Fort Dix Six Update: Cops and Entry

One of the men accused of plotting to attack soldiers at Fort Dix had recently applied to be a police officer in two big cities — a move some authorities believe may have been an effort to infiltrate law enforcement agencies.

Serdar Tatar, 23, applied for a job in Philadelphia last month, police spokesman Sgt. D.F. Pace said Wednesday.

"Based on what we know now, I don't think his intentions were good," Pace said.

Tatar also applied for a job in the Oakland, Calif., Police Department, according to a law enforcement official speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Roland Holmgren, an Oakland police spokesman, said he could not immediately confirm whether Tatar had applied there.

Tatar's lawyer, Richard Sparaco, would not comment on the job applications Wednesday, and neither would U.S. Attorney Chris Christie.

Philadelphia police rejected Tatar, a Turkish citizen and legal U.S. resident, because he was not a U.S. citizen and had not lived in the city long enough to be eligible, Pace said. Tatar had lived there for about eight months when he applied, less than the city's one-year requirement.

Very curious.

Meanwhile, WABC-NYC notes that they were able to get on the base at Fort Dix without trouble.

When news broke earlier this month about an alleged terrorist plot against Fort Dix, the New Jersey base called it a real wake-up call. Yet days later we went to the base to check security and found serious flaws.
Exactly one week after the FBI foiled an alleged terror plot at Fort Dix, we approached one of the main gates at the Army base expecting tightened security.

Eyewitness News Photographer: "How are you?"
Guard: "Where are you guys heading?"
Photographer: "Soccer."
Guard: "All the way from New York, go ahead."

After saying we were there for an athletic event and only one us having to show a driver's license, we were in, free to drive anywhere within the sprawling base -- the same base that the FBI claims six men wanted to use AK-47's and rocket propelled grenades "to kill American soldiers."

We took our own tour, first stopping by base lodging, a hotel for visiting military personnel. We then followed signs to the command center which is headquarters for the entire base, all along the way passing groups of soldiers, some getting their pictures taken, others conducting drills.

That's quite troubling and disconcerting that base security has not been increased, including checks on those entering the base. And base security is even more lax on days when the base opens for special events.