105th Islamist Terror Plot Against US Since 9/11 Foiled by FBI
Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images
Jewish synagogue (Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images)
By Benjamin Arie
December 29, 2018 at 7:25am
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks may be a fading memory from decades past, but the root cause behind that tragic day hasn’t diminished.
Those of us who remember 9/11 as it unfolded can recall that in the days and weeks after the attack, nearly everyone assumed that it was just a matter of time before another wave of terrorist strikes occurred.
Thankfully, the last 17 years have not seen an attack of that scale happen again within the United States. There are certainly several factors responsible for this, but one of the most important is that America’s law enforcement officers have worked diligently to prevent it. Advertisement - story continues below
But just how many incidents have we dodged? The number may be a lot higher than you think.
Earlier this month, federal authorities captured a radicalized terrorist who was allegedly planning to attack a Jewish synagogue in Ohio — and authorities say that over a hundred similar attacks have been stopped.
“In early December, an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in Ohio arrested 21-year-old Damon Joseph for planning an attack on a synagogue in Toledo, Ohio,” The Daily Signal reported.
“Joseph was inspired by ISIS, making this the 105th Islamist terror plot or attack since 9/11 against the U.S. homeland,” that outlet explained.
You may remember the recent shooting that took place at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh a few months back. It appears that the latest would-be terrorist stopped by law enforcement wanted to conduct a similar attack in the name of Islam.
“Undercover agents contacted Joseph and he sent them ISIS propaganda and recruitment literature. He expressed support for violent ‘martyrdom operations’ in the U.S.,” The Daily Signal elaborated.
“By the end of November, Joseph was plotting the specifics of his act of terror, still interested in attacking a synagogue with firearms,” that outlet continued.
Unbeknownst to Joseph, the like-minded radicals he was sharing his plans with online were actually undercover agents.
“Joseph asked one of the undercover agents if they would be interested in participating in an attack and when the agent responded that he had money available for such an operation, Joseph forwarded a plan of attack and the need for firearms and ammo,” The Daily Signal reported.
He was finally arrested when he met with those agents under the guise of an arms deal to provide the weapons for his attack.
There are many lessons from 9/11, but perhaps the most important is that like it or not, there are deranged people who seek to kill Americans — and all too often, they are motivated by a twisted and sick version of Islam.
Pretending that this isn’t the case or wishing the problem away doesn’t stop attacks. What does actually make a difference is patient diligence, and a sober acknowledgement of reality.
At a time when much of the FBI is embroiled in controversy and seems to become distracted by national politics, it is worth remembering that there are still good agents doing important work.
Protecting the American people from a radical and violent ideology still matters, even nearly two decades after the towers fell.