[AP] Curt Anderson - A group of men accused of plotting to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower were in the final stages of forming a homegrown terrorist cell dedicated to waging an Islamic holy war, a terrorism expert testified Tuesday. Raymond Tanter, a Georgetown University professor and terrorism scholar, said ringleader Narseal Batiste and the other six had nearly completed the "radicalization process" before their arrests in June 2006. Hallmarks of this process include religious conversion, operation within a military-style hierarchy, and adoption of goals shared by al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups to destroy U.S. landmarks, Tanter said. The final stage - which he called "jihadization" - means the group is ready to plan an attack.
2007-10-31 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive