The Terrorist Plot In The US We Don't Hear About

I found this through Instapundit, who mentioned that this story doesn't seem to have gotten much coverage. The original arrests took place in 2005; the sentencing was this week:

Second Man Involved in Domestic Terrorism Plot Targeting Military, Jewish Facilities Sentenced to Prison

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man recruited to join a domestic terrorist cell that was plotting to attack United States military facilities, "infidels," and Israeli and Jewish targets in the Los Angeles area as part of a "jihad" was sentenced today to more than 12½ years in federal prison.

Gregory Patterson, 24, of Gardena, was sentenced to 151 months in prison by United States District Judge Cormac J. Carney. Last month, another man recruited into the terror plot, Levar Washington, 30, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Patterson and Washington pleaded guilty in December to conspiring to wage war against the United States and a weapons charge. Patterson also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence

The man who organized the terror cell – Kevin James, who formed the group he called Jam’iyyat Ul-Islam Is-Saheeh, or JIS, while in a California state prison – also pleaded guilty last year to the terrorism conspiracy charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2009.

In plea agreements filed in federal court, James, Washington and Patterson admitted that they conspired "to levy war against the government of the United States through terrorism, and to oppose by force the authority of the United States government."

The fourth member of JIS named in an indictment – Hammad Samana – has been found unfit to stand trial and is currently receiving psychiatric care at a federal prison facility.

This comes from a Department of Justice Press Release, which mentions the targets of the group:

Samana researched targets and prepared a document called "Modes of Attack." The document listed "LAX and Consulate of Zion," "Military Targets," "Army Recruiting centers throughout the county," "Military base in Manhattan Beach" and "Campsite of Zion."

If this isn't clear enough, an article from The Daily Breeze is helpful:

A "Modes of Attack" document detailed their targets, including El Al Airlines at Los Angeles International Airport, a military base in Manhattan Beach and Jewish synagogues on the High Holy Days.

Imagine that--attacking both El Al and synagogues. Could there be a connection between Anti-Zionism and Anti-Semitism? In any case, that first target should sound familiar. Remember the attack there back on July 4, 2002?

A gunman opened fire Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport while standing in line at the ticket counter of Israel's El Al Airlines, officials said, killing two and wounding four others before an airline security officer shot him dead.

Authorities identified the gunman as 41-year-old Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who came to the United States from Egypt in 1992 and had been living in Irvine, California, for the last two years.

At the time, there was disagreement between the US and Israel whether Hadayet's actions were those of a premeditated terrorist attack, or a lone gunman's hate crime. By September, a Federal report came out that it was a terrorist attack. On April 2003, CNN reported that both the FBI and The Department of Justice agreed on the findings of that report.

Hadayet's attack differs markedly from the uncovered cell. Acting as a lone terrorist, Hadayet is far more similar to the 2 Israeli Arabs who committed terrorist attacks this month. Both in Israel and the US, the lone wolf terrorist is more successful than the terrorist cells.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Kevin James and JIS.