Awlaki killing was trigger for NYC plot suspect

Jose Pimentel is being held without bail, charged with multiple terror offenses. In preparing for his arrest, police believed they had to act quickly.

CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports that New York police describe 27-year-old Jose Pimentel as a lone-wolf al Qaeda sympathizer intent on carrying out a one-man bombing campaign across New York City.

Pimentel, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested Saturday after police photographed him allegedly putting the finishing touches on three pipe bombs.

His mother, Carmen Sosa, reacted with disbelief saying Pimentel is a regular young man "who made a mistake."

"I'm sorry about what my son did. I didn't tell him to do this. He did that by himself," Sosa said.

Police say Pimentel, who also goes by Muhammad Yusuf, planned to attack police cars, postal facilities and U.S. soldiers returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

AP: FBI declined to pursue NYC bomb plot
Cops: NYC suspect was close to ready with bomb
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Other foiled NYC terror plots since 9/11

To demonstrate the potential power of Pimentel's explosives, New York police built and tested what they said was a similar bomb, and its explosive force was large.

Pimentel never came close to carrying out his Jihad. Police have had him under surveillance for two years, and a confidential police informant worked with Pimentel over the past several months buying bomb parts and building devices.

Pimentel was following an online al Qaeda magazine article called "Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of your Mom." Prosecutors say he drew inspiration from al Qaeda operative Anwar al Awlaki.

And Awlaki's death, in a September drone strike, was a trigger point for Pimentel, said New York Police commissioner Ray Kelly.

"The death of Anwar Awlaki is what motivated him and made him increase his tempo significantly," Kelly said.

Police say this is the 14th terror plot against New York since 9/11. It's not as serious as those targeting Times Square and the city's subways. But, the Pimentel case underscores the persistent threat from homegrown lone wolves living in our midst.

It's important to note the FBI, which handles almost all terror cases, declined to get involved with this one. Sources tell CBS News federal officials privately questioned the strength of the evidence and Pimentel's ability to carry out any kind of attack.

[bigsk8fan]

i am glad that obama is in office. he is much more effective fighting terror than was his predecessor.

[UForgotPoland]

Give him the needle and he can be united with his hero.

[morris2196]

Our counter-terrorism capability has improved. "Lone wolves" are inherently difficult to stop, but we have had this one under surveillance for two years.

[starving1968-3]

Awlaki's killing was the trigger for this bomb attempt?

Let's find out what shoving this bomb up your assss and setting it off, will make you feel!!

[josephp5]

Anwar al Awlaki was an American citizen, born in New Mexico. On September 30, he was killed by a US missile strike in Yemen (along with another American) where he fled from the United States. There have been many media reports that al Awlaki was working for al Qaeda, but he had never been charged in any US court of any crime. In fact, the US government does not even officially admit to his killing.

Two weeks later, al Awlaki's sixteen year son Abdulrahman, also an American citizen born in Denver, was killed in another missle strike along with 9 other people. Abdulrahman had gone to Yemen to find his father weeks before.

These people were targeted by our government---obviously on orders of the President.

I am troubled enough by the extra-Constitutional assassination, on Obama's orders, of someone that has never been subject to any due process like a court trial, or hearing, or even a government official speaking on the record.

But a 16 year old boy? And both of them American citizens?

If someone can be assassinated by a secret order of the President without even the slightest due process, then what can't the President do? What really is the meaning of claiming we live in a nation of laws when a citizen can be secretly assassinated by the government?

[merlegrimes]

Nice shooting.

[bankersvox]

Thank you to the great police work, and brave officers, willing to put their lives on the line, for an often ungrateful public (20 % idiots).

[Fareed17]

Another dupe wanna be, reeled in by government paid provocateurs. " Police have had him under surveillance for two years, and a confidential police informant worked with Pimentel over the past several months buying bomb parts and building devices." This sap was charmed and schooled by paid professional snitches who troll for gullible marks like Jose Pimentel. To the governments credit do they bag a few legit bad actors with good police work. It must have been a slow arrest cycle this month.