamic Radicals" they whine about discrimination.

And what a surprise that our campuses are hotbeds of radicalism! How many anti-American, Leftist professors goad these students on. Not to mention the presence of campus groups like The Muslim Students Association who would institute Sharia Law in a minute if they could...

Posted by: Buy Danish | Aug 15, 2007 10:32:47 AM

Keep the Liberals out of office and we will be SAFE......!!!!!!!

Posted by: Freddie | Aug 15, 2007 10:37:40 AM

This just confirms why we need to stop allowing these people to come here. They are not looking for a better life, they're looking to reap the benefits this country offers and terrorize us in the process. Now based on info given by 60 Minutes, our government is going to bring about 2,000 people from Iraq to start new lives. Like we need more Muslims here. How will they determine if any of these people are potential threats? We have enought people here now draining our tax dollars. The sad part is that the US gov't will take our tax dollars to set these people up who have never paid one dollar into our system. However will deny our military veterans benefits, allow situations like Hurricane Katrina and never help people who have actually paid taxes. Our Gov't doesn't give a damn about us, only about their Republican friends and how they can keep all their profits and pay no taxes. We're doomed.

Posted by: Thelma | Aug 15, 2007 10:38:36 AM

Chris it's not a reporter's job to say anything useful. They just report. If something happens and you weren't told about it then you whine.

Posted by: Jason | Aug 15, 2007 10:38:41 AM

1) The ones that we are killing over there are no longer a threat to us.

2) The report finds the "home grown" threat is the bigger problem now.

3) The ones we are fighting over there aren't going to go home and go back to sheep herding or whatever they do for a livng if we surrender in Iraq; they will be emboldened [We defeated the great Satan], and we will indeed then have to fight them and the home grown threat.

It will be a long war.

Posted by: KevinD | Aug 15, 2007 10:40:21 AM

Our military is EXACTLY where it needs to be. It's up to everyone here in this country to protect the homeland. Anyone remember the Revolution? That's why we're armed, folks!

You want to do something to save your country, buy a gun.

Posted by: Carlkp | Aug 15, 2007 10:40:22 AM

I believe this is the message for those "hate Bush" liberal idiots that believe there is no threat to the U.S. and western world. This is a global conflict.

Posted by: billclintoon | Aug 15, 2007 10:41:59 AM

The "war" in Iraq will be still going on when I'm dead and gone. It is for OIL and the PROFITS made from "rebuilding". Why don't we "rebuild" our own country instead of someone else's. Duuuuuhhhhhh!

Posted by: artist22 | Aug 15, 2007 10:47:14 AM

"Timothy McVeigh? Terry Nichols?"

They had help, it's been well-documented. How can two guys with no experience construct a complicated bomb (double-pull, double-throw triggers) and then load said 700 POUND BOMB into a truck by themselves?

Where are John Doe #1 and 2? Eh, Sandy Berger? Janet Reno?

Posted by: Kyle Coppola | Aug 15, 2007 10:51:40 AM

Hey SAK.......get off your soap box! Radical Muslims are to blame for 99% of terrorist activities in the world - you can't deny that! Any yes, barbaric methods were used in Viet Nam - by the VC & NVA. I know - I was there. We need to close our borders and kick out any Muslim that might be involved in any way in terrorist activities. After all, if it comes to an all-out war with the USA, whose side will they all come down on? You can blame the people in office, but terrorism is real and we all know who is behind it.

Posted by: The Patriot | Aug 15, 2007 10:54:51 AM

I cannot wait until Hillary and Obama are elected in two years. We can all sit around the campfire with them, holding hands and singing "Koom ba, My lord, Koom ba I. As our families are getting raped and murdered by muslim terrorists.

Posted by: mike jones | Aug 15, 2007 10:59:41 AM

Jeanotte - We are fighting over there and still Al-Qaeda is stronger than ever (from NIE report) and OBL is free as bird? Yes there was no attack after the 93 WTC bombing when Clinton was President. Is that a measure of success? OBL planned the attack 12 years. Its not the dumb leadership it's our luck that it hasn't happened yet. No matter how many billions you spend it can't be controlled. The best way is stop like some on esaid here racist "Imperialism" that USA perpetuates in the middle east to get cheap oil and oil contracts. You want examples? Saudi is the biggest exporter of radical islam (Wahabism) all over the wrold, it aids and supports terrorists and 15 of the 911 attackers were Saudis what did we do nothing. Because we care for their investment and your leader is benefitting big time from it. Think before you fall for more lies from your leaders.

Posted by: StupidPatriotism | Aug 15, 2007 11:04:32 AM

We need to get serious about protecting this country. If that means racial profiling, then we must do that. If that means deporting members of a radical Islamic sect, we must do that.

If these people do try to commit an act of terrorism here, once convicted they must be put to death in a most public way in hopes of deterring others.

Posted by: Randall | Aug 15, 2007 11:04:54 AM

where's Islamburg,PA.?

Posted by: dave | Aug 15, 2007 11:09:51 AM

Ok, so now the news media is BEGINNING to wake up. Americans told people of all races. Come to America and live a life of your dreams. Islam is a very unsafe relegion. Study your history from Abraham on and you will see why. Now after we have invited them to America , they want America to be under the rule of Allah and his ways. So, study his ways. the Koran states to lie, cheat , steal , and kill to further the cause. That is how Mohammad furthered his ideas. So this is MY response to that. It is time for a drastic change in policy in the US. Time for Muslims, to leave. Yes I am sure there of "good" Muslims, but America please do not forget, during this period, America hears nothing from them. So you too can join them and go home.

Posted by: MrC | Aug 15, 2007 11:15:59 AM

Hey to alan boe who said: "Like the Spearhead song goes - "You can bomb them to peices, but you can't bomb them to peace."

Go read a real history book and not lyrics by a loser band. Find out how we ended the tyranny of the japanese empire and hitler. CLUE to the clueless - it wasnt by holding hands and singing kumbayah.

Posted by: Rob Dusenberg | Aug 15, 2007 11:18:57 AM

Yes, it's true the US Military cannot be used within our borders. Why not post them ON the borders instead??

Also, once martial law is declared after the next major tragedy, Bush has FEMA poised police the nation. I'm sure they'll do a bang up job, much like they did after Katrina.

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 11:19:26 AM

So many people with heads in the sand here.

Islam is the problem. Period. This has nothing to do with Nazi Germany. Why must you people live in the past. We didn't choose this war, they did.

Posted by: Jenn | Aug 15, 2007 11:20:47 AM

Well it shouldn't be too long before the Government starts targeting the Patriot community for trying to force the Government to obey the rule of Law and the Constitution.

Posted by: Patriot 2007 | Aug 15, 2007 11:25:30 AM

"posse comitatus"

When congress passed the Patriot Act provisions were put in that would allow the President to suspend posse comitatus as well as the insurrection act.

I suggest you read the patriot act and see exactly what it was our servant congress did to us.

Posted by: Patriot 2007 | Aug 15, 2007 11:28:24 AM

Greeaat. The most dangerous enemy is our own populace.... Does anyone else see anything wrong with this report?
Looks like more fear mongering to me.. Let's convince everyone that your neighbor is your enemy and get more surveillance.
Wake up people.

Posted by: K | Aug 15, 2007 11:29:01 AM

Thanks to our hardworking law enforcement officials who are doing all they can to keep us safe.


"Keep the Liberals out of office and we will be SAFE!"

AMEN!

Posted by: NaC | Aug 15, 2007 11:29:34 AM

This report is NOT NEWS. Your local muslims have been reading the internet sites of Al Qaeda and others for years. Some percentage are going to be brought into the radical camp. The fact that these web sites are so full of lies is completly lost on these morons (belief in total BS seems to be a muslim character flaw). You have to love the ones about US soldiers harvesting body parts in Iraq.
So Now, we have local idiots who want to kill US citizens and think they can bring about a caliphate to rule the United States.
You can read for yourself thier plans and statements on these subjects.
Many of them want to act on these plans.
Most US Citizens are prepared to react to these plans.

Posted by: CN Williams | Aug 15, 2007 11:30:23 AM

The NYPD seems to be losing it again.

Just what we need -- the stock
market in a slow speed crash, no
health insurance for millions, the
US dollar in decline, a war with
Iran about to start, and this bunch
of Key Stone Kops "discovers" an
internal threat (maybe).

And the former chief fruit loop
wants to be Il Duce...

Posted by: George McDuffee | Aug 15, 2007 11:30:53 AM

Thanks to our hardworking law enforcement officials who are doing all they can to keep us safe.


"Keep the Liberals out of office and we will be SAFE!"

AMEN!

Posted by: NaC | Aug 15, 2007 11:30:56 AM

One scary place is Detroit, Michigan, which has one of the largest muslim populations in the country. It is also home to the Muslim Brotherhood, a very dangerous and extremist group. They believe in the complete destruction of the United States, christians, and jews. Also, while I am hispanic, I have noticed some mexican looking men who really do not look mexican except for the skin pigment and hair color. I saw one the other day and he was on a phone, but he was not speaking spanish or english, but some other language. If we all just keep vigilant, watch, report. It is the only way to stay safe.

Posted by: Adrianna | Aug 15, 2007 11:38:56 AM

More of the Bush admin trying to scare us. There is NO terrorism. This is about OIL, get it??

Once the Dems (re)take their rightful place in power, the world will love us again. Peace will rein, and taxes will go up.

Sounds like a reasonable compromise to me...

Posted by: Roger | Aug 15, 2007 11:39:42 AM

These people should be deported immediately and if they are citizens, their citizenship should be immediately revoked. We put thousands of innocent Japanese in internment camps during World War II because the survival of the nation warrented this. We're in the same situation, only it's not politically correct to do such things now.

Posted by: Ken | Aug 15, 2007 11:39:58 AM

soon the democrats will be added to that list of homegrown terror cells...imagine them asking for vote verification and other annoyances like that...jail the DEMS as they are terrorists if 2006 was any indication...

Posted by: daddy | Aug 15, 2007 11:43:15 AM

Thelma, the democrats are as much to blame or more. Remember it was a democrat as president when several incidents tied to Al Queda were happening all around the world, including here in the U.S. The World Trade Center was first bombed in 1993 and the congress was controlled by democrats. How quickly we forget history and find it so convenient to allow ourselves and others to rewrite it into lies. Very sad Thelma.

Posted by: Adrianna | Aug 15, 2007 11:43:18 AM

To Eric, I can see your GED has really prepared you for critical thinking. The report says HOME GROWN. Read: they were already HERE. You must have been mentally out of town in the last few years as we have a number of extreamist in this country causing problems. The difference here is that they want to kill U.S. Citizens not burn down property as the Earth First nut cases do. But I don't put to far out the relm of possibility that they enviromental types will be far behind.

Posted by: mark | Aug 15, 2007 11:43:41 AM

The UK, Holland, Belgium and France are pretty much history. Sweden is not far behind. Islam is taking over Western Europe. Muslims use legal threats, targeted violence, political correctness, Saudi money and open-borders to take over. America is only 20 years behind Europe.

Posted by: Freddy | Aug 15, 2007 11:43:50 AM

Posted by: Chris | Aug 15, 2007 10:32:23 AM


Chris, you said it perfectly...

Posted by: Charles | Aug 15, 2007 11:46:44 AM

you have that right mike jones!

Posted by: kim clift RN | Aug 15, 2007 11:47:01 AM

it's all about forming the north american union..these people running this country know exactly what they are doing....pretty soon the economy will crash, the next big event will happen..they have you under control and you don't even see it.

Posted by: jim | Aug 15, 2007 11:48:17 AM

REMEMBER 911. You "politically correct" folks can keep your heads in the sand if you want to, but "I AIN'T STUPID". The "STEREOTYPICAL YOUNG MUSLIM MALE" here in our Country whether homegrown or here On Visas, are playing our own FREEDOMS AGAINST US and it's gonna eventually BITE US IN THE ARSE AGAIN!!! WAKE UP, DUMMIES!!!!

"REMEMBER 911"

Posted by: LindaDee | Aug 15, 2007 11:49:52 AM

Is our country going to arm us like they did in Iraq? I don't know about you Ron, but I'm already armed and ready. I'm ready to round up all those maniacs and either send them back to their ME paradise or any other paradise they prefer.

Posted by: Mike | Aug 15, 2007 11:50:01 AM

Why is the U.S. allowing muslims to immigrate into this country or to come and study in this country? U.S. foreign policy is more concerned with not offending arab oil interests in the Middle East than in protecting the country.

They should rename that clown Chertoff's department the Department of Homeland Insecurity.

Posted by: Maurice DuBois | Aug 15, 2007 11:54:42 AM

Kyle Coppola-I'm not saying that McVeigh and Nichols worked on their own. But the fact is, they were NOT Muslim.

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 11:56:11 AM

Deportation for disagreeing with the masses? Public executions??

Randall... welcome to Iran.

Posted by: Doug | Aug 15, 2007 11:57:37 AM

It sure is easy to tell which posts are from liberal democrats. When are you people going to see the truth. These people hate us for being us and wont rest until they cause harm.
Keep focused on gay rights and letting illegals in the country and we'll see where that gets us. You will be effected the most living in a country of Muslim rule...

Posted by: Spotted Owl Eater | Aug 15, 2007 11:57:40 AM

How dumb and ignorant are you all. The very radical muslims you are hating now were used and are being used by CIA. Do you even know OBL was trained by CIA in the latest warfare when Reagan was in Power? Do you know that your President's father GHWB, dances with Saudis (muslims), who support radical islam all over the world and aid terrorists? Do you know the Saudis have invested heavily in this country and your president is the beneficiary of that investment. IF you hate muslims start from Saudi Arabia. Don't send the $30 bn worth of weapons. Send back all the investments they made. Stop benefitting from their cheap oil. Then close your borders to all muslims.

Posted by: viewfromoutside | Aug 15, 2007 11:57:55 AM

Flop house.. lol, haven't heard that word since the 20's.

Posted by: Joe Heinz | Aug 15, 2007 11:59:31 AM

How is it that we spend so much time and lucre to solve these problems, yet end up with stupid results like this report!?

If we had just given Iraqis, and Afghanis the MONEY that we have spent blowing up and occupying their countries for all of these years... what would those results have been?

Posted by: m jackson | Aug 15, 2007 12:03:32 PM

Rather than watching these clusters we should be arresting them and deporting them immediately...why wait until they attack...kick em out and ban Muslims from immigrating to the USA

Posted by: Joey | Aug 15, 2007 12:05:18 PM

What's the problem here? Are we forgetting to be politically correct? Have we lost our sense of multiculturism?
We need to embrace these guys and welcome them into our communities where we can all sing kumbaya.
let's not violate their right to commit violence and mayhem. It's all America'a fault (Bush too) so we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Now go out and buy a bullet proof vest for yourselves.
Idiots...
/sarcasm off

Posted by: JustGreat | Aug 15, 2007 12:08:33 PM

Waaa, waaaa, waaaaaaaaaaa!

Throughout history, evil ideologies have risen up, and thankfully, throughout history remarkably brave individuals, groups, and/or God centered governments have eventually crushed them.

It is our time to step up ladies and gentlemen, for as long as it takes, with whatever it takes, to put down the predominant evil idealogy of our time.

Hopefully, the generations to follow will speak in gratitude of our willingness to confront the evil that threatens our existence and their future.

With that, God Bless our armed forces!

Tony

Posted by: Tony | Aug 15, 2007 12:08:41 PM

just some points to make on the article and some very distorted view points:

- american and european foreign policies have alot to answer for they have helped to loparise the people of the middle east. currently america are supporting Israel with 2.4 billion dollars of aid per year while palistinians (muslems and christian live in isolation and abject poverty and dis aray). the issue of palistine has not been delt with honestely. Amercia are supllying arms to saudia arabia of the tune of 200 billion dollars and the gulf stats of about 12 million dollars and egypt to tune of 13 billion dolars and done forget lonely little isarael of package of about 30 billion dollars of aid over 10 years. maybe just alittle idea instead of funding israel to tune of 30 billion dollars why dopnt hey suport the underclasess the poor of amrica, i am sure this woulkd reduce poverty and resentment amongst those that could be seen as possible recruiting fodder for the radicals.
- radicals are not just brown skinned and speak arabic , but white people that speak irish, european people that speak spanish, black people that speak afircan (catch my drift)

Posted by: lost soulz | Aug 15, 2007 12:09:16 PM

It takes only a few radicals to destroy the lives of many. It takes only a few liberals to do the same. I say we deport both groups.

Posted by: johnk144 | Aug 15, 2007 12:11:55 PM

I am always amused to read comments such as what was written by Jon:

I would say the fact that we haven't been hit since is an example of excellent leadership.

To my recollection it was slightly over 8 years between the first WTC bombing (April 1993) and 9/11. Based on that if we get to February of 2010 without an attack we will be doing at least as well as we did under that leadership.

Bottom line is we are no safer then we have been in years and the war in Iraq has been nothing but a huge drain on this country. It has cost huge sums of borrowed money but more importantly has cost the lives of over 3,800 brave American men and women.

Posted by: Donn | Aug 15, 2007 12:12:13 PM

Why are we "watching" them--until they slip away and strike us?

Whay don't we throw them the hell out of our country???

This is ridiculous.

Posted by: BullDogLvr | Aug 15, 2007 12:13:06 PM

Thank you MrC! Those radicals, who would be locked in an insane asylum, were they American Christians, need to understand the true "American Spirit", not what they hear from Durbin, Pelosi, Reid, Edwards, and Kerry. We won't put up with this! And you "moderate" muslims better understand that. You're with us, or your against us. And so far your silence is deafening. You had better clean up your mess, or we will, and you will get swept up with the rest of the trash.

Posted by: Mike | Aug 15, 2007 12:13:42 PM

Our safety here in our country has always and will always be dependent upon ourselves. You can count on our government to chase and prosecute your murderer, if you want to, but ultimately, your immediate personal and family defense, if you want to live, is ALL UP TO YOU. The Liberals will not be happy until they also take away your ability to defend yourself. Folks.. you know it and