When Terrorism is Nothing More than Complete Stupidity … Ask Brooklyn’s Dennis Alvarto

What was Dennis Alvarto thinking? In a post 9–11 world and with the United States in a heightened state of awareness following the terrorism events transpiring in England, 35 year old Dennis Alvarto decided to illegally sell gas when his vehicle caught fire. Shades of burning cars in front of airports. As it turns out, it was not terrorism, just stupidity.

A Mexican man sparked fears of terrorism in Brooklyn last night when his minivan containing a tank with 80 gallons of gasoline caught fire, cops said.

Dennis Alvareto, 35, was illegally reselling the gas out of his 350-gallon capacity van on McDonald Avenue near Avenue C in Kensington – almost directly in front of a Yeshiva and near a Mosque – when the fuel pump ignited at about 8:50 p.m., they said.

He yanked the hose out of the tank and drove away, then returned to put out the burning hose with a bucket of water, witnesses said. (NY POST)

Terrorism Strikes at Glasgow, Scotland Airport … SUV crashes into Airport … Suspects Arrested

A day after two terrorists bombs in London, England … terrorism strikes Glasgow as an SUV on fires drives into the Glasgow Airport. Two men have been arrested after their Jeep Cherokee rammed the airport.

Two men rammed a flaming Jeep Cherokee into the main terminal of Glasgow airport Saturday, crashing into the glass doors at the entrance in what police are treating as a potential terror attack linked to the two car bombs found in London, Scottish Police Chief Constable Willie Rae said.

Hours after the Glasgow attack, Britain raised its security alert to “critical” — the highest level possible and an indication that terrorist attacks are imminent. U.S. airports increased safety precautions. (Fox News)

 (Hat Tip:Klaas)

One the eve of the 4th of July holiday in the United States following the terrorism attempts in London and Glasgow, there will be tighter security at US Airports.

BBC: Blazing car crashes into airport

CNN: U.K. terror alert level ‘critical’

Prime Minister Brown: ‘Be United, Resolute And Strong’

Gordon Brown has warned the British people to be vigilant and told them to remain “united, resolute and strong”.

The UK is now at its highest threat level – meaning further attacks are expected “imminently”. (SKY News)

Bloggers covering the terrorism taking place across The Pond:

• The Gateway Pundit: The travelers shouted, “Let him burn!” as one of the flaming terrorists tried to flee from the scene of the blast.
• Hot Air: Scottish cops believe incident is linked to car bomb plot
• Jawa Report: Must be those damn rightwing Christians again.
• Black Five: England … Yesterday was interesting, today just upped the ante. Be careful out there
• Blogs of War: it’s obvious that people are still shocked by this. As if it’s truly unexpected when it most certainly shouldn’t be.
• Little Green Footballs: Attack on Glasgow Airport

UPDATE I: U.K. Police Make 5th Terror Arrest

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) – Police searched several houses near Glasgow’s airport and made a fifth arrest Sunday in connection with a fiery attack on its main terminal and foiled car bombings in London, which the prime minister suggested were carried out by terrorists linked to al-Qaida.

The terrorist threat that Britain faces is “long-term and sustained,” Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a nationally televised interview. It is clear, he said, “that we are dealing, in general terms, with people who are associated with al-Qaida.”

Tunnel Across Border Found In Building Guarded By Mexican Treasury Officials

Is it any wonder why we are having the issues with illegal immigration when a building guarded by Mexican Treasury Officials is found to have a tunnel under the border in Tijuana?

This is the biggest problem we face as a country, not immigration or terrorism, but that we expect other nations to play by the same ethical and moral rules that we do. So we set up a level of behavior for our soldiers and border agents to follow that essentially makes them ineffective.

And for our soldiers serving overseas, sitting targets. Combine that with a media that is obsessed with any misstep of our troops and delights in the evening body count.

My heart goes out to these border agents and soldiers. They are fighting a battle against unethical people being held to the highest ethical standards in the history of armed forces. And they have harpies ready to pounce on them the minute they screw up. While I am not advocating a lawless military or police services, we also must give these people the tools and leeway to win.

More than 50 tunnels have been discovered under the US-Mexico border. Increased border surveillance following 9-11 is thought to have prompted drug smugglers to go underground to avoid detection.
The latest discovery was made inside an area guarded by Mexican Treasury Department officials. Officials are investigating how the 32-foot long tunnel was able to operate so close to where federal officials were on duty. via KTRE-TV

Here’s an Article you will not find on the Caribbean at your Travel Agency

When people think of the Caribbean they think of white sandy beaches, warm  blue water and rum. What they usually so not even consider is the following real problems  that exist, drugs, money laundering, human trafficking and the latest, terrorism. The article, “Caribbean has greater dangers than radical Islam”, will certainly open one’s eyes.

“The main cross border concerns continue to be drug running, financial crime and people trafficking,” said Chris Zambelis, Caribbean expert at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington.

“We are dealing with small cells without a track record. This is not just a threat in the Caribbean, but part of a great decentralized effort, untraditional in nature,” said Stephen Sloan of the University of Central Florida. “In the Caribbean we find confusing linkages with organized crime.”

Several Caribbean Muslims said the alleged involvement of Jamaat Al Muslimeen showed radicalism was less likely among Muslims of Asian descent, by far the Islamic majority in the former British colonies of Guyana and Trinidad.

The United States has at times identified the Lebanese Muslim community on Venezuela’s Caribbean island of Margarita as a danger, saying funds were raised there for the Shi’ite Muslim Hezbollah group. (Yahoo News)

What a far different image than the brochures handed out by the tourism industry. Granted there is crime everywhere; however, there is usually never such a concerted effort to hide the dark underbelly. A subtle reminder to people, just because you are on vacation in a tropical paradise  does not make it safe.

4 Arrested in Terror Plot to Blow Up Jet Fuel at JFK Airport

So there is no terror threat to the United States anymore, so said Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards. So Mr. Edwards, do you still think the “war on terror is just a bumper sticker”?

So our government and authorities are doing nothing to prevent terror threats to the US? So our country is no safer today than it was before 9–11? To all those detractors, maybe they want to rethink their comments. Four people were charged in a plot to blow up jet fuel at JFK airport.

Four people have been charged. Three suspects are in custody: Russell Defreitas, Kareem Ibrihim and Abdul Kadir. Abdul Nur is still at large.

Defreitas is to be arraigned Saturday in Brooklyn on terror conspiracy charges.

Sources said Defreitas, a former cargo worker at JFK allegedly began to plot attacking the US last July or August. Defeitas sought help in carrying out a plan and went to an FBI informant, who gathered information about the plot.

U.S. Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf called it “one of the most chilling plots imaginable.”

“The devastation that would be caused had this plot succeeded is just unthinkable,” she said at a news conference. (MSNBC)

VIDEO

4 charged in JFK Airport terror plot

An official said the plotters had conducted surveillance on giant jet fuel tanks at JFK and the pipeline. They had taken surveillance video of the targets and took it to Trinidad to review the tape, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the arrests were not yet announced.

The official said investigators first found out about the plot in January 2006. After that, an informant infiltrated the group.

“This was the ultimate hand-and-glove operation between NYPD and FBI,” said U.S. Rep. Peter King, a Republican from Long Island.

The arrests mark the latest in a series of alleged home grown terrorism plots targeting high-profile American landmarks. (Yahoo News)

Um, easy with that term “home grown” terrorism MSM. Home grown refers to those born in the US, not those that were born elsewhere and infiltrated the US by becoming US citizens. I hardly see any Smith orJones among the following names: Russell Defreitas, Kareem Ibrihim, Abdul Kadir and Abdul Nur.  

More from Little Green Footballs,  Q and O, and The Counter Terrorism blog. The complaint can be read HERE.

Read more