SPECIAL REPORT: Sleeper Cells In Alabama
Posted: Tuesday, May 13, 2014 10:00 pm
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Updated: 8:53 am, Thu May 15, 2014.
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Posted on May 13, 2014
HUNTSVILLE,
Ala.(WAAY)-It’s a scenario many find hard to fathom. Seemingly everyday
men and women on the outside who are secretly planning to unleash a
terrorist attack So are sleeper cells among us here in north Alabama?
And if so, how big of a threat could they pose?
“The unfortunate
reality is that there are plenty of targets in Alabama,” said Ryan
Mauro, a national security analyst with the Clarion Project. “A sleeper
cell is a group of terrorists that hide in the darkness, and they wait
until the time is right…they’ll go after a shopping mall, they’ll go
after a school, they’ll go after any target that will scare Americans.”
Mauro and other analysts say the number of
sleeper cells that are linked with radical Islamic groups in the U.S.
has gradually grown since 9-11, with many spreading beyond traditionally
targeted sites like New York and Washington in favor of new ground in
the Southeast. Many of the newer terror targets are fast-growing areas
with a high number of transplants, including those who contract with, or
are directly employed, by the U.S. military. The kind of place very
much like Huntsville.
“One of the hardest things for Americans to understand is how someone with radical beliefs and a terrorist agenda can on a day-to-day basis be a genuinely nice person,” said Mauro. “I think a member of a sleeper cell that’s looking to carry out an attack could look for such a site in Huntsville. It’s not that far of a step for them to say there’s a military installation near me, that’s where I’m going to go and impress Allah. We’ve seen penetration of the military, it’s been going on for quite some time.”
Mauro said his research has turned up reliable evidence of radicalized cells operating in Alabama, with Huntsville a prime target due to the abundance of work involving national security. There’s been no evidence of actual penetration on Redstone Arsenal, but FBI Special Agent Philip Celestini said it’s a concern law enforcement is constantly monitoring.
“It’s always a source of concern for us, it’s the thought that keeps us awake at night,” said Celestini, who helps oversee national security operations for the FBI’s Birmingham division. “Redstone Arsenal, the greater Huntsville area, is a very attractive target…We’ve had multiple instances across the country in Maryland, in Texas, in Virginia, in other states, where would-be terrorists have openly and actively plotted to attack military facilities.”
The ongoing threat posed by potential sleeper cells is serious enough for the FBI to conduct mock terrorist attack drills at military bases, with one recent exercise at Redstone Arsenal simulating an active shooter scenario.
There are differing opinions on which sleeper cells pose the greatest threat, but many national security analysts point to those who may be affiliated with Hezbollah.
“It’s been said that Hezbollah, the terrorist group sponsored by Iran, is the “A” team while Al-Qaeda is actually the “B” team,” said Mauro. “The only thing holding Hezbollah back from carrying out an attack on the United States is they believe it’s counterproductive. But if there were a strike on Iran, their thinking would probably change.”
The FBI says it takes every tip on potential sleeper cells seriously.
“If there’s something that makes you uneasy, that makes your hair stand up on end, trust your instincts,” said Celestini. “No matter what it is, in this age of potential terrorism plots we want to hear from them. We want to hear from the public.”
“One of the hardest things for Americans to understand is how someone with radical beliefs and a terrorist agenda can on a day-to-day basis be a genuinely nice person,” said Mauro. “I think a member of a sleeper cell that’s looking to carry out an attack could look for such a site in Huntsville. It’s not that far of a step for them to say there’s a military installation near me, that’s where I’m going to go and impress Allah. We’ve seen penetration of the military, it’s been going on for quite some time.”
Mauro said his research has turned up reliable evidence of radicalized cells operating in Alabama, with Huntsville a prime target due to the abundance of work involving national security. There’s been no evidence of actual penetration on Redstone Arsenal, but FBI Special Agent Philip Celestini said it’s a concern law enforcement is constantly monitoring.
“It’s always a source of concern for us, it’s the thought that keeps us awake at night,” said Celestini, who helps oversee national security operations for the FBI’s Birmingham division. “Redstone Arsenal, the greater Huntsville area, is a very attractive target…We’ve had multiple instances across the country in Maryland, in Texas, in Virginia, in other states, where would-be terrorists have openly and actively plotted to attack military facilities.”
The ongoing threat posed by potential sleeper cells is serious enough for the FBI to conduct mock terrorist attack drills at military bases, with one recent exercise at Redstone Arsenal simulating an active shooter scenario.
There are differing opinions on which sleeper cells pose the greatest threat, but many national security analysts point to those who may be affiliated with Hezbollah.
“It’s been said that Hezbollah, the terrorist group sponsored by Iran, is the “A” team while Al-Qaeda is actually the “B” team,” said Mauro. “The only thing holding Hezbollah back from carrying out an attack on the United States is they believe it’s counterproductive. But if there were a strike on Iran, their thinking would probably change.”
The FBI says it takes every tip on potential sleeper cells seriously.
“If there’s something that makes you uneasy, that makes your hair stand up on end, trust your instincts,” said Celestini. “No matter what it is, in this age of potential terrorism plots we want to hear from them. We want to hear from the public.”
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