Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > U.S. Citizen Rezwan Ferdaus Arrested In Capitol Bomb Plot Investigation
U.S. Citizen Rezwan Ferdaus Arrested In Capitol Bomb Plot Investigation
October 2, 2011
September 29, 2011 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - Rezwan Ferdaus, a 26 year old U.S. citizen, was arrested yesterday in a plot to bomb the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon.
In addition to the planned attack, Ferdaus was charged with attempting to provide, "...material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically to al Qaeda, in order to carry out attacks on U.S. soldiers stationed overseas," said an FBI press release.
About the case U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz stated, "our top priority is to protect our nation from terrorism and national security threats. The conduct alleged today shows that Mr. Ferdaus had long planned to commit violent acts against our country, including attacks on the Pentagon and our nation's Capitol. Thanks to the diligence of the FBI and our many other law enforcement partners, that plan was thwarted..."
Indicative of this DOJ's extraordinary efforts to tread lightly on the tender sensibilities of the American Muslim community the FBI was quick to add what has become its standard "interfaith" disclaimer, "Mr. Ferdaus' conduct...is not reflective of a particular culture, community, or religion." How Ms. Ortiz knows what ideology might have motivated Mr. Ferdaus was not made clear during the press conference.
According to the FBI statement, "The affidavit alleges the following: Ferdaus, a Northeastern University graduate with a degree in physics, began planning to commit a violent "jihad" against the U.S. in early 2010. He obtained mobile phones, each of which he modified to act as an electrical switch for an IED. He then supplied the phones to FBI UCs, who he believed to be members of, or recruiters for, al Qaeda. According to the affidavit, Ferdaus believed that the devices would be used to kill American soldiers overseas. During a June 2011 meeting, he appeared gratified when he was told that his first phone detonation device had killed three U.S. soldiers and injured four or five others in Iraq. Ferdaus responded, 'That was exactly what I wanted.'"
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