Local News

MIAMI (CBS4/AP) ― Officials say the men who allegedly plotted to blow up the Sears Tower and some Florida government buildings were
hoping to equal or improve on the results of the Nine-Eleven attacks. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales describes the seven suspects arrested in Miami as "homegrown terrorists."

The men were arrested Thursday in a Liberty City warehouse in Miami.

Authorities say they were in the early stages of planning attacks on the Sears Tower in Chicago and other buildings in the country.

City of Miami Police and FBI agents surrounded a warehouse near the Scott Housing Project area at NW 62nd Street and 15th Avenue in Liberty City.

Sources say six Americans and a Haitian national, inspired by Al Qaeda but with no links to or funding from the terrorist organization, have been arrested.

The FBI took the suspects away and was tight lipped about what was going on, but federal sources told CBS4 News that this is a case of "homegrown terror".

On condition of anonymity, a Justice Department official told Brian Andrews, "They were building an organization with the goal of attacking federal and other buildings." Sources also say the suspects have nothing to do with Friday's Miami Heat Parade, which is still scheduled to take place.

F-B-I Director Robert Mueller, in an interview on C-N-N's "Larry King Live." refused to give many details about the investigation because "it's an ongoing operation." Mueller did say that he expects the "arrests and searches" wrapped up today.

CBS4 has confirmed one of the suspects is 32 year old construction worker Nasir Baptiste of Carol City. That information came from family members of the man, who claim he is not a terrorist.

The names of the other suspects are still unknown.

Ariane Webster, who identified herself as Baptiste's godmother, said, "I believe that's a stone lie. I've known Nasser for 5 years. I've never known him to get in any trouble, or to have problems with anybody."

G.J.G Atheea, a Master at the Morrisigns Masonic Temple where Baptiste was an Elder, claims Baptiste was approved by men who offered to fund him for whatever he wanted to do, "as far as some subversive work. They would give him whatever he needed." Atheea claimed Baptiste was not interested, and didn't accept what the men had to offer. He denied Baptiste was a terrorist. The Temple was also raided by agents Thursday.

CBS4's Tina Varona says residents had a funny feeling about the men, who they said would come out at night, dressed all in black with covered faces, and exercise. Residents say the men behaved like they were in boot camp. Liberty City resident Patricia Sands was frightened. "Scared as the devil," she said. "Right in your back yard." Sand said the men frightened residents. "I mean, all you could see were their eyes," Sands said as she described their garb. "They had their whole head wrapped, just they eyes showing, and like they're standing guard, one here, one there, like soldiers."

Another resident told CBS4 that the men just nodded when spoken to. "They was acting like they was in military training," said Jonathan Scott.

South Florida has been linked to several terrorism investigations in the past. Several of the Sept. 11 hijackers lived and trained in the area, including ringleader Mohamed Atta and several plots by Cuban-Americans against the government of Fidel Castro have also been based in Miami.

Jose Padilla, a former resident once accused of plotting to detonate a radioactive bomb in the country, is charged in Miami with being part of a North American terror support cell to Al Qaida and other violent Islamic extremist organizations. He has been in federal custody since 2002 and is scheduled for trial in September. Padilla was originally designated an "enemy combatant" and held for 3 1/2 years without charge by the Bush administration shortly after his May 2002 arrest at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

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