Fixing the Cracks in the System

The German operation to arrest Osman Petmezci and Astrid Eyzaguirre in September seemed to go like clockwork. Acting on a tip from America's Criminal Investigation Command (CID), police nabbed the pair on suspicion of plotting to bomb a U.S. military base near Heidelberg. After searching the couple's apartment, investigators found five rudimentary pipe bombs, raw material for 18 kilos of explosive powder, and a portrait of Osama bin Laden. Petmezci and Eyzaguirre are now in custody, awaiting trial.

Another victory for German law enforcement? Not quite. CID's Aug. 29 warning wasn't the first call from CID, but the...