Posted by
Kilroy on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 11:31:38 AM
HOMESTEAD, FL – The assault had all of the earmarks of a terrorist attack. One lone attacker, Tahmeed Ahmad, wielding edged weapons and improvised explosive devices crafted from vodka bottles,
carried out a midnight raid on the west gate of the Homestead Air Reserve Base. With the battle cry “
Death to America”, Ahmad launched his plot to “
kill American soldiers.” That attack was thwarted by vigilant guards and Ahmad was captured without injury. “
Our security forces are well trained and responded appropriately” said base spokesman Lt. Col Tom Davis. Tragedy narrowly avoided.
But Ahmad was no ordinary terrorist, authorities believe. “
This guy was not Al Qaeda -- this looks like the work of Aq Ademia”, said a source close to the investigation.
Aq Ademia, the source explained, is a “loosely formed organization with no clear leadership structure but tenure and higher salaries are awarded to high achievers. Still they are just highly radicalized individuals bent on contributing to the destruction of America”. Little is known about the group; their highest profile members include: University of South Florida at professor Sami al Arian (convicted of providing material support to Palestinian Islamic Jihad); Columbia University assistant professor Nicholas DeGenova, who has called for American troops to “
meet a million Mogadishus” (in reference to the “Black Hawk Down” incident in Somalia during which 18 U.S. military personnel were killed. It is believed that the group has thousands of members in the United States.
At just 22 years old and having just begun his first year teaching math at Miami Central High School, Ahmad would have been considered a junior member of Aq Ademia. He had been recruited to teach by Miami-Dade schools. Ahmad also wanted to coach football. The FBI on Monday charged him with assaulting a U.S. government employee. A federal judge will decide Thursday whether he can be released pending trial.
“
If he is freed, Ahmad will be reassigned away from children”, said a school spokesman. While it’s considered highly unusual for such a junior member to rise so quickly, Aq Ademia bylaws do provide for merit based recognition. Given his credentials and the spirit with which he carried out his plan, Ahmad would be a prime candidate for accelerated promotion into the university system, possibly into a presidency or department chair.
