Attempted WMD attack at my work in wichita, ks

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Friday is my Regular Day Off. I work 4 10 hour shifts.

On my way to work this morning I am listening to NPR news and they are talking about some guy that has converted to muslim and was attracted to the likings of Usama Bin Ladin. Anyhow He is a mechanic at the wichita airport. He tried to secure a WMD from an FBI agent and on friday tried to use his badge to access the tarmac where he was going to set bombs. I happen to work for the FAA and am frequently out there. Could have been a bad day if the FBI was not involved.

Scary thing in wichita, ks. I never, ever thought I woud be uttering these words... here is the story; however, it does not include the letters that were read on the radio. The letters were utterly scary, especially when i found out that it was a local story.

From CNN:

(CNN) -- An airport worker was arrested Friday attempting to detonate a vehicle packed with explosives that he thought were real in a planned suicide attack at a Wichita Mid-Continent Airport terminal in Kansas, federal officials said.

Authorities are calling him "a lone wolf."

Terry Loewen, 58, who was an avionics technician at the airport, was taken into custody without incident about 6:40 a.m. ET "when he attempted to open a security gate with his pass" and drive a vehicle he believed to be packed with explosives onto the airport tarmac, said U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom.

"He planned to pull the trigger on the explosives himself and die in the explosion," a Justice Department news release said.

"In fact, these explosives were inert, and it was not a bomb that would ever explode," Grissom said, adding that the airport perimeter was never breached and "no one was placed in any jeopardy."

The arrest came as part of an undercover FBI investigation, according to the Justice Department statement.

Read the criminal complaint

Loewen, who became the subject of a federal investigation early this summer, hoped to commit an "act of violent jihad against the United States" and spent months studying the airport's layout, photographing airport access points, researching flight schedules and assisting in the acquisition of car bomb components, Grissom said.

Loewen hoped to detonate his bomb during the airport's peak traffic time, exacting maximum destruction, Grissom said.

Loewen is charged with one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The criminal complaint against Loewen lays out a timeline of what led to his arrest and includes excerpts from statements and written communications:

August 5 -- In an ongoing dialogue with a person Loewen does not realize is an FBI employee, Loewen expresses his desire to "engage in violent jihad on behalf of al Qaeda."

In communication, he says, "I don't understand how you can read the Qur'an and ... not understand that jihad and the implementation of Sharia is absolutely demanded of all the Muslim (people). I feel so guilt-ridden sometimes for knowing what's required of me but yet doing little or nothing to make it happen."

August 8 -- Asked if he would like to be introduced to someone who can help him engage in jihad, Loewen replies, "Brothers like Osama bin Laden and Anwar al Awlaki are a great inspiration to me, but I must be willing to give up everything (like they did) to truly feel like a obedient slave of Allah."

(Al-Awlaki, the former head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, was killed in 2011.)

August 17 -- Loewen writes, "I have read Anwar AI-Awlaki's 44 ways of Jihad and like everything I've ever read of his, it's very informative."

August 21-- Loewen outlines some ideas, writing, "Let me get to the bottom line without being too revealing - I have numerous ideas of ways I could perform jihad in the path of Allah but ... none of them are legal. I'm 58 years old and spending my remaining years behind bars for a good reason is not out of the question for me."

August 26 -- Loewen offers a tour of the airport and writes, "Direct jihad against a civilian target is not out of the question."

August 27 -- Loewen elaborates on his vision, writing, "I guess I look at myself as the 'access' guy at this point just need more details, if any exist at this point - are we talking explosives, because I know nothing about that? It's all very surreal at this point, exciting, yet scary."

September 2 -- Thinking the FBI employee posing as a jihadist is upset because Loewen had allowed a family member to access his computer, Loewen apologizes and writes, "I'm not able to keep things in order, therefore causing an unsafe enviorment (sic) for myself and others, and the worse thing I can think of is someone else going down for my stupidity. I really don't see me living through any thing I have in mind, assuming I can even pul (sic) it off. Again I apologize for this (expletive) mess, and will miss the wonderful conversations we had. Peace be with you my brother."

September 3 -- Loewen assures the FBI employee no one's identity was compromised and "reasserted his commitment to engage in jihad," according to the complaint.

September 6 -- Discussing his plans, Loewen writes, "I believe the potential for me doing more is staggering. I have some rough ideas, but I know nothing about explosives. Don't you think with my access to the airport that I should put that to good use?"

September 13 -- Loewen writes, "Reading about the actions of the muhajideen (sic) and actually carrying them out is two different things. If not for my family, I would have already carried out some sort of operation - but thats my fault for putting others before Allah which I know better than to do."

September 17 -- After discussing fighter jet trainers he had seen on the airport tarmac, Loewen writes, "I don't see anyway an operation could be planned in advance. It would have been possible today for me to have walked over there, shot both pilots (I don't know if they are armed or not), slapped some C4 on both fuel trucks and set them off before anyone even called TSA."

October 3 --The FBI employee tells Loewen he had just met overseas with individuals connected to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and asks if he would be willing to scout targets, collect security information, take photos of access points and plant a device.

Loewen responds, "Wow! Thats some heavy stuff you just laid down. Am I interested? Yes." Loewen goes on to express concern about whether the FBI employee is who he says he is, according to the complaint, and writes, "I hate this government so much for what they have done to our brothers and sisters, that to spent (sic) the rest of my life in prison without having taken a good slice out of the serpents head is unacceptable to me."

October 4 -- Loewen writes that he had some questions: "As I've stated before, I won't be able to access the ramp with a vehicle until next year- so driving on to airport property with a van full of C4 is out of the question- after the first of the year, we could drive a city bus out there."

October 5 -- Asked if he is interested in dying for the cause and offered a chance to back out, Loewen responds, "I can't see myself doing anything that involves killing children, unless I know everything is being done to minimize that. I understand it's a war, and some of these brothers may have had their children killed by this country, but in light of what the Prophet said concering (sic) this, I just need to be sure it can be kept to an absolute minimum."

October 7 -- Loewen sends photos of an airport access badge, entrance gates to the tarmac and devices used to access the gates.

October 8 -- Loewen explains what the badge codes and colors meant.

October 11 -- He further discusses his plans and writes, "Count me in for the duration."

October 18 -- The FBI employee asks Loewen if he wants to meet "one of the brothers in person" and offers to provide him with a new laptop. Loewen responds, "I will only bring a weapon if the brother thinks it to be advisable. The only reason I would see the need for one is if law enforcement were to show their ugly self's (sic), at which point I would start shooting to give the brother time to flee."

October 25 -- Another FBI employee, posing as a Muslim "brother," meets with Loewen, who reiterates his desire to blow up a plane with numerous people on board, according to the complaint. They later decide the attack should be launched near Christmas.

November 11 -- In discussing his October 25 in-person meeting, Loewen writes to the first FBI employee, "I feel so close to this brother(as you said I would) that going to the end with him seems like the right thing to do."

November 19 -- Loewen meets again with the second FBI employee, and he provides his research on the best time to conduct the attack "based upon the number of people who would be boarding aircraft and the number of people who would be in the terminal," the complaint says, adding, "Loewen further expressed his desire to kill as many people as possible." He also provided a diagram of the terminal and tarmac and offered to obtain certain components and wire the explosive device, the complaint says.

"They agreed on a final plan, that once Loewen got gate access, they would drive to the terminal in the early morning hours, and detonate the device between the terminals for maximum casualties, and that both FBI Employee 2 and Loewen would die in the explosion," the complaint says.

November 21 -- Loewen meets with the second FBI employee and provides the requested components.

December 3 -- Loewen and the second FBI employee discuss the containers that will be used for the bomb and how to construct it. Loewen then gives the FBI employee a diagram of the terminal with an X designating where to park the bomb, along with flight schedules, according to the complaint.

December 6 -- Loewen renews his badge and is told he had been granted access to the tarmac.

Monday -- Loewen uses his badge to access the tarmac for one minute, the complaint says.

Wednesday -- Loewen meets with the second FBI employee. They go to another location where Loewen wires the "bomb," and they agree the attack will take place December 13. Later that day, Loewen tells the FBI employee he skipped work and wrote letters to his family members.

Friday -- The second FBI employee picks up Loewen at a hotel, and they drive to the location where the bomb is stored. Loewen finishes wiring the bomb, and the pair head to the airport, arriving at about 5:40 a.m.

Loewen twice swipes his badge to open the gate to the tarmac, but it had been disabled. He was then arrested, authorities said.

The complaint further says that authorities found a letter purportedly written by Loewen, dated December 11 and addressed to a family member, saying, "By the time you read this I will - if everything went as planned - have been martyred in the path of Allah. There will have been an event at the airport which I am responsible for. The operation was timed to cause maximum carnage + death."

The letter, according to the complaint, further says, "I expect to be called a terrorist (which I am), a psychopath, and a homicidal maniac."

FBI Evidence Response Teams were executing search warrants related to the case, and the investigation is ongoing, the Justice Department said Friday.

No additional arrests are expected, Grissom said, and Loewen was not working with any "religious community" in Wichita.

If convicted, Loewen would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

"Lone wolves, homegrown violent extremists, remain a very serious threat to our nation's security," FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Kaste said in a news release. "Today's arrest emphasizes the continual need for the public to remain vigilant as law enforcement relies on the public's assistance."

Loewen was arrested at the airport once before in 2009 for carrying a concealed weapon, according to police records obtained by CNN affiliate KWCH . He pleaded no contest and was ordered to pay court costs in the case.

It's not known if he already worked the airport at the time of that offense or was there as a passenger, KWCH said.

The Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is west of the city and is the busiest airport in Kansas.
 
Yeah I read about this too.... All I can say is my days of traveling during holidays is over :hide:
 
what an unbelievable idiot!!! glad they caught him :beerchug:
 
Life in prison just a little too good for this guy....
 
Yeah since the Feds were involved and it was an act of terrorism he's gonna get life in some secluded underground federal prison in the mountains of Colorado like Terry Nichols (OK bomber). Should just put him in the state prison and let them Good ole boys get a hold of him..... He'll meet his precious Allah within the week :whistle:
 
I think an execution would be good to send a messege out to others that think about this. He would get his precious sacrifice, but instead it would benefit the USA instead of the talliban.
 
I haven't seen this anywhere on the news...

Yea, I think they tried to keep it hush hush. The security at the airport said they knew something was going down, but had no idea what it was. The FBI invaded thier security earlier in the week and was monitoring all entrances and exits with badged entry. Nobody in the FAA had any idea this was going down. Im sure it would have made a huge scare if it were announced that they stopped a bomber. It would have been huge headlines if he had succeeded, i assure you. The FBI also doesnt want people scared to travel for the holidays, because then one of the terrorists goals would have been achieved....to create terror.

I didnt know about it till monday morning when I heard part of the story on the radio. Then on the safety brief I heard the rest of the story and looked it up on CNN.

Oh and guess what else happened yesterday.... My boss was headed to the tower and found a car parked in the middle of the 4 lane road in front of the tower. He was out of his lexus staring at the top of the tower. He was cussing the "FEDS" for blocking his cell service. He was very angry and told My boss he was looking for some feds to hurt. My boss then tells him to hold on and follow him. He told him he would get him inside to some "FEDS." Little did the guy know that he was being led into an ambush with security. This guy followed my boss into security with no hesitation. Then my boss decided to try to tell security without telling them that he was a fruitcake. My boss had no idea how he would react. Anyhow the dude was detained and the FBI was brought in to question the man.

Its been crazy around here lately.
 
This is planned and executed to keep the fires of paranoia against Muslims stoked. The whole operation seems sketchy and nothing more than a way to generate a story that says this guy was Muslim and an alleged Terrorist albeit without any legitimate act other than being groomed for the role by our very on G-Men. The greater threat to American's concept of life is Domestic militia/terror groups that are plotting acts here. Our own government is doing more to cause fear and distrust that what any Muslim has done in a long time and yet, it takes one fluffed up piece of news like this to get folks spouting on about Muslims. By the way, you don't convert to Muslim, you convert to Islam. A Muslim is a person who believe in Islam.
 
This is planned and executed to keep the fires of paranoia against Muslims stoked. The whole operation seems sketchy and nothing more than a way to generate a story that says this guy was Muslim and an alleged Terrorist albeit without any legitimate act other than being groomed for the role by our very on G-Men. The greater threat to American's concept of life is Domestic militia/terror groups that are plotting acts here. Our own government is doing more to cause fear and distrust that what any Muslim has done in a long time and yet, it takes one fluffed up piece of news like this to get folks spouting on about Muslims. By the way, you don't convert to Muslim, you convert to Islam. A Muslim is a person who believe in Islam.

You can't be serious?..and actually believe that?
 
i knew about this the day it happened...might be due to the "alternate" news sources i scan daily... yes...system worked...yes..FBI led him down the primrose path....chalk one up for the good guys?
 
Unfortunately we have not seen the last of terrorism. Has been silent for a while now. Glad to know the feds are keeping their eyes and ears open for these lunatics. I don't care what religion he converted to, he is a lunatic with a death wish and wanted to take others out with him.
 
My eyes are open, I have lived around the world and seen things for myself that give me the insight to be able to say this. Have you?
 
i do not know of any "Muslim" act of violence done here in america that i can honestly say did NOT have a potential of US government involvement in some way. i can say though...there are allot of acts committed in foreign country's that seem to have no government involvement. ie people lashing out violently on other people up front and personal...beheading, ect ect. but to be fair...Christianity has done the same thing
 
True and unfortunately it is a tit for tat due to acts of the Christians In Action and its opponents. Few things occurring outside the borders of the US that you actually hear about in the news have nothing to do with our government's involvement or interest. The big shell game continues and it is in everyone's face. They just don't claim to see it.
 
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