Since the events on September 11, 2001, there have been 20 known terrorist plots against New York City. Meaning that, on average, there has been one or two attempted terrorist attacks every year in New York City. These plots were meant to cause economic and social destruction at specific points around New York City. Most of these attacks were set in places such as subways, airports, synagogues, and important business places. With the attacks at these places, there could have been many thousands of deaths from any one attack. The people, or groups of people, involved in these plots were all stopped before these attacks could take place, and steps were taken to prevent possible future attacks of a similar manner.
In 2002, Iyman Faris, a U.S.-based al-Qaeda operative, planned to cut the Brooklyn Bridge’s support cables at the direction of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. However, as a testament to NYPD terrorism deterrence efforts, Faris called off the plot, indicating to al-Qaeda leaders that “the weather is too hot.” NYPD’s 24-hour coverage of the bridge, much of which was put in place following 9/11 and intentionally made highly visible, played a large role in Faris’ decision to abandon the plot. Faris was arrested in 2003, pleaded guilty, and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for providing material support and resources to al-Qaeda, among other charges. Knowing that the city’s bridges and critical infrastructure remain attractive terrorist targets, the NYPD keeps heightened security around high target areas and tourist locations. The New York City subway systems carry, on average, more than 5 million passengers per day. The subways span throughout the entire city and are underneath many major landmarks and tourist locations. It is for this reason that they are a prime target for terrorist attacks. In 2003, al-Qaeda had planned to release cyanide gas in New York City's subway system. The cyanide gas would have been released in the tunnels and would have spread throughout the rest of the stations, possibly killing hundreds of thousands to millions of people. According to a U.S. government official, the plan was called off by Osama bin Laden's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, for unclear reasons. The NYPD took proper protections after becoming aware of the plot. The NYPD increased security and check stations in the subway stations to ensure protection for the passengers. Shahawar Matin Siraj and James Elshafay plotted in 2004 to place explosive devices in the Herald Square subway station in Manhattan. Elshafay had already given consideration to potential targets by the time he met an NYPD informant in early 2004. In recorded conversations, Siraj expressed desire to bomb bridges and subway stations, and cited misdeeds by American forces in Iraq as his motivating factor. Siraj and Elshafay conducted surveillance of Herald Square station in late August 2004 and drew a crude diagram to aid in placing the explosives; they were arrested a few days later. Elshafay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to damage or destroy a subway station by means of an explosive. Siraj was sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to damage and …show more content…
In 2006, four men planned to detonate the jet-fuel storage tanks and supply lines for John F. Kennedy Airport. The supply lines travel underground in New York under highly populated areas. If the lines had been detonated, the explosion would have followed the lines throughout the entire area causing widespread death and destruction. An attack of this scale would have been much worse than 9/11. The man in charge, Russell Defreitas, an airport cargo handler, wanted to carry out this attack to hurt the United States as a whole. Defreitas and his three partners conducted extensive surveillance, and attempted to receive support from an Islamic extremist group as well. Through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the NYPD worked with the FBI, which placed an informant next to Defreitas, and arrested the four men. They were arrested in New York and received a life sentences after being convicted of conspiracy to attack a public transportation system; conspiracy to destroy a building by fire or explosive; conspiracy to attack aircraft and aircraft materials; conspiracy to destroy international airport facilities; and conspiracy to attack a mass transportation
In 2002, Iyman Faris, a U.S.-based al-Qaeda operative, planned to cut the Brooklyn Bridge’s support cables at the direction of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. However, as a testament to NYPD terrorism deterrence efforts, Faris called off the plot, indicating to al-Qaeda leaders that “the weather is too hot.” NYPD’s 24-hour coverage of the bridge, much of which was put in place following 9/11 and intentionally made highly visible, played a large role in Faris’ decision to abandon the plot. Faris was arrested in 2003, pleaded guilty, and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for providing material support and resources to al-Qaeda, among other charges. Knowing that the city’s bridges and critical infrastructure remain attractive terrorist targets, the NYPD keeps heightened security around high target areas and tourist locations. The New York City subway systems carry, on average, more than 5 million passengers per day. The subways span throughout the entire city and are underneath many major landmarks and tourist locations. It is for this reason that they are a prime target for terrorist attacks. In 2003, al-Qaeda had planned to release cyanide gas in New York City's subway system. The cyanide gas would have been released in the tunnels and would have spread throughout the rest of the stations, possibly killing hundreds of thousands to millions of people. According to a U.S. government official, the plan was called off by Osama bin Laden's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, for unclear reasons. The NYPD took proper protections after becoming aware of the plot. The NYPD increased security and check stations in the subway stations to ensure protection for the passengers. Shahawar Matin Siraj and James Elshafay plotted in 2004 to place explosive devices in the Herald Square subway station in Manhattan. Elshafay had already given consideration to potential targets by the time he met an NYPD informant in early 2004. In recorded conversations, Siraj expressed desire to bomb bridges and subway stations, and cited misdeeds by American forces in Iraq as his motivating factor. Siraj and Elshafay conducted surveillance of Herald Square station in late August 2004 and drew a crude diagram to aid in placing the explosives; they were arrested a few days later. Elshafay pleaded guilty to conspiracy to damage or destroy a subway station by means of an explosive. Siraj was sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to damage and …show more content…
In 2006, four men planned to detonate the jet-fuel storage tanks and supply lines for John F. Kennedy Airport. The supply lines travel underground in New York under highly populated areas. If the lines had been detonated, the explosion would have followed the lines throughout the entire area causing widespread death and destruction. An attack of this scale would have been much worse than 9/11. The man in charge, Russell Defreitas, an airport cargo handler, wanted to carry out this attack to hurt the United States as a whole. Defreitas and his three partners conducted extensive surveillance, and attempted to receive support from an Islamic extremist group as well. Through the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the NYPD worked with the FBI, which placed an informant next to Defreitas, and arrested the four men. They were arrested in New York and received a life sentences after being convicted of conspiracy to attack a public transportation system; conspiracy to destroy a building by fire or explosive; conspiracy to attack aircraft and aircraft materials; conspiracy to destroy international airport facilities; and conspiracy to attack a mass transportation