U.S. man arrested over attempted car bombing at Kansas airport

[News_Editor]

By James Valles

WICHITA, KANSAS (BNO NEWS) -- A Kansas man was arrested and charged Friday in connection with an alleged suicide terror plot to drive a van full of explosives into a terminal at the the state's largest and busiest airport, federal authorities said.

Terry Lee Loewen, 58, of Wichita, Kansas, was arrested early Friday morning as part of a six-month undercover FBI operation in which Loewen believed the van he was attempting to drive into a terminal at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport was loaded with explosives. He was arrested shortly after trying to enter the airport's tarmac and was taken into custody without incident.

âThere was no breach of Mid-Continent's Airport's security," said U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom. "At no time was the safety of travelers or members of the public placed in jeopardy."

The suspect, who works as an avionics technician, faces one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

The Wichita Joint Terrorism Task Force began investigating Loewen this summer after authorities say he made threats to commit 'an act of violent jihad' against the United States. A federal affidavit claims he spent months planning to carry out Friday's attempted attack by studying the layout of the airport, taking photographs of access points, assisting in acquiring components for the car bomb, and discussing his commitment to trigger the device.

"Lone wolves - home grown violent extremists remain a very serious threat to our nationâs security," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael Kaste. "Today's arrest emphasizes the continual need for the public to remain vigilant as law enforcement relies on the public's assistance."

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback praised federal, state, and local agencies for the investigation. "In our ongoing war on terrorism, the good guys won one today," he said. "A joint operation with federal, state, and local components captured a would-be terrorist before he could cause harm. This is the way your government should work - united and effective."

If convicted, Loewen could face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[Jay Sata]

Redneck country so what do you expect?

[Credo]

Rednecks usually target places that aren't redneck.

Did you have any insight into the topic?

[NeverSure]

Redneck country so what do you expect?

I would be proud to have been a Redneck.

The United Mine Workers of America (UMW) and rival miners' unions appropriated both the term redneck and its literal manifestation, the red bandana, in order to build multiracial unions of white, black, and immigrant miners in the strike-ridden coalfields of northern and central Appalachia between 1912 and 1936. The origin of redneck to mean "a union man" or "a striker" remains uncertain, but according to linguist David W. Maurer, the former definition of the word probably dates at least to the 1910s, if not earlier. The use of redneck to designate "a union member" was especially popular during the 1920s and 1930s in the coal-producing regions of southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and western Pennsylvania, where the word came to be specifically applied to a miner who belonged to a union.

LINK

[Scott]

The term redneck is at least mildly pejorative and probably isn't applicable here. This is from the OP:

(He was an) avionics technician.... not really a redneck type of profession.

(He was charged, among other things with) one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

...he made threats to commit 'an act of violent jihad' against the United States.

His name is: Terry Lee Loewen, and he is 58, and from Wichita, Kansas.

[Ulysses G.]

It would be interesting to know if this guy was a serious Muslim or just some nutcase who hated his life and wanted to ruin it for other people using "jihad" as an excuse.

[NeverSure]

It would be interesting to know if this guy was a serious Muslim or just some nutcase who hated his life and wanted to ruin it for other people using "jihad" as an excuse.

"The suspect, who works as an avionics technician, faces one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization."

I don't know how that will shake out.

I often have a problem with these stings, even though I know sometimes they are necessary. The guy thought he had a truckload of explosives, but they were fakes planted by the feds. Did the feds encourage him because they wanted a big bust? Under any other circumstance, they would be accomplices. I hope they do this judiciously and only when they really believe they need to stop someone in advance.

[Credo]

I understand your concern with sting operations, but I really don't have too much trouble with them slowing down some guy who is willing to take himself out along with a whole lot of other people.

You can give me all the encouragement you want, I have no plans of making the big exit on behalf of anything, especially religion.

[Ulysses G.]

I often have a problem with these stings, even though I know sometimes they are necessary.

I agree that is entrapment, but I do not really mind. Anyone who is willing to carry out such a plot, deserves what they get.