QUOTE(The Greenville News")
Sanford's joke on terrorism at Statehouse draws criticism
Governor questions $5 million for security
Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 2:00 am
By Tim Smith
CAPITAL BUREAU
tcsmith@greenvillenews.com
COLUMBIA -- Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday questioned spending $5 million on security around the Statehouse, joking that he didn't see the site as a high priority for a terrorist attack -- "though sometimes I would like it to be."
The comment from the GOP governor, who has often been at odds with lawmakers during his tenure, drew laughter among those attending his cabinet meeting but later drew a rebuke from legislative leaders.
"Do we need something like an Oklahoma City-style bombing of our historic state capitol before the governor realizes there is a need to insure the safety of the people who come to our capitol?" GOP House Speaker Bobby Harrell said. He noted that the Statehouse and its nearby office buildings often play host to more tourists and school children than elected officials and all need to be protected.
Sanford's comment came during a lengthy questioning of a $5.3 million project to improve security in the Statehouse parking garage and grounds announced last week.
Governor questions $5 million for security
Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 2:00 am
By Tim Smith
CAPITAL BUREAU
tcsmith@greenvillenews.com
COLUMBIA -- Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday questioned spending $5 million on security around the Statehouse, joking that he didn't see the site as a high priority for a terrorist attack -- "though sometimes I would like it to be."
The comment from the GOP governor, who has often been at odds with lawmakers during his tenure, drew laughter among those attending his cabinet meeting but later drew a rebuke from legislative leaders.
"Do we need something like an Oklahoma City-style bombing of our historic state capitol before the governor realizes there is a need to insure the safety of the people who come to our capitol?" GOP House Speaker Bobby Harrell said. He noted that the Statehouse and its nearby office buildings often play host to more tourists and school children than elected officials and all need to be protected.
Sanford's comment came during a lengthy questioning of a $5.3 million project to improve security in the Statehouse parking garage and grounds announced last week.
Sanford seems to use the threat of international terrorism to dismiss the legislators justified concerns about an Oklahoma Ctiy-style attack on the capital. State Sen. McConnell gets it right when he says that Gov. Sanford would have made a different statement had he reflected on the very legitimate dangers.
These ill-advised comments come after two suspects were stopped in Goose Creek, SC on 27 September. According to The State explosives were found in the car.
QUOTE("The State")
Court documents point to terror plot
S.C. link: Men were stopped in Goose Creek
In car: Explosives materials, court documents say
By ADAM BEAM and LEE HIGGINS - abeam@thestate.com lhiggins@thestate.com
In a 12-minute video posted on YouTube, an Egyptian man wearing a white shirt, khaki pants and rubber gloves explains in Arabic how to turn a toy boat into a bomb.
His name is Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed, and last month he was arrested in Goose Creek after authorities found four PVC pipes containing a mixture of potassium nitrate, kitty litter and sugar in his car’s trunk.
Mohamed told FBI agents he made the video to teach “those persons in Arabic countries to defend themselves against the infidels invading their countries,” according to federal court documents released late Tuesday.
Specifically, he told the FBI “the technology which he demonstrated in the tape was to be used against those who fought for the United States.”
What started as a traffic stop for speeding in South Carolina has led to a two-count federal indictment on terrorism-related charges and a multistate mystery investigators still are working to unravel.
SLED Chief Robert Stewart, the state’s homeland security director, said his agency was notified “almost immediately” after the traffic stop.
S.C. link: Men were stopped in Goose Creek
In car: Explosives materials, court documents say
By ADAM BEAM and LEE HIGGINS - abeam@thestate.com lhiggins@thestate.com
In a 12-minute video posted on YouTube, an Egyptian man wearing a white shirt, khaki pants and rubber gloves explains in Arabic how to turn a toy boat into a bomb.
His name is Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed, and last month he was arrested in Goose Creek after authorities found four PVC pipes containing a mixture of potassium nitrate, kitty litter and sugar in his car’s trunk.
Mohamed told FBI agents he made the video to teach “those persons in Arabic countries to defend themselves against the infidels invading their countries,” according to federal court documents released late Tuesday.
Specifically, he told the FBI “the technology which he demonstrated in the tape was to be used against those who fought for the United States.”
What started as a traffic stop for speeding in South Carolina has led to a two-count federal indictment on terrorism-related charges and a multistate mystery investigators still are working to unravel.
SLED Chief Robert Stewart, the state’s homeland security director, said his agency was notified “almost immediately” after the traffic stop.
There was also the report of a Truck bomb incident by the Charleston City Paper a week prior to the traffic stop mentioned above.
QUOTE("Charleston City Paper")
Terror on Vacation
Trunk bomb highlights Lowcountry's potential targets
BY GREG HAMBRICK
Forget those big cities with their millions of people, billions of dollars in capital investments, and their globally recognizable landmarks. Two Muslim youths on a road trip between Florida and North Carolina earlier this summer made a diversion to Goose Creek with a home-made explosive devise in the trunk — right by the sunscreen and beach chairs, no doubt. No terror plot has been revealed, but Ahmed Mohamed has been charged with making a bomb and teaching others how to do it. The two were arrested within miles of the Naval Weapons Station — a fact that's been underlined in news coverage of the event. The weapons station has a wealth of terror collateral and even housed several terror suspects — Jose Padilla and Yasir Hamdi — potentially making it a prime target for terrorists.
But it's not alone. Being a popular port city and tourist destination, Charleston has a whole handful of terror targets. A coordinated attack here seems unlikely, but there's still the threat of an individual inspired by organized terror groups acting alone, says Charleston County Sheriff Al Canon, who coordinates regional counter-terror measures.
"It doesn't take very many and they can be very committed individuals," he says.
The Goose Creek incident likely opened the eyes of local police and residents who assume that we aren't a terror target.
Trunk bomb highlights Lowcountry's potential targets
BY GREG HAMBRICK
Forget those big cities with their millions of people, billions of dollars in capital investments, and their globally recognizable landmarks. Two Muslim youths on a road trip between Florida and North Carolina earlier this summer made a diversion to Goose Creek with a home-made explosive devise in the trunk — right by the sunscreen and beach chairs, no doubt. No terror plot has been revealed, but Ahmed Mohamed has been charged with making a bomb and teaching others how to do it. The two were arrested within miles of the Naval Weapons Station — a fact that's been underlined in news coverage of the event. The weapons station has a wealth of terror collateral and even housed several terror suspects — Jose Padilla and Yasir Hamdi — potentially making it a prime target for terrorists.
But it's not alone. Being a popular port city and tourist destination, Charleston has a whole handful of terror targets. A coordinated attack here seems unlikely, but there's still the threat of an individual inspired by organized terror groups acting alone, says Charleston County Sheriff Al Canon, who coordinates regional counter-terror measures.
"It doesn't take very many and they can be very committed individuals," he says.
The Goose Creek incident likely opened the eyes of local police and residents who assume that we aren't a terror target.
What's wrong with Gov. Sanford these incidents point toward South Carolina being a terror target.