FBI arrests would-be Capitol bomber outside D.C.

A man has been arrested near the U.S. Capitol as part of a long-running investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police. / CBS

Updated at 10:12 p.m. ET

A 29-year-old Moroccan man who authorities say wanted to be the first suicide bomber on U.S. soil was arrested Friday after strapping on what he thought was an explosive vest and heading for the U.S. Capitol, CBS News' John Miller reports.

A source told CBS News' John Nolen that the suspect was identified as Amine El Khalifi, a Moroccan citizen who has lived in the United States for more than 12 years. He was taken down by FBI agents and U.S. Capitol Police officers in Alexandria, Va., outside Washington. An intelligence source confirmed the suspect's name to CBS News.

The Justice Department announced that El Khalifi was charged "by criminal complaint with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property that is owned and used by the United States." He faces life in prison if convicted.

Read the federal criminal complaint against El Khalifi

El Khalifi made a brief appearance in federal court in Alexandria on Friday afternoon. He was wearing a green shirt and black parts and holding his arms together behind his back.

A courtroom sketch showing Amine El Khalifi making a courtroom appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Va., Feb. 17, 2012. Khalifi was arrested after strapping on what he thought was an explosive vest and heading for the U.S. Capitol.

/ CBS/Dana Verkouteren

A judge set a bail hearing in his case for Wednesday at 2 p.m.

In a statement released by the Justice Department, Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco said: "Today's case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists. Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort, El Khalifi's alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed."

Added FBI Assistant Director in Charge James W. McJunkin: "This individual allegedly followed a twisted, radical ideology that is not representative of the Muslim community in the United States. He became known to the JTTF (Joint Terrorism Task Force) because of his stated desire to carry out attacks in the U.S., specifically, the U.S. Capitol building. This arrest is the result of dedicated special agents, task force officers and intelligence analysts from the FBI and our partner law enforcement agencies that make up the JTTF."

Last December, the suspect allegedly told an undercover law enforcement officer that he planned to detonate a bomb at an Alexandria building that contained offices for the U.S. military, Nolen reported. His plans changed until he settled on the Capitol. Other targets the suspect allegedly considered were a synagogue and a Washington restaurant frequented by members of the military.

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A high-ranking source told CBS News the man was "never a real threat."

Undercover FBI agents met with the suspect Friday morning in his garage, giving him a vest filled with explosives that had previously been rendered inoperable, Miller reported. The agents also provided the suspect with an impaired automatic firearm that he allegedly planned to use to shoot U.S. Capitol Police officers, Nolen reported.

Both the House and the Senate were in session Friday voting on a deal to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.

Congress passes payroll tax cut extension

At some point, the suspect came close to actual explosives and allegedly participated in a demonstration of an improvised-explosive device in a quarry, Nolen reported.

He believed he was working with an al Qaeda operative on the plot, according to an affidavit.

El Khalifi came to the U.S. when he was 16 years old and is unemployed and not believed to be associated with al Qaeda. He had been under investigation for about a year and had overstayed his visitor visa, which expired in 1999, making him in the country illegally, according to court documents.

He told acquaintances in January 2011 that he agreed the "war on terrorism" was a "war on Muslims" and that they needed to be ready for war, the affidavit said.

A former landlord in Arlington, Va., said he believed El Khalifi was suspicious and called police a year and a half ago.

Frank Dynda said when he told El Khalifi to leave, the suspect said he had a right to stay and threatened to beat up Dynda. Dynda said he thought El Khalifi was making bombs, but police told him to leave the man alone. Dynda had El Khalifi evicted in 2010.

El Khalifi had several men staying with him and based on packages left for him, Dynda said. It appeared that he was running a luggage business from the apartment, though Dynda never saw any bags.

"I reported to police I think he's making bombs," Dynda said. "I was ready to get my shotgun and run him out of the building, but that would have been a lot of trouble."

Two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Presst he FBI has had him under surveillance around the clock for several weeks. They spoke on a condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center imam Johari Abdul-Malik, who along with other Muslim leaders meets regularly with the FBI, said he was contacted by an agency official and told that Khalifi was not someone he needed to worry about.

He said the official told him that Khalifi was "not a regular at your mosque or any mosque in the area."

He said he offered to supply the FBI with surveillance video of the mosque in Falls Church, Va., in case it helped with their investigation but was told that was it not necessary.

Police are close to arresting one of his associates on charges unrelated to the terror conspiracy, the counterterrorism official said. The associate was said to also be a Moroccan, living here illegally. Police are investigating others El Khalifi associated with, but not because they believe the associates were part of a terror conspiracy, the official said.

[ammo17]

he was in this country illegally for twelve years?how did that happen?

[omnibus66]

There are some real ethical problems here. Instead of putting a stop to his dream of terrorism early on, the FBI encouraged and enabled this guy. Their goal was not to protect the capitol, but to ultimately put on a PR show so that they could grunt and beat their chests. What if, at some point, he figured out what was going on and actually got hold of some real explosives.

Sometimes the whirling dervishes get bitten by their snakes.

[Herne42]

100% agreed...I'm guessing if our government really tried, they could entrap at least 20 people a day. Right wing radical Christians born and bred right here.

This is totally a PR stunt.

[brucearnold]

U.S. officials routinely instigate (false flag) sting operations to keep "TERRORISM!" in the headlines, scaring the Sheeple into subservient conformity, and justifying the ever-expanding corporate fascism that has shredded our Bill of Rights and - after NDAA 2012 - supplanted the American Republic with the Amerikan Reich. And forget about solving the problem via elections staged with brainwashed voters, rigged voting machines and predetermined outcomes. Revolution is the only solution. And we better rise up now, before DHS has its HR658-authorized 30,000 drone "domestic surveillance" WAASS (1984 Meets Terminator) Skynet in place.

Freedom to Fascism Redux: A Timeline of Recent American History
http://ironboltbruce.blog.com/2012/01/13/freedom-to-fascism-redux-a-timeline-of-recent-american-history/

[karlimhof]

total BS - now we have to "incite" terrorism to justify what?

is the idea to create terrorists?

don't they anything better to do?

LMAO

[b4uigo]

Was there any doubt the perp named would be an islamist? And here we have an Illegal alien that has been here 12 years plus, one of which was under the direct supervision of the FBI. Why wasn't the guy deported a year ago and put on the no fly list? Oh yea, the Dems don't believe in doporting illegals. Anyone get his voting record yet?

[magnumdr]

This is a good example of why we should have a stronger border securith here in the USA. Are we going to have these crazy suicide bombers all over in our Country also?.

[kcits]

We will have them only if the government, after learning that the person is an illegal alien, ignores that fact and doesnt take them into custody, and the sets them up with what they believe to be explosives.

[you_MAY_be_right]

Problem is, "Sidi Mohamed Amine El Khalifi came to the United States on June 27, 1999 with his parents on a trip to Orlando, Florida. The baby-faced, brown-eyed Moroccan teenager would overstay his tourist visa and remain here for more than a decade..."

This visa was provided by the US Department of State. IOW, He was let in, he didn't cross the border illegally.

(See: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57380678-503543/inside-the-plans-of-capitol-bomb-suspect/)

[themanfrombrum]

The Feds are the real enemies by breeding so much fear. Wake up Americans to the paranoia of your government! If this young Moroccan had wanted to blow up the Capitol he wouldn't have be carrying toy guns. The guy was merely mentally deranged, A real terrorist is defiant, fearless and strong and much smarter than this confused poor kid.

[askagain]

You give these freaks too much credit.

[FP1970]

I'm sure there was a really good reason for admitting him into the country. That's the whole point of mass immigration right--to make sure that Radical Islamist groups have more operatives on U.S. soil every day?
The fact that Radical Islamists have so many operatives on the ground in N. America and W. Europe proves the dimness (or dhimminess) of pro-immigration politicians. It's nice that a lot of would-be terrorists are dumber than dirt but we can't always count on that stopping them from wrecking havoc. Why do dirtbag politicians insist on open immigration when they know perfectly that this means opening the door to thousands of wannabe terrorists every year?

[erpicferl]

he wasn't really a terrorist, he was just trying to impress the ladies.

[starving1968-3]

by NoneyaBuzness February 17, 2012 9:01 PM EST
"Recovering economy"???? Don't make me laugh demonrat.







Laugh all you want....

There is not ONE economic indicator that says that the economy is NOT recovering, in spite of what you may "think" (and I use that term loosely....)

[askagain]

jgg00010 - It is amazing how everything improves in an election year. Will the media help the administration distort reality or will the media be truthful?