FBI arrests 5 trying to blow up bridge

[Thomas Veil]

...or, WTF Is Wrong with People, installment #4,599.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The FBI arrested five men Monday evening, saying they had planted what were believed to be explosive devices under the Ohio 82 bridge over Cuyahoga Valley National Park as part of a May Day protest today.

The five men were “self-proclaimed anarchists,” who intended to detonate two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) under the bridge in Sagamore Hills, but had purchased the inert devices from undercover FBI agents, officials said.

View Larger Mapbut what they thought were bombs were actually "intert devices," the FBI said in a news conference this morning.

Arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and charged with conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials were: Douglas Wright, 26; Brandon L. Baxter, 20; and Anthony Hayne, 35.

All three are “self-proclaimed anarchists who formed a small group and considered a series of evolving plots over several months,” according to the complaint filed today by the FBI.

Wright had also talked about "getting a car that they can drive into the Federal Reserve Bank" in Cleveland to blow it up, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Ryan Taylor.

The arrests Monday evening show that “the threat we face is a diverse one and terrorist can come from many hues and many homelands,” said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

“Despite the defendants’ worst intentions and aims during the entire course of yesterday’s operation, the public was never in danger,” Dettelbach said. “The defendants never possessed at any time any really explosive materials and the arrests warrants were signed before they got in the car and went to the bridge.”

First and foremost: a big salute to the FBI. Another impressive job.

Second of all, it'll be interesting seeing how all this came down. There are already people trying to tie this to OWS. But according to some stories, the informant who led the FBI to these idiots met them at a protest, and then snitched on them to the Feds. If that's the case, it's entirely possible an OWS member may've helped law enforcement.

Third (and for me, most unnerving of all), I've seen the suspects' names...and I just might know one of them.

Finally, what the hell is in the water in my neck of the woods lately? Over the past few weeks we've had:

• a student shoot up his high school;
• a father murder his family at a Cracker Barrel;
• a homophobic dad who triggered a protest;
• and now these anarchist idiots.

[citizenzen]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

There are already people trying to tie this to OWS.

OWS will have to own that some of it's fringe members are anarchists. It's one reason why it's wise to stake out one's position, clearly relegating outliers to the fringe where they belong. OWS hasn't chosen to do this, thus it will be more difficult to marginalize this kind of activity.

[(marc)]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

First and foremost: a big salute to the FBI. Another impressive job.

I don't see why you're impressed. The FBI tricked some idiots into buying bombs from them.
It has been documented multiple times that FBI undercover agents actively support people to turn their vague ideas into practical scenarios, through all stages. Without the help from the FBI, most of said people would probably never get close to committing a crime.

Fortunately, this practice is illegal in other countries.

[Zombie Acorn]

I was always curious about how much the FBI "helps" these people decide to go blow up 'x' target and why this wouldn't be considered entrapment if he is leading them on to do it and providing the means to do so.

If these idiots couldn't figure out that they shouldn't share bomb plots with randoms at OWS and also couldn't figure out how to rig their own explosives I'm doubtful of their ability to pull off this operation.

[Thomas Veil]

Maybe I am naive. If this is entrapment rather than an example of a genuine bust, I'll be pissed off rather than impressed. Be interesting to see what develops.

Meanwhile, I'll have to agree with citizenzen above.

Edit: (marc) and Zombie may be right:

Federal officials say Wright, Baxter and Hayne describe themselves as anarchists who considered a series of evolving plots over several months.

As Stevens and Stafford came into the plot, they allegedly started talking about using explosives.

The informant brought in two people he said could help them get explosives. These people were actually FBI undercover agents. The group members agreed to buy tear gas and gas masks. Two weeks later, they said they wanted to buy plastic explosives.

In late April, they settled on trying to blow up the Route 82 Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge. This bridge crosses from Brecksville, Ohio to Sagamore Hills, Ohio over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

On Sunday, they met with the undercover agents and bought what they thought were two homemade bombs for $450. They planned to place them on April 30 but were arrested by the FBI.

The members of this group had a strong desire to commit acts of violence but no idea how to do it. At one point, a member of the group says what they needed was "mainly bleach," because, he said, that's what land mines and hand grenades were made with during World War II.

"The complaint in this case alleges that the defendants took specific and defined actions to further a terrorist plot," said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steven Dettelbach. "The defendants stand charged based not upon any words or beliefs they might espouse, but based upon their own plans and actions."

[Sydde]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

... what the hell is in the water in my neck of the woods lately?

Cuyahoga, you say? Why does that sound so familiar? Oh, right. Does all this BS kind of make you yearn for the halcyon days when the river would just burn and that was that?

[Thomas Veil]

Well, that was more than four decades ago, so now we just roll out eyes when someone drags that out.

It's sorta like when somebody wants to take a shot at Democrats and brings up Jimmy Carter. Really?

Anyway, it looks like those jokers didn't think Occupy was violent enough, so they went off on their own. Great idea, losers.

But yeah, it's also sounding like -- without the FBI's help -- these guys were little more than five baked morons sitting around going, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we could, like, blow up a bridge or something?"

[Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

Well, that was more than four decades ago, so now we just roll out eyes when someone drags that out.

It's sorta like when somebody wants to take a shot at Democrats and brings up Jimmy Carter. Really?

Anyway, it looks like those jokers didn't think Occupy was violent enough, so they went off on their own. Great idea, losers.

But yeah, it's also sounding like -- without the FBI's help -- these guys were little more than five baked morons sitting around going, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we could, like, blow up a bridge or something?"

Just watch out for those 99 cent Clorox bleach sales, terrorists will be all over it.

[Huntn]

5 idiots who just ruined their lives. I guess some people think that anarchy is a good way to get a fresh start.

[malman89]

Yet another example that Cleveland is in fact not better than Detroit.

[VulchR]

Originally Posted by Thomas Veil

Well, that was more than four decades ago, so now we just roll out eyes when someone drags that out.

I watched it burn on local Cleveland TV (I was a kid). It was impressive. Cleveland will never live that one down.....

[MacNut]

The government will say no it's not entrapment as they had the intent to do it just not the resources. Someone else would say they were stupid kids who were just talking but were persuaded into it by the government. It would be a hard sell to prove that the kids were tricked into doing something they didn't want to do.

[Thomas Veil]

Originally Posted by VulchR

I watched it burn on local Cleveland TV (I was a kid). It was impressive. Cleveland will never live that one down.....

Meh. Ancient history.

Last year a guy around here managed to set fire to his tap water, thanks to the wonders of hydraulic fracturing. Far as I know, he still can.

Fracking is the new Cuyahoga River.

Originally Posted by Huntn

5 idiots who just ruined their lives.

Have you seen these jokers? They don't exactly look like brain surgeons.

Originally Posted by malman89

Yet another example that Cleveland is in fact not better than Detroit.

*cough* 0-16 *cough*

[Tinmania]

This is a simple one: law enforcement should prevent and prosecute crime, not create it.



Michael

[Sydde]

Originally Posted by Huntn

5 idiots who just ruined their lives. I guess some people think that anarchy is a good way to get a fresh start.

Technically, I think this is not anarchy as such, it is more along the lines of a desperate attempt at nihilism. "Anarchy" is horribly misused in this respect, it is really just an alternate form of libertarianism.

[Huntn]

Originally Posted by Sydde

Technically, I think this is not anarchy as such, it is more along the lines of a desperate attempt at nihilism. "Anarchy" is horribly misused in this respect, it is really just an alternate form of libertarianism.

If I'm understanding you, I've had people try to convince me that anarchy is a good system. I don't see it. Sounds like tribes and the guy with the biggest baddest group rules the area, kind of like the Post Man.

[Sydde]

Originally Posted by Huntn

If I'm understanding you, I've had people try to convince me that anarchy is a good system. I don't see it. Sounds like tribes and the guy with the biggest baddest group rules the area, kind of like the Post Man.

Anarchy is just like Communism or Democracy: an interesting theoretical model that is almost impossible to apply in the real world. At least, as written.

[Happybunny]

I must say I always wary of stories with Law Enforcement officers (undercover) to often these cause the crime. What starts out as a silly idea with no chance of success, will with active help from Law Enforcement suddenly become viable.
That is why Entrapment is against most of European countries laws.

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by Sydde

Anarchy is just like Communism or Democracy: an interesting theoretical model that is almost impossible to apply in the real world. At least, as written.

Check out Colbert's interview, on Tuesday's show, with Carne Ross (author "The Leaderless Revolution: How Ordinary People Will Take Power and Change Politics in the 21st Century"). Third segment I think?

Originally Posted by Happybunny

That is why Entrapment is against most of European countries laws.

If there is a shortage of bad guys, they create them to protect their jobs.

[Zombie Acorn]

Did you know that if you mix equal parts of gasoline and frozen orange juice concentrate you can make napalm?

No, I did not know that; is that true?

That's right... One could make all kinds of explosives, using simple household items.

Really...?

If one were so inclined.

Tyler, you are by far the most interesting single-serving friend I've ever met... see I have this thing: everything on a plane is single-serving...

Oh I get it, it's very clever.

Thank you.

How's that working out for you?

What?

Being clever.