Man Arrested For Plotting Bombing Attack In Wrigleyville

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Sep 20, 2010 8:20PM

A Lebanese citizen was arrested over the weekend and charged with plotting a bombing attack outside of a night club in Wrigleyville. Sami Samir Hassoun, of the 4700 block of North Kedzie Ave., was arrested after having gone through with an attempted bombing on Saturday night. Two problems: his accomplice was an undercover FBI agents and what Hassoun thought were explosives in the backpack given to him but the undercover agent were actually fake. The incident happened just south of Wrigley Field, near Eddy & Clark. According to the Tribune, while Hassoun will be charged with just this incident, he's also talked about "a biological attack on the city, poisoning Lake Michigan, attacking police officers, bombing the Willis Tower and assassinating Mayor Richard Daley."

Lest we think members of the public - including the throngs at the Dave Matthews Band show at Wrigley Field - were in danger, the FBI said in a press release:

In announcing this arrest, Mr. Grant and Mr. Fitzgerald wish to emphasize that at no time was the public in danger during this investigation. The supposed explosive device was inert and provided to HASSOUN by an undercover agent. In addition, HASSOUN was under intermittent surveillance as the plot developed and the undercover agents were in regular contact with HASSOUN, monitoring his activities. There was no indication that any foreign or domestic terror groups were in any way connected to this plot or inspired HASSOUN.

Hassoun has been charged with one count each of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device, both felonies. If convicted, he'd face a minimum sentence of five years in prison with a max sentence of life.