Did Israel crack Bush assassination cell?
posted at 7:46 am on July 18, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Israel charged six Arabs today with conspiracy to assassinate George Bush during one of his visits to Jerusalem. According to the report, the men didn’t exactly keep themselves well-hidden. They attempted to contact al-Qaeda through posted queries on websites, including requests for assistance in shooting down helicopters:
Israel’s Shin Bet counter-intelligence agency said one of the suspects had used his mobile phone to film helicopters at a sports stadium in Jerusalem that was used as a landing site for Bush’s delegation.
The suspect then posted queries on Web sites frequented by al Qaeda operatives, asking for guidance on how to shoot down the helicopters, the agency said in a statement. …
The Shin Bet said the men had met several times at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque, seeking to organize a local al Qaeda network. The agency said computers seized from several of the suspects contained bomb-making manuals.
If al-Qaeda starts using the Al-Aqsa Mosque to coordinate its operations in Jerusalem, all hell will break loose. The Israelis would have to start restricting access to it, and the Palestinians would react violently to any such move. Even archeological efforts in the area of the mosque and temple can touch off riots.
In this case, though, it looks like Israel captured highly motivated amateurs and not AQ operatives. Four of the members came from Arab East Jerusalem, and two were Israeli Arabs. Given the access that Hamas and Hezbollah have to missiles and rockets, and how easy it is to find at least Hamas in the area, getting anti-helicopter missiles shouldn’t have required a pro to give away the plot by begging for assistance on websites that counterterrorist agencies patrol.
Whatever the threat level actually was, the Israelis kept Bush secure and kept this cell from fulfilling its mission. The danger of AQ comes more now from these highly-motivated amateurs rather than professionals crawling out of the hills of Pakistan. That’s why it’s so important to track communications on websites and other paths known to be used by terrorists or their supporters — to stop these attacks before they have a chance to reach fruition.
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Thank God for at least one professional CT agency in the world.
bikermailman on July 18, 2008 at 7:52 AM
The Kos kids and HuffPo’s will be so depressed at hearing this.
Et tu Brute on July 18, 2008 at 7:55 AM
What a dumbass! People don’t understand how easy it is to track people down on teh internets.
Terrorist Epic Fail.
malan89 on July 18, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Just one more reason for the radical left to hate Israel.
jimmy the notable on July 18, 2008 at 8:01 AM
Or inspired by the fact that if rank amateurs could get this far, then semi pro’s like the rad left could probably pull it off.
Alden Pyle on July 18, 2008 at 8:03 AM
And now we know why the left fights to kill the patriot bill
Gwillie on July 18, 2008 at 8:04 AM
What, were they posting on 4Chan?
BohicaTwentyTwo on July 18, 2008 at 8:09 AM
I think this might be one of the reasons that Jimmy Carter sucks up to terrorists. He could believe it makes his international travel safer, and it probably does.
RBMN on July 18, 2008 at 8:21 AM
Wow, good for Israel. Too bad for terrorists.
Reminds me of the cell that was caught in Canada who wanted to behead Stephen Harper. If the terrorists were so bloody stupid, think about the chaos they could create.
mjk on July 18, 2008 at 8:21 AM
They may as well have been! You don’t think the various intelligence agencies have huge staffs of people watching jihad-friendly sites for morons like this guy?
malan89 on July 18, 2008 at 8:25 AM
They should blow up Al Aqsa Mosque. Yes I said it.
ThackerAgency on July 18, 2008 at 8:26 AM
Israelis going the job Americans can’t do.
Wade on July 18, 2008 at 8:36 AM
Wade on July 18, 2008 at 8:36 AM
But Hebrew U. (where two members of the cell study) wants to readmit someone who was convicted of stealing explosives from one of their labs six years ago. Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?
Carl in Jerusalem on July 18, 2008 at 8:57 AM
So why don’t we just try to kill Al Qaeda’s leader? Tit for tit.
Akzed on July 18, 2008 at 8:57 AM
… all hell will break loose.
Isn’t that what they want? A.Q. thrives in lawlessness. And killing Bush would be their greatest victory since 9/11. Lucky for us we have allies like the Israelis. The lefties though would be dancing in the streets the way the Palis did on 9/11.
Tony737 on July 18, 2008 at 8:59 AM
How bold. What would that solve?
Akzed on July 18, 2008 at 9:02 AM
“IF”?
…exactly, they caught the amateurs, and did not catch the professional operatives.
…from your pen to God’s ear, Ed.
Israel would of course continue its alliance with the USA so long as the US remains an unfailing ally of Israel. But there are factions of Israeli fanatics that only value what THEY consider significant, themselves and their own selfrighteousness and ascent to power. It is not as though Israel is any more politically homogenous than the US is. That the amateurs were caught is noted. That news of the amateurs being caught is noted. There is always more to what one sees, particularly from the MidEast, most particularly if it has any connection whatsoever to Jerusalem, no matter how remote.
N.B., Morons need not assume incorrectly that I infer the world hosts fanatic Jews only since I’ve already blasted Islamofascism and any political or religious fanaticism, including the American spectrum of elitists from ubertard to neocon.
maverick muse on July 18, 2008 at 9:09 AM
I question the timing.
shaken on July 18, 2008 at 9:14 AM
If an attack on the US or or President occurs that links in any way to them, then indeed,
it would clarify that terrorists can’t hide behind the walls of “sanctuary” in order to strike again. It would also clarify exactly the status of any building when in battle. If the terrorists want their mosques left unharmed, they may not attend; tough luck’s their own doing/undoing.
maverick muse on July 18, 2008 at 9:17 AM
You can’t be serious. If the Al Aqsa mosqe was destroyed, then the ‘religious symbolism’ for the site for Muslims will be gone. That’s the argument for why the Jews are no longer allowed access to the site (Solomon’s temple was destroyed).
That’s the main hold up to the peace process. The Palestinians want a part of Jerusalem as their state. . . even though it is in the MIDDLE of Israel. Blow up the mosque, tell them there is nothing left for them there so there is no reason for them to claim part of Jerusalem as their capital. Al Aqsa is NOT the farthest mosque. . . there is no muslim claim to the Temple Mount in a historical sense that trumps the Jewish claim.
No more Al Aqsa, no more throwing stones at Jewish people praying at the whaling wall, no more safe haven for terrorists to conspire inside Israel, no more ‘off limits’ area for Jews in their own country (Jim Crow anyone?)
Destroying Al Aqsa would do a lot of good.
ThackerAgency on July 18, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Are we sure this wasn’t just another Code Pink demonstration?
Cylor on July 18, 2008 at 9:19 AM
I have speculated that following 9/11, Bush made it clear to Islamic governments that should another such attack occur on his watch, he’d unleash our nuclear arsenal on their most sensitive quarters. The Islamofascists are pushing the envelope, with every intention of igniting the death fuse upon the world. They know exactly what they want, and hate Bush all the more for his up close and personal fist in their face and kick in their privates. Bush has the balls that America needed and will always need. We can thank God that Bush accomplished the good that he did.
yahda, yahda, yahda, yeah, he made some whopper domestic expenditures that will be our bane, too.
(hey, speaking of nuclear, the newcasters in Austin, TX on KLBJ conservative talk radio just this moment BOTH pronounced “nucular”, just like Jay Leno pronounces.)
maverick muse on July 18, 2008 at 9:25 AM
I have confidence that Shin Bet would be able to figure out and neutralize most such threat from actual al Qaeda pros, not just wannabes. Israel’s success rate is not 100% in keeping their own presidents alive, but I like our chances in their hands. They actually understand intelligence and counter-intelligence as life and death matters.
flutejpl on July 18, 2008 at 9:27 AM
flutejpl on July 18, 2008 at 9:27 AM
I don’t doubt your faith in them; neither do I doubt their abilities. I admire them as well. I only note what news has been released, and what that may or may not portend.
maverick muse on July 18, 2008 at 9:29 AM
Sounds like the wannabe terrorists in Adam Sandler’s movie.
Mrs. Happy Housewife on July 18, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Add ACLU & “Human Rights” watch to this.
Anita on July 18, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Last week they (the Israelis) foiled a plot by Pali Arabs to kill Tony Blair in Gaza.
Hilts on July 18, 2008 at 9:39 AM
Hilts on July 18, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Very True. Here ’s the Example .
Anita on July 18, 2008 at 9:46 AM
I don’t think that plan would accomplish anything good. Do you want a nuclear war? Bombing a militant religion’s third holiest site, even conventionally, is a pretty good way to start one. Even Saddam’s old stockpiles would resurface.
flutejpl on July 18, 2008 at 9:50 AM
So noted and agreed. I hope and pray, if what this simple plan’s foiling could portend actually is in the works, that it isn’t one of those rare instances in which even Israel doesn’t catch on.
flutejpl on July 18, 2008 at 9:59 AM
I say we help up it’s stock and make it THE hole-iest place. It’s a friggin building, from which terrorists hide from, plan & attack the good guys. The kooky mooslims don’t have “levels” of hate..they hate us now, they’ll hate us after.
If they peek the nose of one nuke at us, we send 2 or 3 dozen as reminders to play nice. F-it, it’s on now, might as well bring this sh!t to a head and break the fever.
Alden Pyle on July 18, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Just the fact that they were caught, could set the next group thinking about it back a year. They would do one of two things. Lay low, or go right out and try an attack.
I tend to think most would lay low, or drop their stupid idea of somehow pulling anything stupid off.
WoosterOh on July 18, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Calling them Al Queda sure takes the pressure off Muslims and Islam doesn’t it? And Al Queda seems to be everywhere misrepresenting Muslims and Islam. Islam is so mild and peaceful they are like Buddhists in their lack of ability to curb the hijinx of the unknown disenfranchised youths. To those who shield Islam ….thanks.
BL@KBIRD on July 18, 2008 at 11:06 AM
What were their screen names on DKos?
I hear their browsers had it as their home page.
roninacreage on July 18, 2008 at 11:32 AM
You have no way of knowing what each of the 300,000,000 Americans can do, fvckwad.
Kralizec on July 18, 2008 at 11:48 AM
So you mean they were six Israeli Arabs, not two.
Hammer on July 18, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Ed please allow me to add some detail on MANPADS and access to portable SAMs.
This is not a weapon in great supply to terrorists in Israel, it is in fact only recently believed to have been able to be smuggled in to GAZA only and in limited quantity if at all. This is a red line / red alert weapon for our Shinbet, any trace of a SAM of this sort would be hunted down to all ends, as this is a danger we cannot have in Israel, it would be disastrous at all times if these weapons were in ANY supply here.
Even with ties to Hamas, their ability to get this without it filtering right to Israeli security is very small imho, these don’t go missing like other things, selling this would be insane here, smuggling it from Gaza to Israel proper or the West Bank difficult in the extreme. No Arab wants to be involved in that type of weapon smuggle, if these exist in Gaza Hamas is hesitant to use them, as it would bring severe pain and an invasion.
It does not shock me that these people would not be able to get their hands on portable SAMs, the weapons they get access to are the ones we supply, and the US supplies to ‘reform’ their security services, and are stolen or seized, SAMs are of course not on that list thank the good lord!
As an example, the countermeasures put into Israeli commercial airliners are meant more for international destinations, less so for our own Ben Gurion airport, that says a lot I think about what I am trying to get across in regards to these weapons. This one is a strict no go for terrorists.. so far, here.
saus on July 18, 2008 at 12:14 PM
WRONG! Arab residents of East Jerusalem are not Isreali citizens (althoughtheycan apply to become citizens.
Hilts on July 18, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Lighten up! He did not mean it literally. When he wrote “Americans” he obvioulsy meant the Bush/Condi Clueless administration. No need for that type of language.
Hilts on July 18, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Hammer on July 18, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I’m sure the DU/Kos types will use this line of thinking to claim that this was all a hoax (as well as the Pali attempt on Gaza) on the part of Israel to curry favor with allies in advance of it’s strike on Iran. 3,2,1. . . (I used to be one of these nutjobs, so I know how they think.)
smellthecoffee on July 18, 2008 at 12:33 PM
Isn’t this at least in part because Islam restricts building on top of other religion’s holy sites? So, archaeological digs around the Temple Mount cause problems because Palestinians claim that the Temple was never located in Jerusalem (hence, the Aqsa mosque is not in violation of any tenants of Islam). If, archeologists prove conclusively that the Temple was there, the ‘holy site’ claim of the Jewish people takes precedent over the ‘holy site’ claim of the Muslims by Islams own rules.
JadeNYU on July 18, 2008 at 12:45 PM
This “amateur” stuff really gets my knickers in a twist.
If the kid gets a REAL SAM, and knocks down a REAL helicopter - but since the guy doesn’t have his laminated AQ Membership Card…it’s not really important.
eeyore on July 18, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Someone wrote up an example news story of what the news would have said about the 9/11 hijackers had their cell been busted.
Basically, it talked about how amateurish they were and made fun of the fact they liked to party and go to strip clubs and such.
Except for the big names that have pulled off previous attacks, every terrorist is an amateur if they get caught and someone the government should have been watching if they succeed.
JadeNYU on July 18, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Does anyone have any info on how to build an interplanetary destructo-ray? Molecular discombobulators?
LimeyGeek on July 18, 2008 at 2:31 PM
Can’t find the space modulator. It’s missing - Marvin
Zorg on July 18, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Upon reading the story, it is clear that GWB was not the target. The alleged cell only came up with the idea when GWB visited Jerusalem. They were waiting for another high value target. The Israelis arrested the group now, just before Obama’s visit. Hence, it is not unreasonable to say that the plotters may have killed Obama and the Israelis have saved him.
chsw
chsw on July 18, 2008 at 5:52 PM
Thanks Shin Bet.
Zorro on July 18, 2008 at 8:54 PM