It was big, front-page news when a Pakistani who recently became a naturalized U.S. citizen was arrested on suspicion of leaving an SUV packed with potential explosives in Times Square in New York City. Countless Americans might have been killed or wounded if the bomb had gone off.
Authorities say the suspect, Faisal Shahzad, has admitted doing it, though it is uncertain how long the case may wind through the courts.
But in “Middle America” Kansas City, Mo., a terrorism case that also has scary overtones has just been concluded.
A used-car and auto parts dealer there admitted that he had sent nearly $24,000 to the al-Qaida terrorist network overseas. Khalid Ouazzani is a 32-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Morocco. He admitted sending the money to al-Qaida through a bank in the United Arab Emirates in 2007. He had also pledged allegiance to al-Qaida.
Al-Qaida is, of course, terrorist Osama bin Laden’s network of fanatical Muslim murderers. It was responsible for the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans, and it has continued to target Americans and U.S. interests around the globe.
It is fortunate that Ouazzani’s activities were discovered, though we may never know what harm al-Qaida did with the money he provided to the terrorists.
Ouazzani faces up to 65 years in prison without chance of parole. He should never be provided another opportunity to “help” al-Qaida so long as he lives.