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Terror Plot Suspects On FBI Radar Since 2006

June 03, 2007

Law enforcement officials said Sunday that they were way ahead of the four terror suspects who were planning to blow up buildings, fuel tanks, and a jet fuel pipeline that runs from Linden, New Jersey to JFK airport.

Four men, including Russell Defreitas – a former JFK air cargo employee – have been charged in the plot.

Officials had been following them since January 2006. Sources say Defreitas recruited an FBI informant in the planned attack, and that he met with a radical group in Trinidad to get its support and financing for the plot.

On CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said officials busted the suspects as soon as they had enough evidence to prosecute.

“It was a lot of manifestation of their intention to commit a terrorist act. Did they have explosives in their possession? No, but clearly there were explosives available in Guyana,” said Kelly. “And as I say, we don’t know what the case could have changed into.”

Experts say the plan to bomb the pipeline and set off a series of explosions probably would not have worked, and that any explosions would have been isolated.

Still, law enforcement officials say the damage caused by the plot would have been massive, crippling the airlines as well as the U.S. economy, though it would not have killed as many people as intended.

Officials announced the arrests Saturday. Defreitas, a U.S. citizen originally from Guyana, was the alleged mastermind behind the plot.

He allegedly conducted video and photo surveillance of the airport in preparation for the attack and bragged that it would be bigger than 9/11.

Defreitas was arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court Saturday and is being held without bail. He is due to back in court Wednesday.

Two other men – Kareem Ibrahim of Trinidad and Abdul Kadir, a former member of the Guyanese Parliament – were nabbed in Trinidad. They are expected to be extradited to the U.S. after court hearings. The fourth man, identified as Abdel Nur of Guyana, is being sought in Trinidad.

“One clear signature of this cell was its persistence. They consistently worked to refine their plot; they took extensive measures to seek expert advice, finances, and explosives,” says FBI Assistant Director in Charge Mark Mershon. “The bottom line is that we believe this threat has been fully contained.”

Some travelers NY1 spoke with at JFK on Saturday said that although the news was frightening, threats like these have just become a part of life.

“I think you get used to things happening. I think you also get used to people trying to make you feel scare,” said a passenger. “And I’m sure they are trying to help us, but I am glad they were stopped.”

“It was very frightening thinking of the possible or potential problem that would have resulted in this type of tragedy,” added another.

About a thousand flights, on average, pass through JFK every day. The Port Authority released a statement saying in part, “…we continue to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the safety of our airports and airport customers.”

Among the many surprised by Sunday’s news are those who live near the pipeline itself.

A section of the line runs behind the Bay Ridge Towers Apartment complex in Brooklyn. There is no fence or security system around their section, which has some residents concerned.

“I thought that it was disturbing because of the potential damage that could happen if a bomb was placed in the pipeline. There are a 1,000 people that live in this building alone, and you can’t put an accurate description of how it makes you feel unless you live here,” said resident Matthew Cartelli. “The pipeline runs right under our building. God forbid if there was an explosion, the building could fall. There are just so many variables that could happen.”

Experts say an explosion like the one allegedly planned would be isolated and not travel up and down to pipeline. Buckeye Pipeline, which owns the line, says security features in place to manage the pipeline are well known to authorities.

But officials did not comment on this particular apartment building.

 

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?&aid=70337&search_result=1&stid=10

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