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INITIATIVE
Domestic Terrorism Post-9/11 (2001-2011)
During the ten years following September 11th, 2001 there were over 100 incidents of "home-grown" or domestic terrorism in the United States. To provide a valuable resource on this topic, the Crime Commission has compiled an extensive database of incidents including attacks, plots, support for, membership in, or connections with a terrorist organization. While information about terrorist incidents are available elsewhere, both on and off the Internet, the Crime Commission's database is unique in providing a centralized, concise, user-friendly, and visually engaging informational resource on domestic terrorism. read more »
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January 7, 2012
Tampa, FL
Sami Osmakac
Plot: Bomb
Plot: Firearm
None Confirmed
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Florida Resident Plots to Bomb Crowded Locations in Tampa
Sami Osmakac, 25, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Kosovo, allegedly developed a plot to attack highly populated locations in Tampa, FL, with weapons including bombs and firearms.
Authorities were tipped off in September 2011 by a confidential human source, receiving information which indicated that Osmakac had asked for Al Qaeda flags. The source reported that Osmakac discussed potential targets where he planned to perform violent attacks. This information initiated a five month investigation which ended with a sting operation. Osmakac allegedly bought explosives and firearms from an undercover FBI agent (weapons were made inoperable), providing a down payment of $500. He met with the agent and revealed his intentions to buy Uzi sub-machine guns, an AK-47-style machine gun, large capacity ammunition magazines, grenades and an explosive belt. Osmakac claimed that he wanted to build bombs to be set off remotely in crowded areas such as nightclubs and pubs. He also would allegedly target the Operations Center of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office in Ybor City and a business in the South Tampa area of Tampa, Florida. He then allegedly planned to follow the bombings up with an attack using his other weapons. Osmakac recorded an eight-minute video prior to meeting with the agent to purchase the weapons. In the video he expressed his belief that Muslim blood is more valuable than the blood of those who do not practice the Islam faith. He said that he wanted payback for the wrong done to Muslims. Osmakac was arrested right after meeting with the agent, while preparing to drive-off with the weapons.
Sami Osmakac was arrested on January 7, 2012. A grand jury for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida indicted Osmakac on February 2, 2012, on charges including the of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and possession of an unregistered firearm. He awaits trial, if convicted, he could be fined $250,000 and imprisoned for life.
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February 17, 2012
Washington, DC
Amine El Khalifi
Plot: Suicide Bombing
None Confirmed
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Moroccan national plots suicide bombing at U.S. Capitol
Alexandria, VA, resident Amine El Khalifi, a Moroccan national living illegally in the U.S. on an expired tourist visa from 1999 allegedly planned a suicide bombing at the U.S. Capitol Building.
The FBI Washington Field Office's Joint Terrorism Task Force was running an undercover operation closely monitoring El Khalifi. The investigation began in January 2011 when a confidential informant reported that El Khalifi met with a group of individuals at a residence in Arlington, VA. During this meeting, weapons including an AK-47 and two revolvers were present, and El Khalifi agreed with statements made referring to the "war on terrorism" being a "war on Muslims." On December 1, 2011, El Khalifi was introduced to two undercover law enforcement officers whom he believed to be part of an armed extremist group. He allegedly expressed to these undercover officers his intentions to carry out a bombing attack on targets including a synagogue, a building containing U.S. military officers, U.S. Army generals, and a restaurant where many military officers frequent. On January 7, 2012, one of the undercover officers informed El Khalifi that he was an Al Qaeda operative, and the two came to an agreement that El Khalifi's planned attacks against a military installation and a restaurant bombing would be part of an Al Qaeda operation. Court records state that on January 15, 2012, El Khalifi allegedly changed the target and method of his plot to instead be a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol Building which he indicated would occur on February 17, 2012. Throughout the next month he allegedly made several trips to the U.S. Capitol Building to conduct surveillance of the area and plot his attack accordingly. On February 17, 2012, El Khalifi allegedly entered a parking garage near the U.S. Capitol Building armed with a MAC-10 automatic firearm and a vest which he believed to be a bomb. Both weapons were made inoperable by law enforcement. While walking toward the U.S. Capitol Building, before even exiting the parking garage, El Khalifi was arrested and taken into custody.
On February 17, 2012, federal agents arrested Amine El Khalifi and he was charged by criminal complaint in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia with attempt to use a weapon of mass destruction. El Khalifi appeared in court for a hearing on February 22, 2012, during which time he waived his right to a detention hearing, as well as his right to a preliminary hearing. On June 22, 2012, El Khalifi waived indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. El Khalifi admitted in court to plotting with undercover agents he believed were members of Al Qaeda and volunteering to run a suicide operation at the Capitol. On September 14, 2012, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
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August 5, 2012
Oak Creek, WI
Wade Michael Page
Attack: Firearm
White Supremacy
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Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Mass Shooting
Around 10:30 AM, Wade Michael Page, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran, opened fire in the parking lot of a Sikh temple, then entered the building shooting congregants gathering for Sunday meditation. He killed six and injured three, including a responding officer, before committing suicide.
Police officers arrived on the scene in response to 911 calls. The FBI is leading the investigation, which is being treated as a possible act of domestic terrorism. Advocacy groups have linked Page to white supremacy organizations and multiple white power music bands. According to media reports, Wade served in the U.S. Army from 1992 until 1998, when he was given an other-than-honorable discharge or general discharge. Before his discharge from the military, he had been demoted from sergeant to specialist. In 1994, while stationed at Fort Bliss in Texas, he was arrested by El Paso police, and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. A few weeks before the shooting, Page purchased a Springfield Armory XD(M) 9mm semiautomatic handgun and three 19-round large capacity ammunition magazines from a federal firearms licensed dealer in nearby West Allis, WI.
(also see: Mass Shooting Incidents in America)
Wade committed suicide after being shot by police at the scene.
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October 17, 2012
New York, NY
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis
Plot: Bomb
Anwar al-Awlaki,
Al Qaeda
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Bangladeshi Student Plots to Bomb the Federal Reserve Bank in New York City
Queens resident, Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, a Bangladesh citizen in the U.S. on a student visa, attempted to bomb the Federal Reserve Bank in lower Manhattan on behalf of Al Qaeda.
The arrest of Nafis was the result of an undercover investigation by the FBI New York Field Office's Joint Terrorism Task Force. Court records state, in January 2012 Nafis entered the U.S. on a student visa to attend Missouri Southern State University. Several months later Nafis moved to Queens, NY. In July 2012, Nafis contacted a confidential informant to who he expressed his desire to wage violent jihad against the U.S. Over the next few weeks, Nafis, an unnamed co-conspirator (who has also been arrested), and the confidential informant communicated via telephone and social media to discuss plans to conduct a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. In mid-July 2012, the confidential informant introduced Nafis to an undercover officer purporting to be a member of Al Qaeda. In August 2012, Nafis informed the undercover officer that he selected Manhattan's Financial District as the target for his attack on behalf of Al Qaeda. Developing his plan over the following weeks, Nafis began to acquire bomb-making materials in early October. The undercover officer provided 1,000 pounds of what Nafis believed to be explosive material. On October 17, 2012, Nafis assembled the purported bomb and loaded it into a vehicle, and drove with the undercover officer to the New York Federal Reserve Bank. During the drive Nafis explained he was influenced by the sermons of Anwar al-Awlaki (a radical cleric who declared war on the U.S. in 2010). After parking the vehicle with the purported bomb armed with a remote detonator, Nafis and the undercover officer went to a nearby hotel to film a video statement Nafis wanted make about the attack, during which he stated, "We will not stop until we attain victory or martyrdom". After recording the statement, Nafis attempted to detonate the purported bomb. He was then placed under arrest.
Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis was arrested on October 17, 2012. A criminal complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on October 17, 2012, charging Nafis with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to Al Qaeda. He was indicted on the same two charges on November 15, 2012. On February 7, 2013, Nafis pleaded guilty to all charges. Nafis was sentenced to 30 years in prison on August 9, 2013.
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