Kennedy Airport Terror Plot Thwarted

[Midnight Mike]

NEW YORK -- According to NewsChannel4's Jonathan Dienst, sources said federal investigators have made arrests in an alleged terror plot on Kennedy Airport.

Four people have been charged. One is in custody in New York.

Sources said the plot involved a plan to blow up a jet-fuel pipeline at JFK setting off a potential massive explosion.

Law enforcement officials said the plot may involved a former airport worker.

A press conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. this afternoon.

Stay with WNBC.com for the latest on this developing story.

[mirrodie]

Wow, can I just tell you how much this sucks?

Not even an hour ago, I was looking at an overview photo of JFK. And I though, wow, wouldn't it be great to somehow get that old rooftop parking lot open again for parking and spotting? Just increase security and do it.

And then something like this brings to reality that thing will never return to what they were.

[nwafan20]

But everyone has to admit, good work on the officials to discover this plot. It goes to show the Patriot act is working.

[PHL Approach]

But everyone has to admit, good work on the officials to discover this plot. It goes to show the Patriot act is working.

Doesn't mean they used it. They are just finally doing their jobs! That's all that needed to be done. They didnt need an act.

[Matt Molnar]

News conference at 1pm.

This will certainly lead to stepped up police awareness at area airports.

[SengaB]

Yummy
Our Hobby hits a all new low now....Here we go again...

Senga

[PhilDernerJr]

Senga, how is our hobby hitting an all new low? I don't see the connection. Maybe security might be stepped up a bit, but nothing beyond that.

The thing that angers me is what CNN reporters keep saying about how bad security must be, since one of the suspects was a former airport worker. I challenge them to find a background check that can figure out if a person is angry or not. If a person has no record, there is littel that cna be done....unless the government were to gather info about their internet activity and such, which the very same people say we shouldn't do.

These reporters continue to blame governemtn agencies, as though this happened becuase someone wasn't doing their jobs. Ont he contrary, we did another great job of thwarting an attack, and having prevented this country from being onthe receiving end of any domestic terrorism since the wake up call of 9/11.

Yet, they put zero blame on the actual Islamic extremists. They think that airport security is the problem, meanwhile there are still many peopel out there who will still want to do us harm in our own nation, regardless of how much security we implement.

Not to mention that this attack had little to do with anything that is beyond TSA security at the airport.

[Midnight Mike]

The thing that angers me is what CNN reporters keep saying about how bad security must be, since one of the suspects was a former airport worker. I challenge them to find a background check that can figure out if a person is angry or not. If a person has no record, there is littel that can be done....unless the government were to gather info about their internet activity and such, which the very same people say we shouldn't do.

These reporters continue to blame government agencies, as though this happened because someone wasn't doing their jobs.

The media will always blame the government, got to blame somebody & the government is always on the front line.

People do not accept that these things can happen, if something bad happens people want to know who is at fault, who to blame, & to who hate.

Lastly, much of these media take every opportunity to blame the government & then watch how its gets spun to blame the President....

[AirtrafficController]

they should do more background checks for airport workers

[Mellyrose]

they should do more background checks for airport workers

First of all:

...I challenge them to find a background check that can figure out if a person is angry or not. If a person has no record, there is littel that can be done....unless the government were to gather info about their internet activity and such, which the very same people say we shouldn't do.......Not to mention that this attack had little to do with anything that is beyond TSA security at the airport.

Also, I assure you, airport workers are put through extensive background checks. NOTHING is foolproof.

[T-Bird76]

This has nothing to do with our hobby at all and in-fact these clowns were under investigation since Jan, we've been spotting since then. I'm sure if they wanted to crack down they would have already.

The good news here is they stopped these jackwags, I wonder what stage this plan was in though and if these guys really had the means to carry it out. It seems some of our past hype led to figures who couldn't rob a purse from a 90 year old wheelchair bound blind woman. In any event good to get these wackos off the street.

[hiss srq]

Cheers to law enforcement number one. Number two though, backroundchecks NWA. Do you realize it take two months alone worth of screening just to receive my security clearnces I have currently? It takes roughly three total from when an airline actually confirms you have the job untill you actually have full credentials to do all the thing what ever you job might require you to do. As a part 135 pilot as well we also have backround checks involved. We are not flying big commercial jets most of the time but we still require backround checks. They go through your life top to bottom.

[mirrodie]

Yummy
Our Hobby hits a all new low now....Here we go again...

Senga

I think what Senga is saying is that as a result of this, spotting may have just gotten harder. (Senga, please chime in and correct me if I am wrong) I assume he means we will now be watched more closely as a result of these events.


But...if I am right in interpreting what he's saying, I hope you are wrong Senga, since this has nothing to do with spotters.

But it does affect us anyway, hence why the parking garage won't be open atop JFK anytime soon.

[T-Bird76]

Yummy
Our Hobby hits a all new low now....Here we go again...

Senga

I think what Senga is saying is that as a result of this, spotting may have just gotten harder. (Senga, please chime in and correct me if I am wrong) I assume he means we will now be watched more closely as a result of these events.


But...if I am right in interpreting what he's saying, I hope you are wrong Senga, since this has nothing to do with spotters.

But it does affect us anyway, hence why the parking garage won't be open atop JFK anytime soon.

Well if some of use aren't racing around JFK jumping out of our car taking a picture and racing away, we wouldn't have to worry about being watched. There's nothing wrong with spotting in the areas Phil has on this site, they are public and out in the open.

[Tom_Turner]

Here's a little bit more of the story.. I love how at the end it is concluded to be "the latest HOMEGROWN terrorist attack to be foiled" when the creep is from Guyana. How all these people that HATE The United States are allowed to become citizens is amazing. Just ask them a few quetions and I am sure many will share their views openly.

But anyway, to Senga's pont...
_____________________________________________
The suspects allegedly had taken surveillance video and photos of the targets, as well as researched the targets on the internet.
______________________________________________

Some percentage of any "added"/"new" security and Capt Americas will eat this up....

I am glad if airport jobs are getting harder to get, but last I knew many hundreds of workers are illegal aliens...many rounded up in raids of major airports across the country.

What about all those cabbies at JFK? They are not "airport workers", but they're there all the time doing whatever they need to do.

_________________________________________________

Brooklyn Man Among Four Charged In Plot To Blow Up JFK

June 02, 2007

Three people have been arrested and one other is being sought in a plot to blow up John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Law enforcement officials said Saturday at a press conference in Lower Manhattan that the plot, which never got passed the planning stage, involved a plan to set off explosives in a jet fuel pipeline that feeds through the airport and runs through residential neighborhoods.

According to a law enforcement source, the 40-mile pipeline brings aviation fuel from a facility in Linden, New Jersey, through Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens to the airport.

"[The line] is indeed the feeding tube that nourishes national and international commerce at JKF and LaGuardia," said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Former airport cargo worker Russell Defreitas, a U.S. citizen from Guyana, was arrested last night in Brooklyn, New York. He was arraigned this afternoon at Brooklyn Federal Court.

It was revealed during the arraignment that the plot also included plans to put an explosive on an airplane and to put one in or near a terminal.

In a raid of his apartment yesterday, authorities did not recover any explosives.

During a recorded conversation following one of the surveillance missions, Defreitas, known as the plan's mastermind, allegedly predicted that the attack would result in the destruction of the “whole of Kennedy.”

"Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the most hurtful thing to the United States,” allegedly said Defreitas in a recorded conversation. “To hit John F Kennedy, wow, they love John F Kennedy. Like, he's the man. If you hit that, this whole country will be in mourning. It’s like you can kill the man twice."

According to a release put out by the Department of Justice Saturday, in May 2007, Defreitas allegedly compared the planned attack to the September 11th terrorist attacks, but there is no proof so far that the suspects are connected to al-Qaeda.

"Even the Twin Towers can't touch it," said Defreitas. "This can destroy the economy of America for some time.”

Sources say Defreitas recruited an FBI informant to help plan the attack. He reportedly met with a radical group in Trinidad, where two other men, Abdul Kadir and Kareem Ibrahim, have reportedly been arrested.

Kadir, an engineer by training, is a citizen of Guyana and served as a Guyana mayor and member of the parliament.

Abdel Nur of Guyana is in fugitive status and is believed to be in Trinidad; he is being sought for extradition.

The suspects allegedly had taken surveillance video and photos of the targets, as well as researched the targets on the internet.

The plot has been in the works since January 2006.

FBI, NYPD, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, officials said that the suspects presented their plans to terrorist groups across South America. They were described to have a "clear signature of persistence."

"The devastation that would have been caused had this plot succeeded is just unthinkable,” said U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf. “The charges that were filed today give you a window into how these plots come about.”

“This plot was only in its planning stages and at no point was anyone in imminent danger," reiterated Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement. "New Yorkers should be comforted that the layers of safety provided by counterterrorism officials stopped these individuals before they could do any harm to our way of life.”

Sources also say the reason the arrests took place at this time was because the suspects had plans to travel.

According to the report released by the DOJ, JFK handles over 1,000 flights daily, and handles approximately 45 million passengers annually.

The case is being prosecuted by the Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Knox and Marshall L. Miller. If convicted, each suspect faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

This is the latest homegrown terrorist attack to be foiled. Last month, six people were arrested and charged with an attempt to blow up Fort Dix in New Jersey.