Gang-bangin' for bin Laden

It long ago became a cliche to refer to street-gang members as "urban terrorists," but the term had some merit, as gangbangers do truly terrorize their neighborhoods. And now, the New York Post reports, gangstas could become the next wave of jihadis:

Seven men intended to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and bomb FBI buildings to ignite a guerrilla war that would overthrow the U.S. government and pave the way for an Islamic regime, federal prosecutors said yesterday in opening statements.

FBI audio and video recordings show that the so-called "Liberty City Seven" hoped to use street gangs as soldiers who would stage attacks, ranging from large-scale bombings of major buildings to poisoning salt shakers in restaurants, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gregorie said.

On one of the 15,000 FBI recordings, Narseal Batiste is overheard saying he would make sure no one survived destruction of the 110-story Sears Tower because his soldiers would be ready to shoot down anyone who escaped.

This is obviously a far-fetched plot, but the idea of gangbangers going al-Qaida has precedent. We know that radical Islamic groups like to recruit in prisons, where gangbangers spend an inordinate amount of time. And convicted would-be terrorist Jose Padilla was a member of a Chicago street gang who did time behind bars before he took up jihad.

The term "urban terrorist" could prove truer than we thought. And that's a bad omen for Los Angeles -- gang capital of America and prime-time terror target.