Things To Make Mom Worry

Ruh-Roh....

Federal law enforcement authorities are investigating a nascent plot to carry out a series of terrorist bombings at stations in the Washington Metro system, according to intelligence and law enforcement sources.

The investigation is focused on a naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from Pakistan, who became the target of an undercover sting operation, the sources said. An administration official said the man drew the attention of law enforcement officials by seeking to obtain unspecified materials. The planned attack was not imminent, the sources said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the matter remains under investigation.

The man, Farooque Ahmed, 34, of Ashburn, is believed to have conceived of the plot and planned to carry it out on his own. It is not known how far he proceeded in his preparations.

Ahmed was expected to appear at a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria. He was arrested in Herndon.

After 9/11, I started making a point of generally getting on the last car of a train on the theory that if someone were to have a go at it, they'd hit the lead car in order to maximize impact. I've got rather slack about it of late, but perhaps it was a pretty good idea after all.

UPDATE: A camelidophile points out that the article is about plans to attack stations, not trains. Well, there's not much I can do about the stations except not loiter around in them more than necessary.