Sunday morning, a man placed a backpack containing what he believed to be explosives into a trash can a block south of Wrigley Field. Fortunately for everyone, he received the backpack from an undercover federal agent. The man was arrested shortly thereafter for being a terrorist asshole.
Sami Samir Hassoun, of the 4700 block of North Kedzie, has been charged with one count each of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Chicago office said in a news release.
Hassoun’s arrest after midnight Saturday comes after a months-long investigation during which he unknowingly worked with an informant and an undercover FBI agent, officials said.
Hassoun, who is a Lebanese citizen and permanent resident alien, in June began expressing to an “associate” the desire to commit acts of violence in the city for financial gain and to cause “political transformation in Chicago,” the FBI said.
Those acts included a biological attack on the city, poisoning Lake Michigan, bombing the Willis Tower, assassinating Mayor Richard Daley and attacking police officers.
He ultimately settled on Wrigleyville as his target and wanted to use a bomb that he would detonate on a weekend night in order to inflict maximum damage. Two months ago, Hassoun’s associate introduced him to an undercover agent who said he was from California and had access to explosives. NBC Chicago.
Before anyone suggests that the man was “entrapped,” or uses any other legal words they don’t understand, a person can be entrapped only where they are tricked into or induced to do something they were not otherwise predisposed to do. This man very clearly was interested in wreaking havoc in Chicago long before the feds got involved with him.
Good work to all involved.