Toronto Terror, London Terror, Chicago Terror, NY Terror - all entrapment? New York Bomb Plot Uncovered - July 8, 2006 Coincidence, or what? Tunnel plot accused talked about setting fires The Lebanese man accused of plotting to destroy and flood Hudson River train tunnels also discussed the possibility of setting wildfires in California to inflict harm on the United States, a federal official said Monday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said wildfires were "only part of their planning discussions. No steps were taken to carry it out." YYC: The leakage has begun, just as in the Toronto arrests.  Anonymous sources and "neighbours" will make these guys look as bad as possible.  Next thing you know, we'll find out they planned to behead Bush's new best friend "Steve" Harper.      Not very bright of them to talk about wearing backpacks to do their business in the NY tunnels.  Whoever infiltrated this group must have really wanted these guys to be shot on sight.  Or whoever made up the leak story had no imagination.      This article from the NYDaily continues the gossip with blather from his students, some whom may or may not have happy with their marks.  But the final paragraph says: His terror cell included "an individual who had high-level connections to a Jordanian associate of Zarqawi,"... "The intermediary wanted [the Zarqawi aide's] blessing and money."       The underlining of the word "intermediary" is my doing.  Sounds more like a sting all the time - one wonders if the "intermediary" bought Assem any boots or military fatigues, or was about to order up some fertilizer in his name - and resorting to the mythological Zarqawi was just plain silly.      Watch the video of Mohamed Harkat's July 10 news conference if you're interested in seeing a real, live accused terrorist and his lawyer blow holes in that kind of argument.      As to the speculation that Assem Hammoud was only pretending to be westernized to hide his Al  Qaeda connections, I am reminded that when Robert Fisk was in Ottawa in June 2004, he seemed convinced that if left alone many Muslims would eventually become westernized.  They just don't like it forced upon them.  I personally know Muslims who would agree with that, so I'm not impressed by that particular leakage. CBC: N.Y. attack suspect attended Canadian university YYC: That'll do it, allright.  This guy has done nothing.  All they have is a confession that he was planning to do something:  "During the investigation, Assem Hammoud admitted that he was planning to go to Pakistan for four months for training on the implementation of this operation".  Can you imagine the conditions under which he gave it?      I wonder which one of his group is the agent provacateur.     The Al Qaeda busters have finally found an answer to the overt un-religious behaviours of so many "terrorists" described as religious extremists: But he was not an al-Qaeda member, his mother said, citing his Western lifestyle. However, Lebanon's internal security forces discounted that, saying in a communiqué Saturday that he was hiding his true nature. "[Al-Qaeda] requested from him not to show any religious tendencies during his stay in Lebanon and to give the picture of a frivolous and uncommitted youth," the communiqué said.      Al Qaeda has told its operatives to commit mortal sin - even as they are about to die.  When you're mythical, you can do just about anything.      You'd think Al Qaeda would teach these guys to clear out their hard drives, though.  Even I am smart enough to dump my temporary internet files after Googling for thermite, terrorists and information on how to make a bomb from fertilizer!  Everybody who reads the news has done that!  I'm keeping my maps of Ottawa right where they are, though.  There is no crime in having maps of Ottawa - unless they can force a confession out of me.  I wonder if they could.  I'm awfully stubborn.  I think they'd have to kill me to stop me from laughing at the script. CTV: FBI uncovers plot to attack New York City tunnels "Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities acting on a request from the United States have arrested a man who is accused of being one of the plotters." ... "This is ongoing, that's why I've said nothing about it until now," King said. "It would have been better if this had not been disclosed." YYC:  Then why was it disclosed?  I think we all know the answer to that.      Coming across this CTV article right after reading the BBC quotes from the Middle Eastern newspapers is another one of those odd little synchronicities that sometimes occur.  I was puzzled by one of the quotes that asked: "When will the Arab peoples bring down the defeated regimes affiliated to the US and Israel?"  I can only assume that Lebanon is one of the states referred to.  Perhaps Lebanon is playing Pakistan in helping to keep certain US myths alive, while allowing Israel to pretend it is fighting the "war on terror" by killing Palestinians and threatening Syria? yayacanada