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Jihad-martyrdom suicide bomber from U.S. spent months back in U.S. after jihad training

Jul 31, 2014 1:19 pm By Robert Spencer

US-SYRIA-CONFLICT-ATTACKS“Abu Salha trained with an extremist group in Syria, returned home for several months, and then left the country a final time.” This “exemplifies the challenges faced by the FBI in detecting U.S. citizens who seek to travel to Syria to engage in jihad.” Indeed. Especially when the FBI is forbidden as a matter of Obama Administration policy from studying and understanding the beliefs, motives and goals of people like Moner Mohammad Abu Salha.

“Report: U.S. sucide bomber in Syria came home before attack,” AFP, July 31, 2014:

The U.S. suicide bomber who blew himself up at an army post in northwest Syria spent several months back home after training as a militant, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

The report highlights a concern from Western powers, that Syria is becoming a training ground for citizens who could then return as battle-hardened veterans, ready to carry out attacks at home and abroad.

Moner Mohammad Abu Salha, alias Abu Hurayra al-Amriki, was believed to be the first American national to carry out such an attack in Syria’s more than three-year-old war.

The American jihadist on May 25 drove a truck bomb attack onto an army base in Jabal al-Arbaeen area of northwest Syria’s Idlib province.

Citing previously unreleased information from a U.S. investigation, the New York Times reported that Abu Salha trained with an extremist group in Syria, returned home for several months, and then left the country a final time.

An FBI spokesperson refused to comment directly on the investigation, but told the Times: “This incident exemplifies the challenges faced by the FBI in detecting U.S. citizens who seek to travel to Syria to engage in jihad.”

Officials told the Times the U.S. government was only able to determine Abu Salha’s intention of carrying out a suicide attack after he arrived in Syria the last time.

“He was on the path at that point and had decided on launching the attack,” one law enforcement official said. “It was fairly close in time that we learned that and that he launched it.”

Earlier, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security had some indication of the Florida man’s first trip to Syria, but had no information about his training as a militant or his intention of becoming a suicide attacker — thus giving authorities no reason to block his travel or detain him.

Estimates of the number of foreign fighters who have flooded into Syria in the past three years range from between 9,000 to 11,000.

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Filed Under: American jihadis, Syria Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. Beagle says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:25 pm

    “Earlier, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security had some indication of the Florida man’s first trip to Syria, but had no information about his training as a militant or his intention of becoming a suicide attacker — thus giving authorities no reason to block his travel or detain him.”

    If only he’d joined the Tea Party. Then the feds would have been all over him.

  2. Oliver says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    May all of these jihadists, and their families commit suicide-in Syria, Iraq; Lebanon; Pakistan and other Muslim —–holes; and only take more Muslims Jihadists and their friends and families and anal pore supporters with them.

    No innocent victims.

  3. KrazyKafir says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    A born loser tool.

  4. Angemon says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    The U.S. suicide bomber who blew himself up at an army post in northwest Syria spent several months back home after training as a militant, the New York Times reported Wednesday.

    Oh well, i’m sure he was considerate enough to leave his “extremist” views outside the US and not to teach anyone to build a bomb or something. Maybe :/

  5. mariam rove says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:30 pm

    I read about this this morning. This is not funny and it is one scary S…..m

  6. Richie says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    I strongly suspect it was pro Jihadist elements within the US government that blocked the FBI and military from scrutinizing the activtities of Muslims inside the US. This is how and why they can come and go with such ease- I think it was no so much driven by a leftist desire not to hurt the feelings of Muslims, but sinister elements who wanted to Jihads to carry on their homicidal plans without obstruction

    • Beagle says

      Jul 31, 2014 at 1:34 pm

      Search: Sensitive Operations Review Committee – Justice Department

      Standing wager: I say at least two members of this ultra-secret organization are members of a Muslim Brotherhood front group.

  7. Anonymous says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    It shouldn’t surprise me, I know there are all types in the world.
    But from the third world country that I live in, it still seems a bit hard to believe that someone brought up in the luxuries of the west would give all that up to go and blow himself up in some godforsaken land for some absurd cause.

  8. Beagle says

    Jul 31, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    Perhaps he was traveling to Syria to see the old Crusader castles (during the most brutal war ongoing, excluding the Congo which everyone ignores)?

    Denmark. Rotten. Some assembly required.

  9. Jay Boo says

    Aug 1, 2014 at 1:46 am

    Islam converts are like festering boils of pus.

    Eventually the burst and ooze out the filth inside.

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