The FBI has nabbed a suspected suicide bomber in Washington D.C. at the U.S. Capitol today. According to USA Today, the Moroccan man had been under surveillance by the FBI for months. When the FBI gave the suspected terrorist a vest he thought contained explosives, they quickly arrested him. The vest apparently contained non-explosive material, and from what I can gather, no lives were ever in danger.
The details of this story are unfolding, but they have a similarity to the bomb plot foiled in Oregon state months ago. It is also unclear at this time if the plot was the idea of the suspected terrorist, or if the FBI goaded him into it. I will update as soon as possible.
The FBI has been under scrutiny for their controversial anti-terrorism tactics. Some critics have claimed many of the suspects would never have committed the act,, or attempted to, without the FBI egging them on, or aiding them in some way. Proponents claim it is the only way to weed out the suspects they think will truly carry out the actions they speak of.
12:19 PM PT: UPDATE: According to CBS news, the man is 29 year old Amine El Khalifi, from Morocco, and was motivated to be the first suicide bomber on U.S. soil. It is reported he has lived in the United States for 12 years. The story also reports that El Khalifi first planned to bomb a military building in Alexandria but then changed his mind and settled on the Capitol after canvassing efforts.
The FBI says they had the man under round-the-clock surveillance for weeks, and he was never a danger to anyone. The agents met the man in his garage, gave him the vest and a fake firearm, and then arrested him shortly after.