Something in this story NOT found in others

Feds disrupt alleged plot targeting Obama

First: I'm glad local & federal law-enforecment disrupted the plot and arrested the plotters.

But... the point of this post: the accompanying story includes a detail not found in, for example, the initial story about the Miami Six, or the initial story about the Ft. Dix Five.

The detail?:

"Whether or not they had the capability or the wherewithal to carry out an attack remains to be seen," [Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren] said.

In previous high-profile domestic-terrorism arrests, the Government presented the threats as real and imminent, and described the plotters as fully capable of carrying out their plots. There were no circumspect statements suggesting that maybe the plotters hadn't the capability to carry out their plans.

I don't know if this means that the Government is becoming more critical of evidence, more cautious about making inflammatory accusations (these would be good things); or if White Supremacists targeting a Presidential Candidate are simply less sexy, less terrifying than dubious plots to blow up the Sears Tower.

The full-blown plot - involving plans to kill black students before going after Candidate Obama - is hair-raising.
I sure hope the Government doesn't decide to downplay the threat by characterizing the plotters as simply skinhead losers.
[I note that Jose Padilla - a very obvious 'loser' - was treated VERY SERIOUSLY by the Government: held incommunicado, in solitary confinement, for years before SCOTUS finally ruled in his favor.]

If this case is NOT reported by the Government as one of domestic terrorism, something is slightly screwy.