Intelligence agencies stopped 51 terror plots since 9/11, according to The Heritage Foundation

Nine terror attacks foiled over the past year

security_20120502044524_JPG

Since the horrific and tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 51 terror plots have been stopped.
Photographer: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images
Copyright Getty Images

advertisement

Posted: 05/02/2012

Following the one year anniversary of the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a new report details America's successes against potential terrorist attacks.

America's intelligence agencies have been busy keeping the country safe. Their successes are well-documented. A new report released this week by The Heritage Foundation provides a detailed account of each foiled plot.

Since the horrific and tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, 51 terror plots have been stopped, including Cleveland's foiled bridge attack. Those 51 are just the attacks released to the public by The Homeland Security Department, CIA and FBI. From those 51 failed attacks, five were planned in Ohio.

* April 30, 2012:  Planned attack on the Route 82 bridge in Brecksville.  Five suspects -- - Douglas Wright, 26; Brandon Baxter, 20; Anthony Hayne, 35; Connor Stevens, 20 and Joshua Stafford, 23 -- were arrested and charged in Federal Court with conspiracy and attempted use of explosive material to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce.

* June, 2008:  Christopher Paul, a U.S. citizen from Columbus was arrested and charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.  Paul joined al-Qaida in the 1990s and was involved in plots to target Americans in the U.S. and overseas.

* February, 2006:  Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Zand Wassim Mazloum were arrested in Toledo for conspiring to kill outside the U.S., including American troops serving in Iraq.

* November, 2003:  Nurandin M. Abdi, a Somali citizen living in Columbus, was arrested and charged with plotting to bomb a Columbus-area shopping mall.

* May, 2003:  Iyman Ferris, a naturalized American citizen was living in Colubus when he was arrested for conspiring to use blowtorches to collapse the Brooklyn, NY Bridge.

What this report reveals is that terrorists, both inside the United States, and overseas, continue to plot and plan to harm American citizens. 

The Heritage Foundation's report concludes that out of the 51 foiled attacks, 43 of those can be categorized as "home grown" plots, meaning the suspects are either U.S. citizens, or foreign nations who came to America, live here legally, and in many cases, become naturalized citizens.

To read the complete report from The Heritage Foundation, click on this link: http://on.wews.com/IDuPVW

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

  • Comments

Featured Stories


  1. Latest mugshots: Palm Beach County

    Latest mugshots: Palm Beach County

    Click here to see the latest mugshots in Palm Beach County

    • Latest mugshots: St. Lucie County

      Latest mugshots: St. Lucie County

      Click here to see the latest mugshots in St. Lucie County.

      • Oklahoma tornado damage: Full coverage

        Oklahoma tornado damage: Full coverage

        Get the latest updates, photos and video from the devastation in Moore, Okla. Also, see how to help.

        Advertisement
        • What's Trending Now...