Did he really think that aspiring jihadis would be deterred by the prospect of arrest? That only illustrates how abysmally Richard Thornton, and the entire FBI, misunderstands the appeal of the Islamic State.
“Minnesota FBI head: Terrorism arrests haven’t stopped others from planning to join IS group,” Associated Press, August 26, 2015:
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – The head of the FBI in Minneapolis says the high-profile arrests of six young area men charged with plotting to join the Islamic State group haven’t stopped others from aspiring to do so.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Thornton said “there are people in this community that are at various stages along the path to traveling as we speak.” He didn’t elaborate on numbers.
About a dozen Minnesotans have traveled to Syria to join militants since late 2013….