They claim he was “radicalized on the internet,” which FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire presents as a radical change, when actually authorities have been claiming this for years and ignoring the uncomfortable possibility that this kind of activity might be encouraged in at least some mosques in the U.S.
“Philadelphia teen charged with planning national terrorist attack,” by Chris Eberhart, Fox News, August 14, 2023:
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, an unnamed 17-year-old, was in contact with a global terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda and 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 charges we have filed against this individual represent the most serious alleged terrorist activity prosecuted in Philadelphia County court in recent history,” Krasner said in a statement after the arrest….
“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.
“What hasn’t changed is these foreign terrorist organizations, again, having their sights set on America and being willing to not only recruit people from within this country but to target our citizens and our equities and interest here, too.”…
Hoi Polloi says
“radicalized on the internet,” Ms. Maguire… By? That supremacist ideology they insist is peaceful? No influence from mosques, as RS notes is likely?
“overseas to go to training camps”…..While those not of this supremacist ideology, but of one that actually is peaceful, go overseas to training camps to do something academic in hopes of making the world a better place instead of forcing a death cult down the infidels’ throats. No wonder BHO didn’t like Mr. Spencer’s truthtelling.
Emilie Green says
Once again one of life’s constants comes to the fore. No matter when in time, no matter where in the world, find Muslims, find trouble.
PRCS says
“The suspect, an unnamed 17-year-old, was in contact with a global terrorist group affiliated with al Qaeda”
Presbyterians?
Mormons?
Rastafarians?
Catholics?
Jews?
Oh, wait, could it be…..
OLD GUY says
I always wonder why Muslims are so eager to die, maybe it’s because of the crap they are taught in the mosques and the family life where women are treated like slaves and life has no value.