SOMERVILLE, N.J. — A call from a convenience store clerk about a suspicious person led to an arrest and a frightening discovery: The man was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a loaded assault rifle and four magazines of ammunition.Levin was aghast at the FBI's naivete. Dripping acid, Levin could not fathom how the FBI would conclude there was no connection to terrorism when even a child could see the connection. (I've tried to locate a transcript, but one isn't up on the Web yet).
Back in the man's motel room, authorities found a grenade launcher, more rifles, a night-vision scope and, ominously, a map of the Fort Drum Army base in upstate New York.
Prosecutors have not said what 43-year-old Lloyd Woodson was doing with the arsenal. The FBI said Woodson did not appear to have any connection to terrorist groups.
So much for innocent until proven guilty! I hope Levin never sits on a jury!
But Levin should realize that there need not be any connection to Al Qaeda, or any terrorist group. Al Qaeda has helped usher in an era of do-it-yourself terrorism, where anyone can simply decide on their own to shout "Allahu Akbar!" or "Liberty, or Death!" and mow down random people with heavy weaponry. Even with Major Hasan in Fort Hood, Texas, there is no evidence that I'm aware of that Al Qaeda issued orders to him. No, Major Hasan was receiving inspiration from them. There is a difference! As far as Al Qaeda was concerned, what Major Hasan did was Major Hasan's business. But, if pressed, Al Qaeda might take credit after-the-fact for Major Hasan's actions. Because it's good for Al Qaeda morale to do so. Another plaster saint on Al Qaeda's mantelpiece. Might help with recruiting.
Viral terrorism of this sort is infinitely more dangerous than old-style, top-down terrorism, because it's much harder to anticipate when and where it might occur. Instead of insulting the FBI, Mark Levin ought to grow up and lose a bit of his own naivete.
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