X-Ray Weapon Plot Stopped: NY Men Planned to Poison Enemies of Israel With Radiation
An X-ray weapon plot was foiled by the FBI, who said two upstate New York men planned to use the "lethal" weapon to harm Muslims, President Obama and any enemies of Israel. The conspiring terrorists were building a weapon that would deliver radiation to targets, who would get sick days later.
The X-ray weapon was the brainchild of Glendon Scott Crawford, 49 and Eric J. Feight, 54. Crawford is an industrial mechanic for GE, and knew Feight, an outside contractor with mechanical and engineering skills, though work connections. Together the two men conspired to poison enemies of Israel with radiation using an industrial X-ray device fitted on a truck.
"Crawford has specifically identified Muslims and several other individuals/groups as targets," investigator Geoffrey Kent said in a court affidavit obtained by the Associated Press.
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The investigation of the men began in April 2012 after Crawford began seeking funding for the weapon from other sources. He reached out to Jewish organizations, traveled down to the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan, and recruited Feight to his cause. Undercover investigators soon approached Crawford, which gave authorities the license to tap his phones, according to the indictment.
Crawford and Feiss soon began getting closer to the undercover agents, forming a group called "the guild" and committing to build the X-ray weapon. The investigators gave them $1,000, showed them pictures of the components they could get them, and even brought working X-ray tubes for the device.
Feight built the X-ray weapon and tested it. FBI had been recording their meetings, conversations and plans, and he and Crawford were arrested and charged with conspiracy to provide support to terrorists with the weapon.
"This case demonstrates how we must remain vigilant to detect and stop potential terrorists, who so often harbor hatred toward people they deem undesirable," U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian said in a statement.
GE, who found out about Crawford's terrorist activities and arrest Tuesday, suspended him. They have no indication that any employees were jeopardized by his plans, GE spokesman Shaun Wiggins told AP.
Despite over a year of planning, there's little indication the x-ray weapon would have worked.
"I don't know of any of these that you can use like a gun to aim at someone on the street," said Dr. Fred Mettler, a U.S. representative on the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. He explained that a radiation beam would require lots of power- more than what could be generated by a portable device.
Crawford and Feiss could get up to 15 years in prison.
