Are FBI Stings on High Risk Individuals Really Combating Terrorism?

The recent arrest of Somali-born, Oregon teenager, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, is the latest in a trend of sting operations utilized by the FBI, which seeks to target Americans who are considered to be a high risk of carrying out violent acts on American soil.  The arrest of Mohamed Osman Mohamud came after a year long investigation leading to an eventual sting operation, foiling what Mohamud perceived to be a plan to detonate a bomb at an Oregon Christmas tree lighting ceremony.  The problem is, there was no bomb in the first place.  In fact, the public was never in any immediate danger of being harmed.  Despite what senior FBI Agent Arthur Balizan describes as "a very real threat,"  Mohamud, who believed he was in contact with Al Qaeda operatives who were helping him plan an attack, was actually speaking with FBI agents the entire time and at no time was he in contact with the terror organization.

Whether people consider these sting operations entrapment , or whether they consider them just, there are a few things that need to be considered.


One, it is fair to say that these types of operations are at best not helping American-Muslim relations, and at worst are helping to destroy them.  Shortly after the arrest of Mohamud, the Mosque that he frequented was set ablaze in what local authorities are calling arson.  It is quite the snowball effect when it comes to American-Muslim relations. A possible outcome is this:  Man is caught in alleged terror plot. Targeted members of community become enraged and set fire to Mosque that most likely had nothing to do with Mohamud's radical behavior.  This in turn leads to resentment and anger from the Muslim community as well as making it just that much easier for militant groups to recruit by spinning the whole operation as propaganda for a "American War on Islam".


Second, the resources, money, and man power needed for a year long operation is not cheap.  At minimum this is hundred of thousands of dollars that are being spent on setting up a local youth who is, with the FBI's help, becoming a radicalized militant.  Not to mention the man power it takes to conduct such an operation.  Every one person working to set up a high risk individual is one less person working to combat people who actually have the means to carry out such an attack.


Lastly, while The FBI celebrates this sting operation, and arrest, as a victory, I am left only with the idea that with the hundred of thousands, if not millions of dollars being spent on setting up high risk individuals, and hundred of agents and analysts it takes to carry out such an operation. Is this money and man power well spent? Or could it possibly be spent in better places, such as stopping actual terrorist attacks like the one that almost happened in May.