The FBI Cleveland Field Office just held a press conference detailing the arrest of Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts aka Abdur Raheem Rafeeq on Sunday morning for planning a possible terror attack during Independence Day celebrations later this week. Among the sites Pitts scouted were Voinovich Park and the U.S. Coast Guard station.
According to the FBI, the investigation into Pitts began last year after a tip indicated that he was making extremist statements and expressing support for Al-Qaeda. The case was originally overseen by the FBI office in Cincinnati, where Pitts resided at the time, and then transferred when he moved to Cleveland this past May.
Pitts, a convicted violent felon, had expressed his intent to conduct U.S.-based terror attacks and his support for Al-Qaeda.
During a meeting last week with an undercover FBI agent, Pitts suggested bombing the July 4th parade, and then later scouted potential attack sites. The FBI states he intended to park a van with explosives downtown. He also discussed giving remote controlled cars filled with explosives to children of military personnel and a possible attack in Philadelphia, where he used to live.
According to WKYC, Pitts allegedly told an undercover agent: “I did tell myself that their holiday is coming up. The Fourth of July. Independence Day. What would hit them in the core? Blow up. Have a bomb. Blow up at the Fourth of July parade.”
Authorities state that Pitts talked about targeting St. John’s Cathedral, and gifting cars packed with explosives and shrapnel to the children of military members, according to WKYC.
“Just last week, this defendant was walking around downtown Cleveland conducting reconnaissance on what he thought was a large-scale attack planned for the Fourth of July,” United States Attorney Justin Herdman said. “He looked for locations to park a van that would be packed with explosives.”
Pitts allegedly looked to target Voinovich Park and the U.S. Coast Guard Station.
“On Sunday during his final meeting with an undercover agent, authorities say Pitts expressed allegiance to Al-Qaeda and discussed his desire to kill military personnel and their families. He also allegedly wanted to conduct a future attack in Philadelphia, a place he previously lived,” according to WKYC.
Authorities stated that Pitts made some “disturbing” Facebook posts, with comments urging other Muslims to learn how to shoot guns and throw hand grenades, WKYC reports. An undercover agent met with Pitts to see if he was a threat to national security.
“Additional conversations with extremely concerning statements of intentions made by Pitts are specified in the federal complaint,” said Stephen Anthony, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “They include topics such as hatred for the military, wanting to chop off heads and hands and disposing of bodies.”
Stella's Place 
Did anyone in the Obama administration ever used the word “Muslim” without couching it in glowing and loving terms.
How refreshing to have a non ambiguous press briefing about a Muslim terrorist.
The Trump Policy “We are acting before they attack” what a common sense approach.
Online threats are being used as physical evidence of intent to commit a crime.
Amen.
Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the people who have threatened to kill President Trump and/or those associated with him including threats against Barron, calls to rape Ivanka and Melania?
Lets keep this ball rolling and make these people accountable for their threats.
Repeated posting of a desire to commit a malicious act against a human being or human beings is now being prosecuted.
Finally.
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Heard, and seconded.
I just wish everyone in Government knew the etymology of the word “nation”, before they took their oaths of office.
“This is ours. Go back home.” Like every non-Western nation is somehow, for some reason, allowed to say and do. Just not ours. We’re not allowed to say that.
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Agreed, Mexico has no problem letting southerners travel through its borders so long as they are headed north and don’t stop until they get inside of the United States.
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I wish they could quickly try these guys and then put them to death.
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That needs to happen.
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Oh oh…he was worked by a Bureau ‘undercover agent’. Hmmmm…Bureau has a black eye, Bureau needs something to try and turn the heat down annnnnnnd an undercover FBI agent suddenly discovers some multiple felon schlub who wants to do a 911 on the 4th in…Cleveland?
Let’s see how this plays out – wouldn’t be the first OBL-wannabe the Bureau’s entrapped trying to cook up a dog’s dinner plot.
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Worked. Yep.
I think you hit the nail on the head, there, czar.
When has the FBI busted anyone they didn’t set up or equip first?
Never.
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Is that how they convicted you?
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As I said, he wouldn’t be the first ‘terrorist’ that they setup. Just oner of those ‘hundreds of attacks’ they’ve stopped but can’t talk about.
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12:56 to 13:56 of this press conference, the SAIC speaks of the accused’s “intent,” while stating he, the SAIC, was unaware of the accused’s actual ability to carry out the alleged planned bombings, and in fact the accused may have had no ability to carry out the bombings at all.
Listening carefully to the SAIC’s words in that one minute of vid, it seems fairly obvious that the FBI undercover agent was the guy on whom the accused was relying to provide the bomb-making expertise and/or contacts.
DOJ/FBI seems especially preoccupied with the “intent” of the accused of late. When did “intent” become a requirement for prosecution? One wonders. Law is not a strong suit, as it seems entirely subjective. imo
Will refrain from commenting further. There are times, too many it seems, where the best course of action is to see (hear) something say nothing.
Thx for the vid Stella. Would never have heard it otherwise, had it not been here.
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