# Records reveal details of FBI terrorism stings



## cupper (15 Apr 2012)

Interesting read on the use of assets in sting operations, and the questionable results.

*Documents provide rare insight into FBI’s terrorism stings
*
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/documents-provide-rare-insight-into-fbis-terrorism-stings/2012/04/13/gIQASJ6CGT_story.html

But the most interesting (and humourour part is at the end, outlining just how incompetent the suspects in the stings can be.



> On the final drive to the Bronx, Hussain tried to get Cromitie to prime the bombs by following his instructions on which wires to connect, Hussain testified. But Cromitie and the others couldn’t figure it out, and Hussain had to stop the car and do it himself.
> 
> When they got to the Bronx, Hussain had to explain how to operate a car key fob so Cromitie could open the first of the pre-parked cars and plant the bomb.
> 
> ...


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## Nemo888 (15 Apr 2012)

If you don't find some loser patsy terrorists to charge you don't get promoted. If you don't find tangos your department  budget shrinks and your boss looks bad. Just some working class dudes trying to keep their jobs.


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## aesop081 (15 Apr 2012)

Nemo888 said:
			
		

> If you don't find some loser patsy terrorists to charge you don't get promoted. If you don't find tangos your department  budget shrinks and your boss looks bad. Just some working class dudes trying to keep their jobs.



So, what you are saying is that if it were not for the FBI, these people were just regular, peaceful, law-abiding citizens ?


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## GAP (15 Apr 2012)

Well.............yeah...............doncha know?


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## cupper (15 Apr 2012)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> So, what you are saying is that if it were not for the FBI, these people were just regular, peaceful, law-abiding citizens ?



It does beg the question, if these guys couldn't find their butts without a map, were they even capable of doing what they actually did without the FBI's help?

Or, if left to their own devices, would they have simply become a Darwin Award, thus saving the tax payers all of the time and effort the FBI put into the sting in the first place.


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## Sythen (15 Apr 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> It does beg the question, if these guys couldn't find their bitss without a map, were they even capable of doing what they actually did without the FBI's help?
> 
> Or, if left to their own devices, would they have simply become a Darwin Award, thus saving the tax payers all of the time and effort the FBI put into the sting in the first place.



I agree. We should ignore all threats and people's within our borders who want to do us harm, on the chance they are incompetent.


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## Nemo888 (17 Apr 2012)

The problem I was pointing out is one of perverse incentive. This has the undesired consequence of producing false positives to advance  careers and get promotions.  The story clearly points out that this perverse incentive is having a real effect. By ignoring this fact resources will be misallocated and real threats missed while wasting billions and promoting exactly the wrong people into positions of authority.

The quality of many in the int community in the last decade or so confirms this IMO. I much prefer the old timers. They had some balls and morals. The newbie ends justify the means dudes creep me the hell out.


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