The former employee’s computer searches took place on this employee’s workplace computer. On that computer, the employee searched the terms “pressure cooker bombs” and “backpacks.”
So it wasn't Google, but it was because of searching for pressure cookers; it wasn't posting images of firecrackers on facebook, but it was a tip-off based on (private) surveillance.
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51% of Wikipedians might believe they know who knocked on these people's door, but we happen to know in this case that it was the Suffolk County PD.
and now we even know why: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6144198
The former employee’s computer searches took place on this employee’s workplace computer. On that computer, the employee searched the terms “pressure cooker bombs” and “backpacks.”
So it wasn't Google, but it was because of searching for pressure cookers; it wasn't posting images of firecrackers on facebook, but it was a tip-off based on (private) surveillance.