Thanks.
He was obviously on a list of “known” individuals. This is the same as someone asking for police protection but the police say they can’t because the bad guy hasn’t killed anyone YET. If we know these “potential” terrorists are in our country then why the heck do we let them over stay their visas, naturalize them, and let them stay? Never mind, we can’t secure the border either and ICE is nowhere to be found in a Viva la Mexico parade.
It’s going to take another 9/11 for our laws to get tougher....not going to happen until then I’m afraid. And even then would be questionable.
I’m not understanding how you (bgill) are seeing that he was obviously on a list of “known” individuals? Maybe I missed something? Even with fingerprints still on the vehicle they still had to do a lot of footwork to get this guy. They questioned the girl who sold him the SUV, and who knows what else or how many were tracking all the leads at that point. The thing that “clinched” it all - according to an article I read here - was his pre-paid cellphone that he left behind off of which they got one phone number and were able to then connect the dots.
The fact that he (and two others) were actually allowed to board the international flight at JFK would lead me to believe the opposite actually - that he was not on a “known” list (unless they are keeping track of citizens returning from Middle Eastern destinations, and with Obama’s recent statements I doubt that is going on at all - if it even were at some time in the past).
Honestly, I wonder if officials put the wrong name on the bulletin to the airports, and out to the press as well (however, an alert worker should have questioned it even if the names were reversed, IMHO — I would assume there was a picture included with the bulletin to the airports, but perhaps not). I also read something where they referred to the fact that since he obtained citizenship so recently he was easier to find (do they require fingerprinting for all citizenship applicants? I would assume that’s a “yes”).
Another thing I’ve been considering, although I really hope I’m wrong about this... This definitely was a plan gone awry. However, I have to wonder whether the “diversion” was in tying up the LEOs finding this guy and his associates (which would no doubt have been a LOT harder if the bomb had actually worked). Perhaps a rival faction of terrorists — or a way for them to get the incompetents out of their cell?
(Obviously I’m throwing out pure conjecture with that last part...)
However, I do completely agree that we are at greater risk now, than at any time previously... The (hopefully coming soon) crack-down against illegal immigration by the Feds may be making them nervous as well, and hopefully in their haste they will keep making the mistakes that allow innocents to live, and them to be caught.