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Counterterrorism
magazine posted my Threatcon column on their website.
You can read the column via the below link or
the below text:
IACSP - ThreatCon Articles
Quaker William Penn named the city he founded
between the Delaware River and the Schuylkill River in his Pennsylvania
colony “Philadelphia,” as the name means “brotherly love” in Greek.
But one young Philadelphia resident stands accused of feeling more hate than
love with his alleged crimes of storing weapons of mass destruction and being
in contact with foreign terrorist organizations.
On August 14th, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the
arrest of the 17-year-old suspect. The unnamed juvenile was charged with
Weapons of Mass Destruction, Criminal Conspiracy, Arson, Causing/Risking
Catastrophe, Attempt to Commit Criminal Mischief, Possession of an Instrument
of Crime, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person.
The juvenile was arrested by FBI agents at his home in West Philadelphia
after an investigation by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
“The work of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force potentially thwarted a
catastrophic terrorist attack in the name of a perverted ideology that in no
way, shape, or form represents the beliefs of the overwhelming majority of
peace-seeking people of faith, including Muslims,” Philadelphia District
Attorney Larry Krasner said. “The charges we have filed against this
individual represent the most serious alleged terrorist activity prosecuted
in Philadelphia County court in recent history.
We intend to pursue full accountability for these crimes and will continue to
work vigilantly with our law enforcement partners to protect all of our
communities from hateful, ideologically driven acts of violence.”
Jacqueline Maguire, the FBI Special Agent in Charge of Philadelphia Office,
added, “Protecting the United States from terrorist attacks is the FBI’s
number one priority, and I think it’s very fair to say that lives were saved
because of this investigation.
“Investigations like this one – with the amazing work that continues and the
successful mitigation of such a significant threat – are exactly why we do
what we do, and yet another reminder of what a privilege it is to serve with
such dedicated colleagues. I’m so proud of my team for their incredible work
on this case, and thankful to our partners for their significant and
continued assistance.”
The law enforcement officials went on to state that the juvenile is alleged
to have been in contact with individuals and groups designated by the U.S.
State Department as global terrorists, including Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad
(“KTJ”), which is believed to primarily operate in Syria and is responsible
for attacks including the deadly April 2017 attack on the St. Petersburg,
Russia, metro and the 2016 suicide car bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan.
According to the law enforcement officials, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task
Force investigators were able to connect a social media account to that
communicated with an account affiliated with KTJ in March and April of 2023
to the juvenile.
The juvenile’s phone number was also found by
investigators to have a banner of Riyad-us-Saliheen Martyrs’ Brigade, a
Chechnya-based terrorist group, as its profile photo. On August 6, according
to the Task Force, the juvenile’s WhatsApp profile photo was changed to the
image of the ISIS banner.
“Self-radicalization by young people via the internet is a threat to all
families. Parents: Keep an eye out for violent cults that would lure in your
kids under the guise of politics or religion,” Krasner stated. “The juvenile
is further alleged to have received messages related to construction of
improvised explosive devises (IEDs) and to have purchased materials online
such as chemical cleaners that are used to construct IEDs, as well as outdoor
or tactical gear.”
The juvenile was observed by investigators as he purchased materials that can
be used to make IEDs, and recovered from his household trash materials
including electric wiring that can be used to construct IEDs. U.S. Customs
and Border Protection also provided records revealing 14 international
shipments of military and tactical gear to the juvenile’s address.
The juvenile is the son of a prominent Muslim criminal defense attorney in
Philadelphia who ran unsuccessfully for a judge in the last election.
The attorney, Qawi Abdul-Rahman, told the Daily Beast that he was
shocked and devasted to discover that his 17-year-old son was arrested for by
the FBI for terrorist activity.
He told the Daily Beast that neither he nor his wife were home during
the raid. Only the 17-year-old and his two siblings were present. The
attorney rushed home, where he found a pair of armored FBI vehicles and
members of the press outside his home. The FBI then handcuffed and led the
son out and into the FBI vehicles.
Sources say the feds may indict the parents in the near future. The suspect’s
mother co-signed her son's passport application and took her son to Lowe's to
shop for chemicals that might be used in a homemade bomb. The father gave the
suspect access to 60 or more guns and must have known that their son was
blasting homemade bombs in their yard.
Sources say a judge will soon permit the juvenile to be prosecuted as an
adult.
Paul Davis, a longtime contributor to the Journal, covers crime, espionage
and terrorism in his Threatcon column.
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