On the anniversary of the London subway bombings, US and city officials made a big show out of confirming that three men had been arrested for plotting to bomb various tunnels leading into Manhattan. But the tunnels they were looking at were PATH tunnels to the World Trade Center and Christopher Street - not the Holland Tunnel or even the Lincoln Tunnel as previously mentioned by the Daily News and Senator Schumer respectively. Interesting. The NY Times has an interesting quote from an anonymous counterterrorism source:
"These are bad guys in Canada and a bad guy in Lebanon talking, but it never advanced beyond that."
"Like most plots that you get before they develop, it doesn't look that serious, but you never know," he said. "It's busted up; I think it's another good success."
He added: "They never were in New York, they never were in the States, they never got materials together. So in that regard, it's less serious than some of the others. Until you get materials together, it's not that serious; it's still in the speculative stage."
Speculation, schmeculation - it's yet another opportunity to remind Homeland Security that NYC needs mo' money for counterterrorism offers. What's especially weird is that apparently the plotters got their maps off the Homeland Security's website. Huh? At any rate, we thank everyone for reminding us Lower Manhattan is above sea level and can't be flooded by bombing tunnels - the NYPD is still stepping up its patrols, too.
And not only does the Daily News get the scoop for there being a plot yesterday (who cares if they thought it was the Holland Tunnel), they get to put a photograph of "lead" plotter Assem Hammoud shirtless on the cover! Take that, Post! But the Post does call him a "Psycho-Path".
