7 People arrested in Florida in Suspected Terrorist Plot against the Sears Tower

Terrorist foiled again in the United States. The best defense sometimes is a great offense. Seven people were arrested in connection with the early stages of a plot to attack Chicago’s Sears Tower and other buildings in the US. The ongoing investigation is supposed to result in a number of arrests and searches” in Miami.

The official told The Associated Press the alleged plotters were mainly Americans with no apparent ties to al-Qaida or other foreign terrorist organizations. He spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt news conferences planned for Friday in Washington and Miami.

(AP via Yahoo News)

Officials stated that there were no bombs or bomb making equipment seized; the arrests were performed to disrupt a plot in its early stages and to prevent domestic terrorism. The people taken into custody, you guessed it … members of a radical Muslim group. Oh, and one illegal alien. I guess the Haitian illegal immigrant was just in the US doing the job that Americans did not want to do.

Law enforcement sources told CNN that some of the suspects are members of a radical Muslim group and that at least one had taken “an al Qaeda oath.” They had carried out surveillance on the Sears Tower and FBI building in Miami, the sources said.

Federal law enforcement sources said five of the seven men were Americans, one was an illegal immigrant from Haiti whose visa had expired and the seventh was a resident alien.

Federal Agents Raid Suspected Terror Cell in Miami

FBI arrests seven in terrorism plot -source (Reuters)

The source, elaborating on a statement on the operation from Florida authorities, said the suspects had thought they were dealing with the international al Qaeda group but had been infiltrated by a U.S. government informant.

“In the past couple of days, the U.S. government has taken into custody seven people who were conspiring to conduct jihad (holy war) in the United States,” the law enforcement source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Other Bloggers covering the story:

Allahpundit, a great round up of information

The Gateway Pundit, This is nothing new for southern Florida …

“South Florida has been linked to several terrorism investigations in the past. Several of the Sept. 11 hijackers lived and trained in the area, including ring-leader Mohamed Atta.”

Michelle Malkin, JIHAD IN MIAMI