The threat of terrorism always looms, particularly since Sept. 11, 2001.

The FBI, which can take some credit for averting some potential terrorist attacks, has put together a list of of some of the top terrorist cases of 2012.

The following was posted on the FBI website.

Alabama men arrested on terrorism charges: Two U.S. citizens living in Alabama were arrested in December and charged with planning to travel overseas to wage violent jihad. The pair met online and later confided their plans to an individual who—unbeknownst to them—was a confidential source working for the FBI. Details

 Plot to destroy Ohio bridge: Four men were sentenced to prison in November for their role in a conspiracy to destroy a bridge near Cleveland. The men—all self-proclaimed anarchists—pled guilty to conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The group allegedly planned a series of crimes in the Cleveland area. Details

 Conspiracy to provide support to terrorists: Four men were charged in Los Angeles in November with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists after they allegedly made arrangements to join al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill Americans, among others. Details

 Plot to attack Pentagon and U.S. Capitol: Also in November, a 27-year-old man was sentenced in Boston to 17 years in prison for plotting an attack on American soil and attempting to provide detonation devices to terrorists. The man built detonators for improvised explosive devices and provided them to FBI undercover operatives he believed were members of al Qaeda. Details

 Attempted bombing of New York Federal Reserve Bank: A 21-year-old Bangladeshi national was arrested in October for attempting to detonate a 1,000-pound bomb in Lower Manhattan to strike the U.S. financial system on behalf of al Qaeda. The man allegedly traveled to the U.S. in January 2012 specifically to conduct a terrorist attack. Details

Plot to attack U.S. Capitol: A 29-year-old Virginia resident was sentenced to 30 years in prison in September for attempting to carry out a suicide bomb attack at the U.S. Capitol in February 2012. Details

Plan to send weapons to Iraqi Insurgents: A former resident of Iraq residing in Kentucky pled guilty to terrorism charges in August for attempting to send Stinger missiles and other weapons to Iraq to be used against U.S. soldiers. Details

‘Revolution’ leader sentenced: A New York City resident was sentenced in June to more than 11 years in prison for using his position as a leader of the Revolution Muslim organization to promote violent extremism online against those he believed to be enemies of Islam. Details

 Violent extremists in Alaska: Also in June, the leader of an Alaska militia was found guilty of conspiring to murder federal officials and possessing illegal firearms including silencers and grenade launchers. Details

 Supporting terrorism: A 45-year-old Philadelphia resident was arrested in March and charged with conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic Jihad Union, an extremist organization responsible for bombings and attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan. Details

The FBI announced Monday night that it had busted four men -, including one who served in the Air Force —  who allegedly plotted to join Qaeda and the Taliban to commit “violent jihad” and bomb military bases and government facilities,  the Los Angeles Times reported.

The four men had ties to southern California.

A criminal complaint alleges that one of the men Sohiel Omar Kabir, 34, traveled in July to Afghanistan, where he arranged for terrorist training to be conducted with Al Qaeda and Taliban operatives.

The complaint, according to the LA Times, also alleged that Kabir introduced Ontario, Calif. resident Ralph Deleon, 23, and Upland, Calif., resident Miguel Alejandro Santana, 21, to “radical and violent Islamic doctrine.”

To read the full story click here.

Kurt Eichenwald, a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a former reporter for The New York Times, is the author of “500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars.”

On Aug. 6, 2001, President George W. Bush received a classified review of the threats posed by Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network, Al Qaeda.

That morning’s “presidential daily brief” — the top-secret document prepared by America’s intelligence agencies — featured the now-infamous heading: “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.” A few weeks later, on 9/11, Al Qaeda accomplished that goal.

On April 10, 2004, the Bush White House declassified that daily brief — and only that daily brief — in response to pressure from the 9/11 Commission, which was investigating the events leading to the attack.

Administration officials dismissed the document’s significance, saying that, despite the jaw-dropping headline, it was only an assessment of Al Qaeda’s history, not a warning of the impending attack.

To read the full column click here.

Steve Neavling

A Massachusetts man accused of staging a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol Building and the Pentagon with explosive-laden model airplanes pleaded guilty Tuesday to two federal charges, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Under a plea deal, Rezwan Ferdaus is to serve 17 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, if the federal judge in Boston signs off, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

Ferdaus is a physics graduate who was arrested in September after undercover FBI agents posed as Al Qaeda operatives and delivered to him explosives and assault rifles.

Ferdaus told authorities he wanted to terrorize the country in the name of jihad, the Christian Science Monitor reported.

Ron Machen Jr./doj photo

Attorney General Eric Holder assigned the U.S. Attorneys from D.C. and Baltimore to launch criminal probes into national security leaks to members of the media.

In a press release issued Friday, Holder said D.C. U.S. Attorney Ron Machen and Baltimore U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein will lead the probes.

The leaks center around the the disrupted bomb plot by al Qaeda and a New York Times story about the U.S. cyberattack program targeting the Iranian nuclear program.

“These two highly-respected and experienced prosecutors will be directing separate investigations currently being conducted by the FBI,” Holder said. “I have every confidence in their abilities to doggedly follow the facts and the evidence in the pursuit of justice, wherever it leads.”

U.S. drones continue to pick off targets in Pakistan.

CNN reports that a drone killed al Qaeda’s number 2 guy — Abu Yahya al-Libi.

CNN reported that the hit was one of the most significant hits since the killing of Osama Bin Laden.

“There is no one who even comes close in terms of replacing the expertise (al Qaeda) has just lost,” said the U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, according to CNN.

To read more click here. 

Shoshanna Utchenik

The U.S. led-NATO forces chalked up a major score in Afghanistan.

Al Qaeda’s second-highest Afghan leader, Sakhr al-Taifi, was killed by a NATO airstrike in eastern Kunar province on Sunday, reports the AP.

Al-Taifi, also known as Mushtaq and Nasim, commanded foreign insurgents in Afghanistan and directed attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, the coalition told AP. He often traveled to Pakistan communicating with al Qaeda higher-ups and transporting weapons and fighters.

NATO reported no civilian casualties in the Sunday strike.

To read more click here.

NYPD Commissioner Kelly/nypd photo

In case you hadn’t notice, NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly is no shrinking violet.

So one day after FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III testified before Congress that he hadn’t bothered to call Kelly about the latest al Qaeda/ underwear bomber plot, Kelly spoke up. FBI agents waited a week to brief Kelly’s folks.

“We can’t be treated like just any other city,” Kelly insisted Thursday, according to the NY Daily News. “We had 14 plots here. We had almost 3,000 people killed just five blocks from [City Hall\]. We had another attack in 1993. We’re different.”

“I’m not looking for a call from the FBI director,” added Kelly, who called Mueller “a personal friend.”

“I’m looking for information as quickly as possible for New York City.”

To read full story click here.

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