NYPD Warns Of Homegrown Terror Threat

Report Details Growing Threat From Homegrown Terrorists, Not Just Those From Abroad

(CBS/AP)  Average citizens who quietly band together and adopt radical ways pose a mounting threat to American security that could exceed that of established terrorist groups like al Qaeda, a new police analysis has concluded.

The New York Police Department report released Wednesday describes a process in which young men — often legal immigrants from the Middle East who are frustrated with their lives in their adopted country — adopt a philosophy that puts them on a path to violence.

The report was intended to explain how people become radicalized rather than to lay out specific strategies for thwarting terror plots. It calls for more intelligence gathering and argues that local law enforcement agencies are in the best position to monitor potential terrorists.

The study reveals that it takes years — sometimes a decade — for individual radicals to grow into a full-blown terror cell, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr. But it is during this time that the groups must be identified, since past incidents clearly prove that once homegrown cells mature, attacks quickly follow.

"Hopefully, the better we're informed about this process, the more likely we'll be to detect and disrupt it," NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said during a briefing with private security executives at police headquarters.

The study is based on an analysis of a series of domestic plots thwarted since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including those in Lackawanna, N.Y.; Portland, Ore.; and Virginia. It was prepared by senior analysts with the NYPD Intelligence Division who traveled to Hamburg, German, Madrid, Spain, and other overseas spots to confer with authorities about similar cases.

The report found homegrown terrorists often were indoctrinated in local "radicalization incubators" that are "rife with extremist rhetoric."

Instead of mosques, those places were more likely to be "cafes, cab driver hangouts, flophouses, prisons, student associations, non-governmental organizations, hookah bars, butcher shops and bookstores," the report says.

The Internet also provides "the wandering mind of the conflicted young Muslim or potential convert with direct access to unfiltered radical and extremist ideology."

The threat posed by homegrown extremists — from "eco-terrorist" groups to neo-Nazis — has long been a top concern for federal counter-terror officials.

Recently, authorities have taken a closer look at radicalization happening in U.S. prisons, where a study last year by George Washington University and the University of Virginia found that Islamic extremists were turning jail cells into terrorist breeding grounds by preaching violent interpretations of the Quran to their fellow inmates.

Additionally, the Justice Department last year indicted 28-year-old Adam Gadahn, who was raised on a farm in southern California, with treason and supporting terrorism for serving as an al Qaeda propagandist. Gadahn is believed to have tried to recruit supporters through videos and messages posted on the Internet.

The NYPD report warns that more intelligence gathering is needed since most potential homegrown terrorists "have never been arrested or involved in any kind of legal trouble," the study says.

They "look, act, talk and walk like everyone around them," the study adds. "In the early stages of their radicalization, these individuals rarely travel, are not participating in any kind of militant activity, yet they are slowly building the mind-set, intention and commitment to conduct jihad."

Kareem Shora, legal adviser for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, called the findings faulty and potentially inflammatory.

Police "paint such a broad brush," Shora said. "It plays right into the extremists' plans because it's going to end up angering the community."

A recently released National Intelligence Estimate concluded that Osama bin Laden's network had regrouped and remains the most serious threat to the United States.

Kelly insisted the NYPD report made no effort to provide a "cookie-cutter" profile for terrorists. He also argued that the NYPD report "doesn't contradict the National Intelligence Estimate — it augments it."

[libsluvsuvs]

To be fair, elimination of ALL religion will finally permit us to transcend many of our state-of-the-world ills.
Posted by sociallyjust at 12:24 AM : Aug 17, 2007
+ report abuse

******

can we start with Islam??

[sociallyjust]

PART2
VIRTUALLY ALL THOSE WHO THE CHURCH HAS OFFENDED, MURDERED, stolem from, et al, throughout history and throughout its unjustified existence, must be given just recourse to have its assets. its power and its influence confiscated and applied toward the progeny of its victims. These victims would include, Moslems and Jews, as the result of that curch''s well-known Crusades; it would also include many natives progeny from a number of, then referred to as backward or primitive peoples in South America, Africa and Asia, not to mention that church''s victims in then (misnomered) ''civilized'' Europe.
The resultant impact of that church''s ''millenial-plus-years'' reign of terror, has at this very moment, sowed the seeds for what we recognize as terrorism and reasons for such mentality/mindset today.
To be fair, elimination of ALL religion will finally permit us to transcend many of our state-of-the-world ills.

[sociallyjust]

PART2, MURDEROUS, BARBARIC HISTORY OF CHURCH

[sociallyjust]

Has CBS failed to publish my recent comments here, because of their major criticism and their exposing the barbaric, murderous, fraudulent, and thieving record of that bastion of injustice - that church in Rome - which is still permitted to spew it''s lies, and it''s perversion of many aspects of life at us?

[tucano2]

It only costs $25K paid to a Mexican coyote for an Al-Queda terrorist to criminally enter the USA along with millions of other criminal illegal aliens. It ought to be no surprize to learn sleeper cells are, and have been for years, well-established in the USA inculcating their peculiar view of the world to USA-born collaborators. Mr. Bush''s administration, along with the dupes in Congress, have done nothing to stem the flow of illegal aliens, and worse, have encouraged and supported these criminals.

[klingon69]

Posted by SgtRDS at 04:06 PM : Aug 15, 2007
Hey Randal! What's for dinner?

[sgtrds]

Posted by flreason at 04:04 PM : Aug 15, 2007

Absolutely 100% correct! Bravo and well stated! It's a shame that extremists never see that they're the ones being extreme. That in their zeal to "protect" America, they're destroying what America IS!.

[flreason]

"Those who would give up their essential liberties to achieve a sense of security deserve neither." - Benjamin Franklin

Extremists of any pursuasion have a simplistic view of the world that doesn't tolerate questioning. The more extreme, the more willing they are to support their viewpoint with violence. The best defense against extremists of any ilk continues to be a government and citizenry that respect the rule of law. The current administration's attempts to play upon public fears in order to cement their power and stifle opposition is despicable and cowardly. Their wholesale outsourcing of government services to private companies in which they have a vested interest, and with little to no oversight, is treasonous.

[sgtrds]

By definition the conscience is the first part of a person to leave when they have an Antisocial Personality Disorder. That would be a condition characterized by persistent disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood. Deceit and manipulation are central features of your disorder, SgtRDS.

Posted by speakinup at 03:14 PM : Aug 15, 2007

Why Thank You! Getting a shot from you is almost as good of an endorsement as one from swingingdick! Thank you for your support!

[feelfree1]

Re: "People in the U.S. who quietly band together and adopt radical ways %u2014 not just established overseas terrorist groups like al Qaeda %u2014 pose a serious threat to American security"

Not to American security, but to Fascistic security. The radicals are the ones calling for adherence to our Constitution and the rule of law.

The Fascists are the ones that insist that we must surrender these instiutions, for our own protection. The fascists and their supporters are obviously scared, and they should be, because their time is about up.

It is hardly surprising that the NYPD, which is lousy with abuse and corruption, would attempt to create a fearful climate where they can feel pacified and comfortable to commit futere abuse and repression.

[speakinup]

"atheistism. It's worked for me. I get guilt trips from no one now......" SgtRDS

There's a real social comment, spoken from the mouth of an idiot.

By definition the conscience is the first part of a person to leave when they have an Antisocial Personality Disorder. That would be a condition characterized by persistent disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood. Deceit and manipulation are central features of your disorder, SgtRDS.

[sgtrds]

You are a disgrace to America. I hope your whole family is attacked by jihadists.

Posted by zoltaric at 03:04 PM : Aug 15, 2007

But I thought folks like you thought people like me ARE Jihadists?

Hey look, it's not my fault that some Bush supporters are such cowards that they think they need to surrender their rights to the biggest coward in America, George W. Bush, just to have that gutless bucket of pig sh*it keep them safe from the boogieman.

[zoltaric]

SgtRDS

Are you really this stupid or just like to post bonehead messages on this board.

You are a disgrace to America. I hope your whole family is attacked by jihadists.

[infidel_us]

Dommit RoVE! Quit terrorizing the country and retire, would ya!!!! We KNOW you and Bush and Cheney and Halliburtin are behind the WTC buildings being destroyed so you can go to war with Iraq and get rich off the oil.

[gunownerdan]

Terrorists, politicians, and other dangerous criminals prefer unarmed and defenseless victims.
Self Defense:
A-HUMAN-RIGHT.com

[speakinup]

We see the same Terrorist sympathizers on this CBS site, spouting their extreme spin. For the longest time, I thought, "you just don't get it do you?"

Now I know better. These folks aren't terrorist sympathizers at all. They are terrorists, using the internet to drum up support for their cause. They use every headline, every statistic they can to discredit those that keep us safe. Remember the enemy is techno savy.

Judge for yourself. Read what they have to say. Concentrate on one of the below, and see if there is EVER a positive comment made about ANY of our foreign policy, efforts to protect ourselves, or the administration.

mcdazz, Prinzowhales, FeelFree1, tuckerndfw, V_1618, drummer94, j-whitman.

They mask themselves as liberals, but even liberals have a more moderate point of view. Ask yourself, would you agree as strongly about the point of view as they portray ?

Note how often they are on the site. Don't they have a job? Who could afford to do this? Who would WANT to do this, other than a fanatic ?

Don't believe they "support the troops", they know this is a popular aspect of our culture since Vietnam. There see no harm in giving lip service, they don't mean it.

Notice how they make the worst possible scenario out of everything. They play upon your fears, and claim the President is doing so.

Sure, there are a few left wing folks that would be as radical as these, but judge for yourself. Don't be fooled!

[fascistusa]

ZEITGEISTmovie.com


The CIA is Al Queida.

Ain't that a B*I%Tch?

[sgtrds]

Posted by xzavierbrown at 02:15 PM : Aug 15, 2007

Calm down....have you considered medication?

Or maybe atheistism. It's worked for me. I get guilt trips from no one now......

Bush went into Iraq because Cheney pulled his string because Cheney saw a wonderful money making opportunity and he was right, he's made tons of illegal money of from it. Bush on the other hand is insane and thinks he's on a new 21st century crusade in the name of god. He's as mad as a March hare.

[xzavierbrown]

all you liberals are so fixated with what the christians did 300 years ago that you are failing to see what the muslims in 2008 is doing to your own arses.

[xzavierbrown]

SgtRDS...why dont you just come forward with your true agenda...there is always a personal agenda behind every liberal crusade. the christians giving you a guilt trip for something..cant have reckless *** or smoke your dope without some chrisitian giving you the evil eye?? cant have a decent criminal plans without the fear of the govt. busting you??what is it?