9/11/2005 Plot Uncovered?

Via LGF readers, the LA Times is reporting that two men were taken into custody as part of a counter terrorism investigation. The plot may have been targeting nearly two dozen locations in Southern California, including National Guard recruitment centers, and would have taken place on 9/11/2005 - the four year anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The suspect, identified as Hamad Riaz Samana, 21, of Los Angeles, was quietly taken into custody last week by counter-terrorism officials as part of a probe that began with the arrest of two men in Torrance suspected of robbing gas stations. The investigation, sources said, has involved more than 100 FBI agents and Los Angeles police detectives as well as counter-terrorism specialists with other federal and local agencies.

The case has opened a new and troubling front for counter-terrorism officials because of a possible connection to a radical form of Islam practiced by a group called Jamiyyat Ul Islam Is Saheeh, an official said. The group's name translates as The Assembly of Authentic Islam.

If that wasn't troubling enough, there's this:

Detectives discovered bulletproof vests and "jihadist" materials not readily available via the Internet, authorities said. Also found were the addresses of locations including the National Guard facilities, two synagogues, the Israeli Consulate and the El Al Israel Airlines ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport.

Where have we heard that before? Oh wait, we have. Hesham Mohamed Hadayat murdered two Jews working at the El Al ticket counter before being killed by El Al security. Several others were injured in this July 4, 2002 attack. John O'Sullivan wonders about the motivations behind that attack. I wonder if there's some kind of connection between that attack and this thwarted attack.