The War Against America

Los Angeles came perilously close to experiencing a horrific act of terrorism 18 months ago, a tragedy that was averted when an alert guard at the U.S.-Canadian border found bomb-making equipment in a rental car. The subsequent arrest of Islamic extremist Ahmed Ressam revealed a plot to bomb L.A. International Airport sometime around New Year’s Day 2000. The intention was to kill as many Americans as possible.

Ressam was convicted on terrorism charges in April. Now, facing up to 140 years in prison, he is cooperating with authorities and preparing to testify against one of his alleged co-conspirators in federal court in New York. He has given investigators an apparent wealth of information about his experiences in a so-called jihad camp in Afghanistan that exists to train and indoctrinate terrorists for attacks on Americans and U.S. facilities around the world. Some of what he has revealed will be made public at the trial.

Ressam’s information leaves no doubt about the global scope of the anti-American “holy war” proclaimed by exiled Saudi Arabian millionaire Osama bin Laden from his sanctuary in Afghanistan. Ressam has told authorities that terrorist training was given to groups from Germany, Italy, Jordan, Yemen and other countries. Targeted for attacks were not just U.S. embassies and ships--like the Cole, which was bombed in Aden harbor in Yemen last October--but tourist sites and hotels frequented by Americans.

According to Ressam, an Algerian who lived in Canada, many of those from the jihad camps are sent home to await orders to stage attacks at some point in the future. How many such “sleepers” there may be isn’t known. What is clear is that Bin Laden’s well-financed war against Americans is unremitting. The recent hasty withdrawal of some U.S. armed forces and other Americans from several Middle Eastern countries was prompted by apparently credible intelligence information warning of a possibly imminent attack.

The government is of course not telling all it knows of Bin Laden’s network. What has become public knowledge amply warrants deep concern about the threats Americans face, abroad and at home.

The suitcase bomb Ressam planned to set off at LAX could have killed and maimed hundreds. Ressam was stopped in time. The next terrorist might not be. Extremists are bent on violence against the United States. Americans should be ready to support their government if it finds occasion to strike back hard in legitimate self-defense.