September 13, 2002

11:39 PM

How many more terrorist cells are out there? Living less than half an hour from Lakawanna, where a group of men trained by Al Queda were just arrested, I'm rather nervous.
I couldn't help but be reminded of another another recent thread when MSNBC reported that the men were turned in by the local Muslim community.
posted by Kellydamnit (19 comments total)

Sorry for only managing MSNBC and CNN links on this, hopefully the local paper will cover it tomorrow. I live less than half an hour from Lakawanna (they're just South of Buffalo, I'm just North of it), so this is big news around here.
I'm sure I've abused my FPPs more than enough, seeing how many I've posted since joining. But... well, when a supposed terrorist cell is busted so close to home it's hard not to talk about it.
I suspect locals will go back to being very nervous soon, like they were after last 9/11. Because of the massive hydro plant on the Niagara River much of the Northeast US and Eastern Canada gets electricity from this area, and it was seen as a potential target for some time.
posted by Kellydamnit at 11:44 PM on September 13, 2002

Well, its not like they are going to nuke their homes or something. The 9/11 hijackers lived in Florida and attacked NYC and Arlington, VA.

I personaly wouldn't worry about living next door to terrorists. Unless they thought I suspected them...
posted by delmoi at 12:54 AM on September 14, 2002

These guys seem to be support rather than actual bombers.

 Khalid Qazi, president of the American Muslim Council of Western New York, said he was told that the investigation started when the local Muslim community reported suspicious activities to the FBI.

This is reassuring, and how it should be done. It should also dispel racial profiling accusations.
posted by donkeyschlong at 1:07 AM on September 14, 2002

Also, the CNN article say they weren't an active cell. It's possible they "came in from the cold" some time ago. that happens.
posted by donkeyschlong at 1:14 AM on September 14, 2002

I live in Buffalo (although I'm originally from northern NY), so this is a little freaky to me too. There are a lot of Somalis living in the city, especially in my neighborhood, so I'm really hoping that there isn't a nativist backlash against them. Side note: I wonder if the people around here will be able to distinguish between the Somalis (many if not most of whom are refugees) and the suspects, who are originally from Yemen.

Intellectually, I agree with delmoi that a cell in western NY doesn't mean there were any attacks planned in western NY. But still, it's hard to shake that "My gosh, if they can be in [insert local post-industrial blue-collar suburb here], they could be anywhere!" feeling.

Lastly, I find it pretty funny that the brother of one of the accused defends his brother by mentioning his job -- as a telemarketer. Is that supposed to endear America to him?
posted by skoosh at 4:25 AM on September 14, 2002

It instills no uncertain amount of faith in me to hear that a Muslim group turned these people in, if that indeed does turn out to be the case.

The scary part is, small towns, (rather than urban ares with multiple connections and somewhat more anonymity) seem to be the preferred locales.
posted by hama7 at 4:38 AM on September 14, 2002

I'm curious how close to Lackawanna you have to live in order to spell it right...
posted by anser at 5:19 AM on September 14, 2002

Obviously a Lackawanna wannabe.
posted by ParisParamus at 5:36 AM on September 14, 2002

Lackawanna has a big Yemeni community, and a bigger unemployed-angry-white-people community (left over from the collapse of Bethlehem Steel and other heavy industries that once employed most of South Buffalo and Lackawanna).

Here's hoping the arrests don't prompt Arab-whacking contests in South Buffalo.

A year from now, it will be interesting to look back on what information the FBI had (if available) and the result. Perhaps by then the U.S. will have convicted an al-Quaida agent.
posted by sacre_bleu at 6:07 AM on September 14, 2002

Lackawanna? How Erie.
posted by ParisParamus at 6:10 AM on September 14, 2002

In a kind of related note, did you notice how the brother of one of those detained was maintaining his brothers innocence?

You never read in the paper something like "Yeah, I knew my brother was a stone cold killer from the day my mom brought him home from the hospital. Look at those beady eyes."

Not that these guys ARE killers or anything, it's just an observation about human nature.

Personally, I KNOW my sister is evil. From the day I caught her kicking our pomeranian. If they catch her after killing a bunch of people, I won't be surprised in the least.

How well do we really know anyone?
posted by geekhorde at 7:51 AM on September 14, 2002

Khalid Qazi, president of the American Muslim Council of Western New York, said he was told that the investigation started when the local Muslim community reported suspicious activities to the FBI.

Yeah, but what is the Muslim community actually doing to show us they don't support the terrorists?
posted by UKnowForKids at 8:18 AM on September 14, 2002

You never read in the paper something like "Yeah, I knew my brother was a stone cold killer from the day my mom brought him home from the hospital. Look at those beady eyes."

Uh, sometimes you do.
posted by herc at 9:01 AM on September 14, 2002

Yeah, but what is the Muslim community actually doing to show us they don't support the terrorists?

Uhhh...well, stuff like this for starters. You don't usually turn people in if you support what they're doing. Would you like the Muslim community to also go over to their house and beat them up, and tie them with ropes, and bring them to the police station, so the cops don't have to waste their time with "a Muslim problem?"
posted by hilatron at 9:29 AM on September 14, 2002

Well, I guess that answers my question about whether or not I should have included a statement that would make my sarcasm obvious...
posted by UKnowForKids at 11:05 AM on September 14, 2002

Um, duh. Sorry. *Dials down righteous indignation 4 or 5 notches, goes outside to play*
posted by hilatron at 11:17 AM on September 14, 2002

The Buffalo News made the story today's headline.
posted by Kellydamnit at 11:42 AM on September 14, 2002

Mosed’s brother, Albaneh Mosed, said FBI agents armed with large machine guns burst into the home they shared. He said his brother was the married father of a 3-year-old who was attending community college and who recently started a job as a telemarketer, and he denied that he had any link to al-Qaida. (MSNBC story)

That's some 3-year-old, anyway.
posted by beagle at 10:49 AM on September 15, 2002

I heard something disturbing on local talk radio this morning, so I figured it would be worth mentioning it here.

The local Muslim community met with the lawyers who are representing the six men arrested yesterday, and are planning to offer their own property up as collateral for bail.

So... it now seems the local Muslim community turned them in, getting them put in jail.
And now they want to get them out of jail.

I have no idea what to think about this.
posted by Kellydamnit at 8:25 AM on September 18, 2002