The typically quiet town of Casa Grande, Arizona, was rocked by an explosion at the local Social Security Administration office early Friday morning of what appears to an improvised explosive device (IED). No one was hurt in the explosion, which occurred shortly before the office was scheduled to open. The explosion was reportedly heard and felt all over the area.
Within 90 minutes of the explosion, police had a suspect in custody. But you wouldn’t know it from reading the establishment media reports this past weekend. One reason might be that the suspect is 47-year-old Abdullatif Aldosary of Coolidge, AZ, an Iraqi refugee.
On Friday, federal agents served a search warrant on his home. Aldosary has been on the radar of the Department of Homeland Security for at least the past couple of years.
Late Sunday afternoon, I confirmed with a source at the Phoenix FBI office that the case is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism. The source said that Aldosary is expected to be charged with a host of federal and state explosives and arson charges. (See update below.)
On Saturday, the Casa Grande Dispatch reported:
An explosive device was detonated Friday morning by the back door of the U.S. Social Security Administration office, shaking downtown Casa Grande, but no one was injured.Another news report states that Aldosary served eight months in prison for that earlier aggravated harassment case.
Federal agents, including those of the FBI, rushed to the scene. The FBI would not confirm whether anyone was in custody, but the Casa Grande Dispatch learned that a Coolidge resident, Abdullatif A. Aldosary, 47, was being questioned. The investigation involved agents’ going to his home at 4732 W. Lemon Ave., on the west side of Coolidge.
The device exploded at 8:24 a.m. at the federal office, 501 N. Marshall St. The back door and wall were charred and debris was thrown throughout the back parking lot, damaging a car parked nearby.
The office was not yet open but more than 10 employees were inside, police said.
A witness was able to provide police with a license plate number on a small dark-colored compact car that fled the scene. The registration showed an address in the Martin Valley subdivision of Coolidge. Coolidge Police Department officers found the vehicle at the Lemon Avenue address. The homeowner, Aldosary, was turned over to the FBI shortly before 10 a.m.
County recorder records show Aldosary bought the house on Aug. 12, 2008. According to court records, he was charged in September with assault and disorderly conduct. He also was charged in March 2008 with four counts of aggravated harassment at the request of the U.S. Homeland Security Department.
FBI, Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were at the scene collecting evidence throughout the day.
Even though Aldosary’s identity was known to news agencies on Friday after his arrest, national and international media outlets, such as CNN and Reuters which published reports late Friday night, noted his arrest but not his identity. And none but local media have reported Aldosary’s name ever since.
Now imagine if a Tea Partier — or even someone who shared the same name as a Tea Partier – had fire bombed a federal facility less than a month after Barack Obama’s reelection. Anyone think it would be getting more media coverage?
UPDATED (8:25p EDT): I just spoke again with my contact in the FBI Phoenix field office (who is not authorized to speak on behalf of the FBI office). This contact said that it is highly unlikely that Aldosary will be charged with any terrorism offense. While they are internally treating it like a domestic terrorism investigation, including looking at if he had any help constructing the explosive device, the FBI is saying very little and and will prosecute this as a simple explosives and arson case because of “the political sensitivities involved.”
UPDATE #2: Please note that the Daily Kos was first out of the gate, blaming the bombing on “right-wing extremism”:
Today, At about 8:30 AM, it appears a small explosive was detonated at the rear door of a Social Security office in Casa Grande, AZ. Thankfully, nobody was injured. It is still early, and we cannot say that it is a political act, or even be sure that this is an act of domestic terrorism, but it does seem likely.
Assuming this is a bombing, and that the bombing was conducted by a right wing zealot opposed to big government (neither of which we know for sure), I think we are seeing the start of something that I have seen coming for awhile.
And so it begins? Explosion at a Social Security Office in Arizona.
Today,
At about 8:30 AM, it appears a small explosive was detonated at the
rear door of a Social Security office in Casa Grande, AZ.
Thankfully, nobody was injured. It is still early, and we cannot say
that it is a political act, or even be sure that this is an act of
domestic terrorism, but it does seem likely.
Assuming this is a bombing, and that the bombing was conducted by a right wing zealot opposed to big government (neither of which we know for sure), I think we are seeing the start of something that I have seen coming for awhile.
Assuming this is a bombing, and that the bombing was conducted by a right wing zealot opposed to big government (neither of which we know for sure), I think we are seeing the start of something that I have seen coming for awhile.
I live in Tucson, AZ. As everyone knows, last year 18 people were
shot (including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords) and six people killed at a
'meet your congressperson' event in front of a Safeway. As it turned
out, the shooting was done by a psychologically disturbed young man,
partially influenced by the increasingly violent and secessionist
rhetoric of US political reporting.
For a long time now, I have believed that the re-election of President Obama would lead to a rash of right wing violence in the US. That is, with the right wing feeling that 'traditional America' is lost, many will turn to violence. Living in a 'liberal' enclave in an otherwise red state, I have always suspected that this right wing violence will be directed at federal buildings and liberal establishments here in Arizona.
I fear that the bombing today is a sign of what is to come. Just as the violent and secessionist rhetoric of the early 90s culminated in the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, I fear hate radio and Fox News will lead to bombings in red states.
Assuming the bombing today in Casa Grande is the product of right wing extremism, it is already beginning. And make no mistake, if this is right wing extremism, the difference between this bombing and the Oklahoma City bombing is only in scale...the intent is the same.
For a long time now, I have believed that the re-election of President Obama would lead to a rash of right wing violence in the US. That is, with the right wing feeling that 'traditional America' is lost, many will turn to violence. Living in a 'liberal' enclave in an otherwise red state, I have always suspected that this right wing violence will be directed at federal buildings and liberal establishments here in Arizona.
I fear that the bombing today is a sign of what is to come. Just as the violent and secessionist rhetoric of the early 90s culminated in the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, I fear hate radio and Fox News will lead to bombings in red states.
Assuming the bombing today in Casa Grande is the product of right wing extremism, it is already beginning. And make no mistake, if this is right wing extremism, the difference between this bombing and the Oklahoma City bombing is only in scale...the intent is the same.
Originally posted to Empty Vessel on Fri Nov 30, 2012 at 11:55 AM PST.
Also republished by Baja Arizona Kossacks.
No injuries in blast at Casa Grande Social Security office
CASA GRANDE — Authorities say they’re investigating a small
explosion that happened at the back entrance of Casa Grande’s Social
Security Administration office.
The explosion was reported just before 8:30 a.m. Friday and no one was injured, Casa Grande Fire Marshal Barbara Rice says.
Television images show the building was blackened around the entry door, but Rice says the damage was not extensive.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has investigators at the scene. ATF spokesman Tom Mangan says they are just starting their work and more information will be available later Friday morning.
Casa Grande police did not immediately respond to requests for information.
The explosion was reported just before 8:30 a.m. Friday and no one was injured, Casa Grande Fire Marshal Barbara Rice says.
Television images show the building was blackened around the entry door, but Rice says the damage was not extensive.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has investigators at the scene. ATF spokesman Tom Mangan says they are just starting their work and more information will be available later Friday morning.
Casa Grande police did not immediately respond to requests for information.
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