FBI asks public to help identify homegrown terrorists

FBI asking for helpChicago Tribune – by Jason Meisner

One day after a Bolingbrook teen was accused in federal court in Chicago of plotting to travel to the Middle East and join Islamic State, the FBI is asking for the public’s help to identify other individuals who have traveled — or are planning to travel — overseas to fight alongside terrorist organizations.

“We need the public’s assistance in identifying U.S. persons going to fight overseas with terrorist groups or who are returning home from fighting overseas,” Michael Steinbach, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, said in a statement posted Tuesday afternoon on the bureau’s website.  

The posting also asked for information on the identity of an English-speaking man and others seen in a propaganda video released last month by Islamic State.

In the 55-minute video, a masked man alternates between English and Arabic in pro-Islamic State pronouncements that are intended to appeal to a Western audience, the FBI said.

“Dressed in desert camouflage and wearing a shoulder holster, the masked man can be seen standing in front of purported prisoners as they dig their own graves and then later presiding over their executions,” the FBI said. His accent is believed to be North American.

“We’re hoping that someone might recognize this individual and provide us with key pieces of information,” Steinbach said. “No piece of information is too small.”

The move comes as U.S. national security and counterterrorism officials have voiced growing concerns over radicalized Americans traveling overseas to join Islamic State. The terrorist group has killed thousands while taking over swaths of Syria and Iraq and has released a series of videos showing the beheadings of Americans and other captives.

In an interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday, FBI Director James Comey, who has said about a dozen Americans were believed to be fighting in Syria, described such homegrown terrorists as “troubled souls” who “engage in jihad after emerging from their basement.”

On Saturday, the FBI arrested Mohammed Hamzah Khan, 19, at O’Hare International Airport as he tried to board a flight to Vienna with plans to connect to Turkey, authorities said.

A criminal complaint filed against the Bolingbrook teen detailed his alleged plans to join Islamic State. Authorities charged he had a contact to take him across the Syrian border to the terrorist organization’s stronghold and had left a letter for his parents explaining his motivations.
“We are all witness that the western societies are getting more immoral day by day,” Khan wrote in the three-page letter discovered in his bedroom, according to charges filed in federal court. “I do not want my kids being exposed to filth like this.”

FBI agents also found handwritten documents that expressed support for the terrorist group. One drawing appeared to be of an armed fighter with an Islamic State flag with words written in Arabic saying, “Come to Jihad.” Other drawings showed an arrow pointing from the border of Turkey into Iraq and Syria, according to the complaint.

jmeisner@tribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b

Copyright © 2014, Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-fbi-terrorism-help-met-20141007-story.html

16 thoughts on “FBI asks public to help identify homegrown terrorists”

  3. Hey I know that guy! He’s from Kenya, currently he’s squatting in a large white house and has a tranny for a wife. Should be easy to find him, start the predator drones looking on golf courses first.

    Reply

    1. Hi Haymaker,

      Technically,… Michelle is a the,.. “Missing Link” between man,.. beast.

      She will make a great Barnum & Bailey sideshow exhibit one day,… when they can manage to catch it,… kill it,… stuff and mount it.

      JD – Michelle Obama,… few sights in this universe are more repulsive than that,… that,… that,.. THING,.. is.

      .

      Reply

  4. Why would we? You the police have beat us, framed us, tryed to murder us, done property damage, and ran your mouths you can handle it. Now go out and handle it without us. You can not be above help on our streets and then come asking for our help. Your problem of your own makeing.

    Reply

  5. My Fellow Americans:

    The FBI is asking all Americans to help identify, “HOME GROWN TERRORISTS!”,…. (said in a booming, echo-ee kind of voice!…..)

    I WANT TO HELP!,… I WANT TO HELP!!!!

    Lets see,… there’s,.. well for starters,.. there’s the FBI,… the CIA,…. DHS,…. TSA,… IRS,….. The Entire Fed Gov’t,…. The Federal Reserve Banksters,…. State Police,… County Police,…. Municipal Police,…. Local Police,…. most local counsels, most multi-national corporations,…. and of all of the Mass-Media.

    I think that most of them,.. not all them,.. but most of them for starters.

    JD – US Marines – THESE TREASONOUS BAGS OF FILTH CALLING THEMSELVES THE GOVERNMENT,….. ARE THE TERRORISTS!!

    .

    Reply

    1. Hi hweinhard,

      Well,.. I’m sure they will be bunking me with Henry, Ed, Mark, Kevin,…. YOU,…. and all the regulars here at FTTWR.

      I just hope somebody remembers to bring a deck of cards.

      JD – US Marines – I’ll teach you guys how to play Spades,…. its a card game that’s big in the military.

      .

      Reply

  7. With all the technology at the fingertips of the FBI what is it that they do? They say….” Hey….do you know this guy? ” And show a picture. What a joke.

    Reply

  8. This is why you should always have a mirror. When an agent asks if you have any information on terrorists you can say “ why, yes I do, I see one right now” then promptly hold up the mirror so the agent can see himself/terrorist. You have now done your civic duty.

    Reply

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