Authorities arrested an unnamed 17-year-old suspect after he was observed communicating with the global Islamic terrorist group Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, which is affiliated with al Qaeda.
FOX News Heavily armed law enforcement officers swarmed the Philadelphia home of a teenager who was plotting to launch a national terrorist attack, authorities said. The suspect had access to a “significant” number of guns and was building bombs, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire said during a Monday press conference.
The teen, who was arrested Friday, “conducted general research” into potential targets that weren’t confined to one location, and they were not just in Philadelphia, she said.
“Most concerning was the evidence to his access to firearms and purchased items and materials commonly [used] for constructing improvised explosive devices,” Maguire said. “Among the items he purchased were tactical equipment, wiring, chemicals and devices often used as the detonators.” These purchases were made within the last few weeks, which quickly escalated this case “in both threat and priority,” she said.
Investigators monitored the suspect’s activity after learning he was in contact with the terrorist group Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ), an al Qaeda-affiliated group that primarily operates in the Idlib province in Syria.
He allegedly sent and received media to and from the KTJ on Instagram in March and April that contained terrorist propaganda and guidance on committing to criminal acts, including how to construct a bomb. He “appeared to be taking steps to travel overseas for the purpose of joining or supporting terrorist activity,” she said.
The suspect, unnamed because of his age, faces several charges including weapons of mass destruction, criminal conspiracy, arson, causing or risking catastrophe, attempt to commit criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangerment of another person, Krasner said.
Maguire didn’t answer questions about how the suspect came in contact with the terrorist group, but the 23-year counterterrorism veteran said this case is an example of the frightening shift in radicalizing Americans. “It used to be that years ago you’d have to travel overseas to go to training camps, and that’s not the case anymore because you can very easily sit at home, sit in this country and be radicalized on the internet,” Maguire said. “The threat has changed, and it’s changed drastically over the past couple of decades.
Federal investigators, including the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, began monitoring the suspect’s activity while he communicated with KTJ on Instagram.
A WhatsApp account linked to the suspect’s phone number had banner of Riyad-us-Saliheen Martyrs’ Brigade, a Chechnya-based Islamic terrorist group, as its profile photo. That was changed on Aug. 6 to an image of the ISIS banner, according to a press release by Krasner.
I think rather than just blame the Internet, look at the mosque he used and I’d also investigate the junk that’s being taught and encouraged in the corrupt, Marxist infested universities.
Deport the muslim scum to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and feed the sharks.
First things first. How’s about imposing the same law and order on Muslims as everyone else inside our homelands and at the borders. “Death to the infidel is no longer acceptable. The stinking koran needs a mass of Chinese type copyright infringements. The Spanish who eventually beat these Godless Muslim enemy aliens down and out, were more advanced than anything being practiced today.
How did the FBI find time to leave its mission of “getting Trump” to do this?
Good question.
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/ZZQH/JQ6BrYk2X
A kid with too much time on his hands, converts to the religion of peace, and is encouraged by these worthless slimy bastards to become a bomber. After his hand spanking punishment, he should be deported as a National threat, and put on a plane to go live with the 7th century leaders he holds in such high esteem. Eat your mutton and drink your goats milk!
Meanwhile the same FBI turn a blind eye to the dangerous fanatics they’re knowingly importing over the porous southern border.