Topic: Najibullah Zazi

Former DNI Dennis Blair appeared on Fareed Zakaria's program to defend the NSA's metadata program, citing the 2009 Najibullah Zazi subway bomb plot as a success story. The hosts argue that the Zazi case was actually an FBI sting and that the intelligence community is scrambling to find any example of the metadata program thwarting an attack to justify its constitutionality.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney defends the "necessity" and "balance" of NSA surveillance programs under Section 215. The administration cites the 2009 New York City subway plot involving Najibullah Zazi as a primary example of a thwarted attack made possible by these programs.

Janet Napolitano highlights the shift toward monitoring "U.S. persons" and domestic threats rather than just foreign attackers. She cites the arrests of Najibullah Zazi and Faisal Shahzad, as well as a sting operation in Portland, Oregon. The hosts argue that these events are often orchestrated or facilitated by the government to justify increased surveillance in local neighborhoods.

Najibullah Zazi, dubbed the "Beauty Bomber," pleaded guilty to conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction in a New York subway plot. The timing of the plea and the sealing of bargain details are linked to the renewal of three expiring provisions of the Patriot Act. Skepticism is expressed regarding the claim that Zazi emailed himself bomb-making instructions from Pakistan.

The arrest of Najibullah Zazie, dubbed the "Beauty Bomber," is linked to the upcoming expiration of the Patriot Act. Authorities used CCTV footage of Zazie purchasing large quantities of hair bleach and nail polish remover to allege a terror plot. The segment questions the feasibility of creating significant explosives from these household chemicals and suggests the case is being used to justify extending government surveillance powers.

The Najibullah Zazie terror case is scrutinized as a potential intelligence operation involving an operative rather than a legitimate threat. The visual of a man in a turban buying peroxide with a shopping cart is described as "outrageously stupid." Speculation is offered that Zazie will be moved to a Supermax prison in Colorado or quietly released once the Patriot Act is extended.

Najibullah Zazi, an Afghan native and airport shuttle driver from Denver, is under investigation for alleged links to Al-Qaeda after a raid in Queens. The hosts find it suspicious that Zazi remains free despite the serious allegations. They note the coincidence of the CIA recently moving major operations to Denver, where Zazi was based.