Nidal Hasan is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent and a convicted domestic terrorist. In November 2009, while serving as a soldier at the Fort Hood military post in Kalleen, Texas, Hasan launched an attack on fellow soldiers, killing 13 people and wounding 32 others.Jennifer Hlad, “In opening remarks, Hasan says he was ‘on the wrong side’ in US Army uniform,” Stars and Stripes, August 6, 2013, https://archive.org/stream/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission#page/n0/mode/2up. In the year leading up to the attack, Hasan was in contact via email with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, reportedly sending him a series of emails in 2008 and 2009 and receiving two emails from Awlaki in response.David Johnston and Scott Shane, “U.S. Knew of Suspect’s Tie to Radical Cleric,” New York Times, November 9, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10inquire.html;
Larry Shaughnessy, “Hasan’s E-mail Exchange with al-Awlaki; Islam, Money and Matchmaking,” CNN Security Clearance, July 20, 2012, http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/20/hasans-e-mail-exchange-with-al-awlaki-islam-money-and-matchmaking/. In his court hearings following the attack, Hasan claimed that he had targeted U.S. soldiers in order to preemptively protect Taliban militants in Afghanistan.Michael Muskal and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, “Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan tells court-martial: ‘I am the shooter’,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/06/nation/la-na-nn-nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-20130806;
Manny Fernandez, “Fort Hood Suspect Says Rampage Was to Defend Afghan Taliban Leaders,” New York Times, June 4, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us/fort-hood-suspect-says-he-was-defending-taliban-leaders.html. Hasan pled not guilty to murder-related charges but was nonetheless convicted by a military jury and sentenced to death in August 2013.Chelsea J. Carter, “Nidal Hasan Convicted in Fort Hood Shootings; Jurors Can Decide Death,” CNN, August 23, 2013, http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/23/justice/nidal-hasan-court-martial-friday/;
Billy Kenber, “Nidal Hasan sentenced to death for Fort Hood shooting rampage,” Washington Post, August 28, 2013, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nidal-hasan-sentenced-to-death-for-fort-hood-shooting-rampage/2013/08/28/aad28de2-0ffa-11e3-bdf6-e4fc677d94a1_story.html. Hasan is currently detained on military death row in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.“Fort Leavenworth death row inmate Nidal Hasan appears at hearing in Fort Hood massacre case,” Dallas Morning News, January 29, 2015, www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20150129-fort-leavenworth-death-row-inmate-nidal-hasan-appears-at-hearing-in-fort-hood-massacre-case.ece.

Hasan was born in 1970 in Arlington, Virginia, to Palestinian immigrant parents. In 1995, Hasan graduated with honors from Virginia Tech University with a degree in biochemistry. Following graduation, he attended Army Officer Candidate School, and was selected to attend medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Hasan graduated in 2003, later earning a master’s degree in public health.James C. McKinley Jr. and James Dao, “Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage,” New York Times, November 8, 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1.

Hasan’s radicalization is believed to have begun as early as 2000 when, following the death of his parents, Hasan reportedly grew more overtly pious. In 2001, Hasan attended Anwar al-Awlaki’s Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Virginia, though it is not clear if the two interacted.James C. McKinley Jr. and James Dao, “Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage,” New York Times, November 8, 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1.

In December 2008, Hasan contacted Awlaki through Awlaki’s personal website. Hasan asked Awlaki to “make some general comments about Muslims in the u.s. military [sic],” including Hasan Akbar, the U.S. army sergeant who killed two soldiers in Kuwait in March 2003.Manuel Roig-Franzia, “Army Soldier Is Convicted In Attack on Fellow Troops,” Washington Post, April 22, 2005, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7210-2005Apr21.html. Hasan asked whether Awlaki would “consider someone like Hasan Akbar or other soldiers that have committed such acts with the goal of helping Muslims/Islam…fighting Jihad[?],” and “if they did die would you consider them shaheeds[?]”“Anwar Awlaki E-mail Exchange with Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan,” IntelWire, July 19, 2012, http://news.intelwire.com/2012/07/the-following-e-mails-between-maj.html.

The FBI intercepted the message but classified it as “Not a product of interest.”“FINAL REPORT of the WILLIAM H. WEBSTER COMMISSION on The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterterrorism Intelligence, and the Events at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009,” William H. Webster Commission, Accessed July 2, 2016, 41-52, https://archive.org/details/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission. Over the next two months, Hasan sent six emails to Awlaki and Awlaki responded to two, after which Hasan continued to email him. Hasan asked several questions about Hamas and the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict, posited an essay scholarship prize for the question “Why is Anwar Al Awlaki a great activist and leader?” and offered to help Awlaki “in accordance with the u.s. Law [sic].”“FINAL REPORT of the WILLIAM H. WEBSTER COMMISSION on The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterterrorism Intelligence, and the Events at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009,” William H. Webster Commission, Accessed July 2, 2016, 41-52, https://archive.org/details/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission. In all, Hasan exchanged 16 emails with Anwar al-Awlaki, dated from December 2008 to June 2009.“Anwar Awlaki E-mail Exchange with Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan,” IntelWire, July 19, 2012, http://news.intelwire.com/2012/07/the-following-e-mails-between-maj.html.

In July 2009, Hasan moved to the Fort Hood military post, pending an almost certain deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.James C. McKinley Jr. and James Dao, “Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage,” New York Times, November 8, 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1. Two weeks after his move, Hasan purchased a Herstal FN Five-Seven handgun from a gun store in Killeen, Texas, allegedly asking clerks for the most technologically advanced weapon available.Jennifer Hlad, “In opening remarks, Hasan says he was ‘on the wrong side’ in US Army uniform,” Stars and Stripes, August 6, 2013, https://archive.org/stream/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission#page/n0/mode/2up. In October of that year, the U.S. Army notified Hasan he would be deploying to Afghanistan in November.“FINAL REPORT of the WILLIAM H. WEBSTER COMMISSION on The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterterrorism Intelligence, and the Events at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009,” William H. Webster Commission, Accessed July 2, 2016, 62, https://archive.org/details/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission.

On November 5, Hasan entered the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at the Fort Hood military post. He told a civilian clerk to leave the room, yelled “Allahu Akbar,” and began shooting. Hasan specifically sought out uniformed soldiers and killed only one individual who was not in uniform.Jennifer Hlad, “In opening remarks, Hasan says he was ‘on the wrong side’ in US Army uniform,” Stars and Stripes, August 6, 2013, https://archive.org/stream/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission#page/n0/mode/2up. Hasan killed 13 and wounded another 32 before he was subdued by responding police officers.James C. McKinley Jr. and James Dao, “Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage,” New York Times, November 8, 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1.

Hasan was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premediated murder.Michael Muskal and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, “Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan tells court-martial: ‘I am the shooter’,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/06/nation/la-na-nn-nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-20130806. In his opening statement at the military tribunal in Fort Hood, Hasan declared himself the shooter and said that he was a member of the “mujhadeen [holy warriors].”Jennifer Hlad, “In opening remarks, Hasan says he was ‘on the wrong side’ in US Army uniform,” Stars and Stripes, August 6, 2013, https://archive.org/stream/final-report-of-the-william-h.-webster-commission#page/n0/mode/2up. Hasan also said that as a member of the U.S. Army, he found himself on the “wrong side,” and had “switched sides.”Josh Rubin and Matt Smith, “‘I am the shooter,’ Nidal Hasan tells Fort Hood court-martial,” CNN, August 6, 2013, www.cnn.com/2013/08/06/justice/hasan-court-martial/. The judge struck down an attempt by Hasan to frame his attack as an effort to protect Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.Michael Muskal and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, “Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan tells court-martial: ‘I am the shooter’,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/06/nation/la-na-nn-nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-20130806. Roughly one year after the shooting, Awlaki praised Hasan, stating, “How can we object to...Nidal Hasan’s operation. He killed American soldiers who were on their way to Afghanistan and Iraq. Who would object to that?”Jeremy Havardi, “The children of Anwar Al-Awlaki,” Commentator, May 23, 2013, www.thecommentator.com/article/3605/the_children_of_anwar_al_awlaki.

Statements by Hasan’s acquaintances following the attack reveal that Hasan viewed his military service as deeply in conflict with his religion. According to Duane Reasoner Jr., a friend of Hasan’s who attended mosque, “[Hasan] felt he was supposed to quit [the army]… In the Koran, it says you are not supposed to have alliances with Jews or Christians, and if you are killed in the military fighting against Muslims, you will go to hell.” Reasoner characterized Hasan as “very upset” and stated, “He didn’t want to go to Afghanistan.” In 2004, Hasan reportedly sought legal advice in an effort to terminate his Army contract, which was set to last until 2010. On one occasion in 2009, Hasan asked Osman Danquah—a veteran of the first Gulf War and the cofounder of Killeen mosque which Hasan attended—how he should counsel Muslim soldiers objecting to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Danquah later told the media, “I got the impression he was trying to validate how he was dealing with it.”James C. McKinley Jr. and James Dao, “Fort Hood Gunman Gave Signals Before His Rampage,” New York Times, November 8, 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1.

Though Hasan did not plead guilty to charges, he refused to field a defense and suggested that an execution would be his martyrdom. In August 2013, the military court found Hasan guilty on all charges and sentenced him to death.Manny Fernandez, “Death Penalty for Rampage at Fort Hood,” New York Times, August 28, 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/08/29/us/jury-weighs-sentence-for-fort-hood-shooting.html?_r=0. Hasan remains on military death row in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.“Fort Leavenworth death row inmate Nidal Hasan appears at hearing in Fort Hood massacre case,” Dallas Morning News, January 29, 2015, www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20150129-fort-leavenworth-death-row-inmate-nidal-hasan-appears-at-hearing-in-fort-hood-massacre-case.ece.

Nadir Soofi was an American-born ISIS supporter who attacked a “Draw Muhammad” cartoon contest in Garland, Texas, on May 3, 2015, alongside Elton Simpson. The pair shot and wounded a security guard with AK-47s before they were shot and killed by police.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses. ISIS swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack and referred to Simpson and Soofi as its “soldiers.”Holly Yan, “Texas attack: What we know about Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” CNN, May 5, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/us/texas-shooting-gunmen/. Soofi reportedly drew inspiration from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298.

Simpson, Soofi, and their roommate Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem began planning an attack in support of ISIS as early as June 2014, according to U.S. prosecutors. They allegedly discussed targeting military bases, individual military service members, shopping malls, and the Glendale, Arizona, Super Bowl. They decided on the so-called “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” in Garland, Texas, hosted by conservative political activist Pamela Gellar’s American Freedom Defense Initiative. On the morning of May 3, 2015, Simpson and Soofi drove from their home in Phoenix, Arizona, to the contest at Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center. Upon arrival they began firing assault rifles at security personnel, wounding one guard. A local traffic officer then shot and killed both Simpson and Soofi.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses. In March 2016, Kareem was found guilty of conspiring alongside Simpson and Soofi to provide material support to ISIS.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses;
Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373.

Soofi was born in Garland, Texas, in 1980 to a Pakistani father and a Christian American mother. He moved to Pakistan with his family at age 8. After his parents’ divorce in 1998, Soofi returned to the United States with his mother.Holly Yan, “Texas attack: What we know about Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” CNN, May 5, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/us/texas-shooting-gunmen/;
Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298. He studied pre-med at the University of Utah, but dropped out of school in 2003.‘Profile: Texas gunmen Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” BBC News, May 5, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32582704;
Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373. Soofi moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and reportedly worked as a taxi driver. He also owned several businesses including a carpet-cleaning service and a pizzeria.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373. Soofi hired Simpson to work at his pizza shop, and told his mother that though Simpson had a criminal record, he had converted to Islam and was trying to reform his life.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298. Soofi himself had previously had legal issues. He was sued in 2012 for showing a closed-circuit boxing match in his pizzeria without a commercial license. Soofi was ordered to pay approximately $10,000 in damages. In addition, in 2013, Soofi was ordered to pay $4,800 in past child support to his child’s mother, Tabbatha Banayat.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373.

According to Soofi’s mother, her son would often speak about Islam during their phone calls and blame the United States for its role in the Middle East. Soofi would also frequently talk about Anwar al-Awlaki, and would reportedly send his mother DVDs of Awlaki’s sermons. According to his mother, Awlaki’s 2011 death “instigated a deeper passion for his teachings” in her son.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298. According to Soofi’s maternal grandmother, Soofi was “a practicing Muslim, but wasn’t no fanatic about it.”Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298. Soofi’s mother reportedly called Soofi in January 2015 after she learned from her other son that Nadir had purchased an AK-47 off of Craigslist. Soofi reportedly told his mother that shooting was just a hobby and that he had gotten rid of the automatic rifle.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “Mother of Texas Gunman Sought to Keep Son From Extremism,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/mother-of-texas-gunman-sought-to-keep-son-from-extremism-1430951298.

Soofi’s brother, Ali, reportedly lived with Nadir and Simpson until about three weeks before the attack. Ali Soofi purportedly moved out because he was concerned about Simpson’s influence on his brother. Soofi was survived by his then-9-year-old son. Soofi’s mother called her son a good father, but said she could not understand why he would “leave [his son] behind.”Matt Pearce and Nigel Duara, “Texas gunman’s mother: ‘He just had a normal American upbringing,’” Los Angeles Times, May 5, 2015, http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-texas-gunman-20150505-story.html

Faisal Shahzad is a Pakistani-born naturalized U.S. citizen who in May 2010 attempted to detonate a car bomb in Times Square, Manhattan. According to the U.S. government, Shahzad had previously trained alongside the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), in Pakistan.“Faisal Shahzad Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison for Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square,” United States Attorney Southern District of New York, October 5, 2010, 2. Following the May 2010 attack, Shahzad told investigators that he had been inspired by the online sermons of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.Shane, Scott and Mark Mazzetti, “Times Sq. Bomb Suspect Is Linked to Militant Cleric,” New York Times, May 6, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/world/middleeast/07awlaki-.html.

Shahzad was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States in 1998, gaining U.S. citizenship in May 2009.Adams, Lorraine and Ayesha Nasir, “Inside the mind of the Times Square bomber,” Guardian (London), September 18, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/19/times-square-bomber;
“Profile: Faisal Shahzad,” BBC News, October 5, 2010, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11475789. One month later, Shahzad returned to Pakistan. In December 2009, he began training with TTP militants in Waziristan, Pakistan. Shahzad lived and trained alongside TTP militants for approximately two months, five days of which he spent learning to build explosives.Adams, Lorraine and Ayesha Nasir, “Inside the mind of the Times Square bomber,” Guardian (London), September 18, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/19/times-square-bomber.

Shahzad returned to the United States in February of 2010 after living and training with the TTP for two months. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, between February and April of 2010, Shahzad received two separate payments totaling $12,000 from the TTP via the informal hawala system. Hawala—an ancient payment system with Middle Eastern and South Asian roots—allows people to transfer money across the world by way of brokers, or hawaladar, who collect and pay money out of their own funds before balancing their accounts with one another. Shahzad used the $12,000 to purchase materials for the attack, including bomb materials and a car.“Faisal Shahzad Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison for Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square,” United States Attorney Southern District of New York, October 5, 2010, 1-2; West, Ben and Scott Stewart, “Uncomfortable Truths and the Times Square Attack,” Stratfor, May 6, 2010, https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100505_uncomfortable_truths_times_square_attack;
Benjamin Weiser, “Charges of Getting Cash to Failed Times Sq. Bomber,” New York Times, September 15, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/nyregion/16shahzad.html?rref=collection%252Ftimestopic%252FTimes%2520Square%2520Bomb%2520Attempt%2520(May%25201%252C%25202010)&_r=0;
Mohammed El-Qorchi, “The Hawala System,” Global Development Research Center, December 2002, http://www.gdrc.org/icm/hawala.html.

On the evening of May 1, 2010, Shahzad attempted to detonate three bombs—built from fertilizer, gasoline, and a gun safe—in his newly purchased car.Ben West and Scott Stewart, “Uncomfortable Truths and the Times Square Attack,” Stratfor, May 6, 2010, https://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20100505_uncomfortable_truths_times_square_attack. Shahzad parked in Times Square near 45^th Street and Seventh Avenue, and walked a few blocks away to wait for the explosion. However, Shahzad had mistakenly set the timer—which ran on military time—to 07:00 rather than 19:00. When no explosion occurred, Shahzad returned to his home in Connecticut.Adams, Lorraine and Ayesha Nasir, “Inside the mind of the Times Square bomber,” Guardian (London), September 18, 2010, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/19/times-square-bomber. Police disarmed the car bomb after a street vendor reported seeing smoke rising from the back vents.Al Baker, William K. Rashbaum, “Police Find Car Bomb in Times Square,” New York Times, May 1, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/nyregion/02timessquare.html.

Two days after the attack, FBI agents arrested Shahzad at New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport after he boarded a flight to Dubai.“Times Square suspect had explosives training, documents say,” CNN, May 5, 2010, http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/04/new.york.car.bomb/index.html. Shahzad told investigators that he had been inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, having listened to his lectures online. According to an unnamed U.S. official, “[Shahzad] listened to [Awlaki], and he did it,” referring to the attempted Times Square attack.Shane, Scott and Mark Mazzetti, “Times Sq. Bomb Suspect Is Linked to Militant Cleric,” New York Times, May 6, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/world/middleeast/07awlaki-.html.

Following the attack, both AQAP and the TTP featured Shahzad in their propaganda material. AQAP’s English-language magazine Inspire—released in June 2010—quoted an email from Shahzad in which he condemned peaceful protests in favor of jihad.Scott Shane and Mark Mazzetti, “Times Sq. Bomb Suspect Is Linked to Militant Cleric,” New York Times, May 6, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/world/middleeast/07awlaki-.html;
“Hear the World… A collection of quotes from friend and foe,” Inspire, June 2010, Issue 1, https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/aqap-inspire-magazine-volume-1-uncorrupted.pdf. Shahzad was further featured in a TTP propaganda video released in July 2010. The video was filmed at some point between late 2009 and early 2010 while Shahzad lived alongside the TPP in Pakistan. In the video, Shahzad urged Muslims to “fight against the enemy of Islam,” and to carry out attacks on the United States. The video also featured clips of Western media coverage of the Times Square attack.“United States v. Faisal Shahzad: Government’s Memorandum in Connection with the Sentencing of Faisal Shahzad,” United States District Court Southern District of New York, September 29, 2010, 5-7.

In October 2010, Shahzad was charged on 10 counts including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to commit an act of international terrorism. Shahzad pled guilty to all 10 charges on June 21, 2010. Prosecutors sentenced Shahzad to life in prison on October 5, 2010.Michael Wilson, “Shahzad Gets Life Term for Times Square Bombing Attempt,” New York Times, October 5, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/nyregion/06shahzad.html?_r=1;
“Faisal Shahzad Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to 10 Federal Crimes Arising from Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square,” Department of Justice: Office of Public Affairs, June 21, 2010, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/faisal-shahzad-pleads-guilty-manhattan-federal-court-10-federal-crimes-arising-attempted-car;
“Faisal Shahzad Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison for Attempted Car Bombing in Times Square,” United States Attorney Southern District of New York, October 5, 2010, 1.

Elton Simpson was an American-born ISIS supporter who attacked a “Draw Muhammad” cartoon contest in Garland, Texas, on May 3, 2015, alongside Nadir Soofi. The pair shot and wounded a security guard with AK-47s before they were both shot dead by police.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses. ISIS swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack and referred to Simpson and Soofi as its “soldiers.”Holly Yan, “Texas attack: What we know about Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” CNN, May 5, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/us/texas-shooting-gunmen/.

Simpson, Soofi, and their roommate Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem began planning an attack in support of ISIS as early as June 2014, according to U.S. prosecutors. They allegedly discussed targeting military bases, individual military service members, shopping malls, and the Glendale, Arizona, Super Bowl. They decided on the so-called “Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” in Garland, Texas, hosted by conservative political activist Pamela Gellar’s American Freedom Defense Initiative. On the morning of May 3, 2015, Simpson and Soofi drove from their home in Phoenix, Arizona, to the contest at Garland’s Curtis Culwell Center. Upon arrival they began firing assault rifles at security personnel, wounding one guard. A local traffic officer then shot and killed Simpson and Soofi.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses. Kareem was found guilty of conspiring alongside Simpson and Soofi to provide material support to ISIS in March 2016.“Phoenix Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Support ISIL and Other Terrorism-Related Offenses,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/phoenix-man-convicted-conspiracy-support-isil-and-other-terrorism-related-offenses;
Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373.

In the hours before the May 3, 2015, attack, Simpson pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi over Twitter.“Two California Men Arrested on Charges of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 22, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/losangeles/news/press-releases/two-california-men-arrested-on-charges-of-conspiring-to-provide-material-support-to-isil. Police suspect that Simpson used a Twitter account with a profile picture featuring the late al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki. Awlaki had repeatedly endorsed violence against cartoonists who allegedly insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.Manny Fernandez, Richard Perez-Pena, and Fernanda Santo, “Gunman in Texas Shooting Was F.B.I. Suspect in Jihad Inquiry,” New York Times, May 5, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/us/garland-texas-shooting-muhammad-cartoons.html.

The FBI reportedly began monitoring Simpson months before the Texas attack because of pro-ISIS statements he made over social media.Adam Goldman, Craig Whitlock, and Maurice Richter, “One Texas suspect was accused in 2010 FBI terror case, Washington Post, May 4, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/suspect-in-texas-attack-previously-face-trial-on-terrorism-charge/2015/05/04/438df596-f279-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html. Authorities allege that now-deceased ISIS recruiter Junaid Hussain radicalized and directly encouraged Simpson to carry out the Garland attack.Elliott C. McLaughlin, “ISIS jihadi linked Garland attack has long history as hacker,” CNN, May 7, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/06/us/who-is-junaid-hussain-garland-texas-attack/;
Colleen Curry, “A British Mother Reportedly Left Welfare Behind and Is Now Helping Recruit For The Islamic State,” Vice News, December 22, 2014, https://news.vice.com/article/a-british-mother-reportedly-left-welfare-behind-and-is-now-helping-recruit-for-the-islamic-state. Almost immediately following the attack, Hussain praised Simpson and Soofi on Twitter and called for death to “those that Insult the Prophet.”Evan Perez, Pamela Brown, and Jim Sciutto, “Texas attacker had private conversations with known terrorists,” CNN, May 7, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/07/politics/fbi-warning-elton-simpson-cartoon-event-attack/index.html.

The FBI first began monitoring Simpson in 2006 because of his alleged ties to Hassan Abu Jihaad, a former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of disclosing classified information.“Texas shooting: FBI had monitored gunman Elton Simpson since 2006,” Guardian (London), May 5, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/05/elton-simpson-fbi-had-monitored-texas-gunman-since-2006;
“Former Member of U.S. Navy Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Disclosing Classified Information,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 3, 2009, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-member-us-navy-sentenced-10-years-federal-prison-disclosing-classified-information. In 2009, while under FBI surveillance, Simpson purchased a plane ticket to South Africa to allegedly attend a religious school. In a conversation recorded by the FBI, Simpson told a friend that the school was a “front,” and that he would join a terror group in Somalia at the earliest convenience. Simpson later denied any intention to travel to Somalia in an interview with the FBI.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373.

Simpson was arrested in January 2010 on charges of lying to federal agents in connection with terrorism. He was convicted in March 2011 for falsifying information in relation to domestic and international terrorism, and placed on three years of probation. According to the court, prosecutors had not proven that Simpson’s travel plans were “sufficiently ‘related’ to international terrorism.” Simpson’s former public defender, Kristina Sitton, told CNN that she did not observe any signs of radicalization while meeting with Simpson in the Somalia case. Instead, she described Simpson as “kind-hearted” and “respectful.”Holly Yan, “Texas attack: What we know about Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” CNN, May 5, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/05/us/texas-shooting-gunmen/. Simpson was reportedly added to the federal no-fly list after the sentencing.Dan Frosch and Ana Campoy, “One of Texas Gunmen Had Previously Drawn FBI’s Attention,” Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-of-texas-gunmen-had-previously-drawn-fbis-attention-1430753373.

Ahead of the Garland attack, Simpson had reportedly been in contact via Twitter with propagandist Muhammad Abdullahi Hassan, a.k.a. Mujahid Miski. Ten days before the attack, Miski praised the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting over Twitter and said, “It’s time for brothers in the #US to do their part.” Miski then told Simpson, “One individual is able to put a whole nation onto it’s [sic] knees.”Brian Ross, Rhonda Schwartz, Randy Kreider, and James Gordon Meek, “The American Terror Recruiter’s Link to Texas Shooting,” ABC News, May 5, 2015, http://abcnews.go.com/US/american-terror-recruiters-link-texas-shooting/story?id=30827653. Simpson also reportedly communicated over Twitter with suspected ISIS supporter Erick Jamal Hendricks of North Carolina. Hendricks was arrested on August 4, 2016, after he allegedly attempted to purchase an AK-47 and ammo from an undercover law enforcement officer.“North Carolina Man Charged with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, August 4, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/north-carolina-man-charged-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil.

After the Garland attack, Simpson’s former attorney, Sitton, said that Simpson had “seemed pretty normal” and “harmless” when she represented him. Minutes before he and Soofi carried out the Garland attack, Simpson tweeted, “May Allah accept us as mujahideen,” with the hashtag #Texasattack.‘Profile: Texas gunmen Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi,” BBC News, May 5, 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32582704.

Dahir Adan was the suspect in the September 17, 2016, stabbing spree in St. Cloud, Minnesota, allegedly injuring 10 people at a mall in before being shot dead by an off-duty police officer. Hours after the attack, ISIS claimed responsibility through its Amaq news agency, saying that Adan was “a soldier of the Islamic State” who had “carried out the operation in response to the [call to attack] citizens of countries belonging to the [international] coalition [against ISIS].”“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681. Law enforcement has since been investigating the attack in St. Cloud as a potential act of terrorism, but have not determined whether Adan had direct contact with the terrorist organization.Joe Sterling, Max, Blau, and Rosa Flores, “Stabbing Suspect Had Gone to Mall to Buy an iPhone, Source Says,” CNN, September 19, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/us/minnesota-mall-stabbing;
Mitch Smirh and Richard Perez Pina, “Friends Say Minnesota Attacker Was ‘Normal American Kid,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/us/obama-st-cloud-minnesota.html.

The attacks in St. Cloud began at approximately 8:15 p.m. on September 17, 2016, when a man later identified as Adan entered the Crossroads Center mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681;
Kristine Guerra, Jessica Contrera, and Brian Murphy, “Minnesota Stabbing Survivor: ‘He Looked Me Dead in the Eyes,’” Washington Post, September 19, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/18/man-shot-dead-after-stabbing-8-people-in-a-minnesota-mall/?utm_term=.f348ed564cc6. Adan soon began stabbing people in the mall’s corridors, reportedly referencing Allah during the attacks and asking at least one victim if he was Muslim before attacking him.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681. Adan’s victims—eight men and two women—ranged from ages 15 to 53.Mitch Smirh and Richard Perez Pina, “Friends Say Minnesota Attacker Was ‘Normal American Kid,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/us/obama-st-cloud-minnesota.html;
“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681. Adan was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer inside the mall’s Macy’s department store minutes after the assault began.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681;
Ginger Adams Otis, “Timeline of Terror Attacks from Bombings in New York and New Jersey to Stabbings in Minnesota,” New York Daily News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/timeline-terror-attack-nyc-n-bombs-minnesota-stabbings-article-1.2798864.

The son of Somali refugees, Adan had shown few signs of radicalization, according to several community leaders and classmates who knew him. One community leader, a close friend of Adan’s family, said that Adan had been more interested in sports than religion, describing him as “the most assimilated kid in the neighborhood.”“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681. Two community leaders nonetheless claimed that Adan had been acting strangely before the attack.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681.

Adan was born in Kenya and had immigrated with his family to the United States when Adan was a child.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681;
Kristine Guerra, Jessica Contrera, and Brian Murphy, “Minnesota Stabbing Survivor: ‘He Looked Me Dead in the Eyes,’” Washington Post, September 19, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/18/man-shot-dead-after-stabbing-8-people-in-a-minnesota-mall/?utm_term=.f348ed564cc6. Prior to the stabbings, Adan had been studying information systems at St. Cloud State University, last enrolling for classes in spring 2016.“Dahir Adan: What we know,” Star Tribune, September 19, 2016, http://www.startribune.com/dahir-adan-what-we-know/394013681. Adan had also worked as a security guard before quitting his job with Securitas global security firm in June 2016.Mitch Smirh and Richard Perez Pina, “Friends Say Minnesota Attacker Was ‘Normal American Kid,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/us/obama-st-cloud-minnesota.html. Adan had no prior history of violent attacks, though he did have minor traffic violations on his record.Kristine Guerra, Jessica Contrera, and Brian Murphy, “Minnesota Stabbing Survivor: ‘He Looked Me Dead in the Eyes,’” Washington Post, September 19, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/09/18/man-shot-dead-after-stabbing-8-people-in-a-minnesota-mall/?utm_term=.f348ed564cc6.

Ahmad Khan Rahami carried out the New York and New Jersey bombings, planted on September 17 and September 18, 2016.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. Rahami—an Afghan-born U.S. citizen and former resident of Elizabeth, New Jersey—was convicted of planting four improvised explosive devices (IEDs)Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. and injuring 33 people over the course of three days: 31 people in the pressure-cooker bomb that exploded in New York City’s Chelsea district on September 17, and two police officers in a New Jersey shootout on September 19.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html;
“FBI: Rahmani Linked to Bombs in New York and New Jersey,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/video/fbi-rahmani-linked-to-bombs-in-new-york-and-new-jersey-768647747830. No one was injured in the remaining three IED attacks attributed to Rahami, two of which he failed to detonate.Tom Winter, Jonathan Dienst, Pete Williams, and Chris Francescani, “Terror Timeline: The NY/NJ Bombings, From First Blast to Arrest,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ny-nj-bombings/terror-timeline-ny-nj-bombings-first-blast-arrest-n650716.

After a days-long manhunt, Rahami was found and arrested on September 19 in Linden, New Jersey, close to his parents’ home in neighboring Elizabeth.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. After engaging in a shootout with police, Rahami was taken into custody and transferred to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. Rahami was charged later that day with seven counts, including five counts of attempted murder of a police officer, with his bail set at $5.2 million.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. On September 20, 2016, the U.S. brought formal charges against Rahami, including use of weapons of mass destruction and bombing a place of public use.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download. A notebook belonging to Rahami and discovered by law enforcement upon Rahami’s arrest allegedly included messages praising Osama bin Laden and U.S.-born al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download.

The first IED linked to Rahami was discovered on the morning of Saturday, September 17, when—at approximately 9:35 a.m. EST—a pipe bomb fizzled and exploded in a garbage can in New Jersey’s Seaside Park, near the route of the Seaside Marine Corps Charity 5K Race.Sarah Almukhtar, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Tim Wallace, and Derek Watkins;
“How the Manhunt for the Chelsea Bombing Suspect Unfolded,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-explosion-maps-timeline.html;
Tom Winter, Jonathan Dienst, Pete Williams, and Chris Francescani, “Terror Timeline: The NY/NJ Bombings, From First Blast to Arrest,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ny-nj-bombings/terror-timeline-ny-nj-bombings-first-blast-arrest-n650716. According to law enforcement, the race—which sought to raise money for the U.S. Marine Corps—began late, explaining why no one was killed or injured in the attack.Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, and John Newsome, “Blast Near Marine Corps Race in New Jersey Probed as Possible Terror Act,” CNN, September 18, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/17/us/nj-explosive-trash-can. Eleven hours later, at approximately 8:30 p.m. EST, a pressure-cooker bomb, packed with ball bearings and steel nuts, exploded near a dumpster in New York’s Chelsea district in Manhattan, blowing up a dumpster 150 feet down the street, shattering windows a block away, and leaving 31 people wounded, including one British citizen. Sarah Almukhtar, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Tim Wallace, and Derek Watkins;
“How the Manhunt for the Chelsea Bombing Suspect Unfolded,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-explosion-maps-timeline.html;
“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download.

Hours after the attack in Chelsea—at approximately 11:30 p.m. EST—police discovered and removed an unexploded pressure-cooker bomb a few blocks away in Chelsea. Sarah Almukhtar, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Tim Wallace, and Derek Watkins;
“How the Manhunt for the Chelsea Bombing Suspect Unfolded,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-explosion-maps-timeline.html. The fourth IED linked to Rahami—a backpack containing six unexploded pipe bombs—was discovered at 8:40 p.m. the following evening near a train station in Elizabeth, New Jersey.Michael Wilson, “New Jersey Man Found Guilty in Chelsea Bombing,” New York Times, October 16, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-verdict.html;
Sarah Almukhtar, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Tim Wallace, and Derek Watkins;
“How the Manhunt for the Chelsea Bombing Suspect Unfolded,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-explosion-maps-timeline.html. Police disarmed the bombs remotely, detonating one of the pipe bombs in the process.Sarah Almukhtar, Ford Fessenden, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Tim Wallace, and Derek Watkins;
“How the Manhunt for the Chelsea Bombing Suspect Unfolded,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-explosion-maps-timeline.html;
“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download.

Law enforcement initially treated the investigations in New York and New Jersey as separate incidents, but soon after linked Rahami to all four IEDs. Rahami’s fingerprints were discovered on the unexploded bomb in New York as well as the backpack of pipe bombs in Elizabeth.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download. Surveillance footage also showed that Rahami was at the scene of both bomb locations in Chelsea. The exploded bombs in Chelsea and Seaside Park were both primed by cellphones that were purchased at the same Family Dollar store in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.Tom Winter, Jonathan Dienst, Pete Williams, and Chris Francescani, “Terror Timeline: The NY/NJ Bombings, From First Blast to Arrest,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ny-nj-bombings/terror-timeline-ny-nj-bombings-first-blast-arrest-n650716;
Tom Winter, Miguel Almaguer, Jonathan Dienst, and Corky Siemaszko, “Ahmad Rahami, Suspect in N.Y. and N.J. Bombings, Charged With Attempted Murder,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ny-nj-bombings/ahmad-rahami-identified-n-y-n-j-bombings-suspect-officials-n650306. The unexploded bomb in Chelsea also contained a cellphone that was registered in the name of one of Rahami’s family members.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download.

On September 19, 2016, at around 8:00 a.m. EST, New York City issued a cellphone alert: “WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-yr-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen.”J. David Goodman and David Gelles, “Cellphone Alerts Used in New York to Search for Bombing Suspect,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/cellphone-alerts-used-in-search-of-manhattan-bombing-suspect.html. The police department also shared the wanted poster via its Twitter account.“The work of a terrorist” behind New York’s explosion… and Ahmad Khan Rahami is suspected,” Al-Araby (London), September 19, 2016, https://www.alaraby.co.uk/amp//politics/2016/9/19/عمل-إرهابي-وراء-انفجار-نيويورك-والمشتبه-أحمد-خان-رحامي. New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “The bomb which exploded was a terrorist act, but there is no evidence of his (Rahami’s) connection to international jihadist groups.”“The work of a terrorist” behind New York’s explosion… and Ahmad Khan Rahami is suspected,” Al-Araby (London), September 19, 2016, https://www.alaraby.co.uk/amp//politics/2016/9/19/عمل-إرهابي-وراء-انفجار-نيويورك-والمشتبه-أحمد-خان-رحامي. At around 10:30 a.m., Rahami was discovered by police in Linden, New Jersey, asleep in the doorway of a bar.Barbara Demick, Del Quentin Wilber, Vera Haller, and Matt Pearce, “Suspect in New York-area bombings had traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Los Angeles Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-new-york-bomb-suspect-20160919-snap-story.html. According to the Linden Police Department, shortly after trying to wake Rahami, the police officer realized that he resembled the man in the wanted poster.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. The officer then ordered Rahami to show his hands at which point Rahami allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot the officer in the chest, hitting the officer’s bulletproof vest.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. Rahami then reportedly fled the scene, shooting indiscriminately at passersby.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. Other officers reportedly joined the chase, shooting Rahami multiple times before overtaking him, taking him into custody, and transferring him to University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.Marc Santora, William K. Rashbaum, Al Baker, and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Is Arrested in Manhattan and New Jersey Bombings,” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/nyc-nj-explosions-ahmad-khan-rahami.html. Two officers were injured in the gunfire exchange, according to a briefing by the FBI. One of the officers was allegedly shot by Rahami as he sought to flee. The other officer was reportedly wounded by flying glass and shrapnel as a result of the gunfire exchange.“FBI: Rahmani Linked to Bombs in New York and New Jersey,” NBC News, September 19, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/video/fbi-rahmani-linked-to-bombs-in-new-york-and-new-jersey-768647747830;
Katie Little and Christine Wang, “NY/NJ Bombing Suspect Charged with 5 Counts of Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer: NBC,” CNBC, September 19, 2016, http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/19/ahmad-rahami-in-custody-after-shooting-police-officer-in-linden-nj-wnbc-citing-source.html.

For years before the series of bomb attacks in September 2016, Rahami had shown few signs of radicalization, according to several friends and neighbors. Born in Afghanistan, Rahami and his family came to the United States in 1995 after Rahami’s father claimed asylum.Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef, Katie Zavadski, and Katie Briquelet, “Ahmad Khan Rahami, Accused NYC Bomber, Traveled to Pakistan Undetected by U.S.,” Daily Beast, September 19, 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/19/ahmad-khan-rahami-arrested-but-questions-remain-about-bombings.html. Rahami grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, attending local public school and residing with his family in an apartment above their family-run restaurant, First American Fried Chicken. The restaurant—a fast-food joint described in news outlets as “always open”—received a series of noise complaints from neighbors.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York  Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html. In June 2010, two of Rahami’s brothers—identified as Mohammad K. and Mohammad Q.—were arrested after engaging in an altercation with police who had come to the restaurant to close it down for the evening. One of the brothers was not charged, while the other pled guilty to charges and paid a $100 fine.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York  Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html. In 2011, Rahami’s parents filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the city and its police department, accusing them of religious-based harassment and intimidation.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York  Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html.

According to some neighbors, Rahami’s radicalization may have begun as early as 2011, when Rahami spent several weeks in Kandahar, Afghanistan, and Quetta, Pakistan, an area known for its Taliban presence.Catherine E. Shoichet, “Ahmad Khan Rahami: What We Know about the Bombing Suspect,” CNN, September 20, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/us/ahmad-khan-rahami. It was during this trip that Rahami reportedly married a Pakistani woman, Asia Bibi Rahami.Catherine E. Shoichet, Shimon Prokupecz, and Evan Perez, “Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Wife Left US Before Bombings,” CNN, September 20, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/20/us/ahmad-khan-rahami-wife/. In August 2014, Rahami’s father contacted law enforcement, fearing that his son had been radicalized. The FBI investigated the claim but did not find cause for a full inquiry, according to the bureau.Marc Santora and Adam Goldman, “Ahmad Khan Rahami Was Inspired by Bin Laden, Charges Say,” New York Times, September 20, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-suspect.html;
Spencer Ackerman, Paul Owen, and Amber Jamieson, “Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Father Contacted FBI in 2014 over Terrorism Worry,” Guardian (London), September 20, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/20/ahmad-khan-rahami-father-fbi-terrorism-bombing. The FBI claimed that it had conducted “internal database reviews, interagency checks, and multiple interviews” as part of its preliminary investigation, but none of the inquiries “revealed ties to terrorism.”Spencer Ackerman, Paul Owen, and Amber Jamieson, “Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Father Contacted FBI in 2014 over Terrorism Worry,” Guardian (London), September 20, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/20/ahmad-khan-rahami-father-fbi-terrorism-bombing.

Because Rahami was not placed on a watch list as a result of the FBI investigation, he was able to travel to the Afghanistan-Pakistan region at least three times between 2014 and 2016 without detection by law enforcement, according to U.S. officials.Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef, Katie Zavadski, and Katie Briquelet, “Ahmad Khan Rahami, Accused NYC Bomber, Traveled to Pakistan Undetected by U.S.,” Daily Beast, September 19, 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/19/ahmad-khan-rahami-arrested-but-questions-remain-about-bombings.html. Following Rahami’s return to the United States, he became noticeably more religiously observant, according to patrons at the Rahamis’ family-run restaurant. Customers noticed that Rahami started to wear more traditional Muslim clothing, sport a beard, and pray in the back of the restaurant.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html.

Though Rahami may have been radicalized to extremist ideology during his visits to the Af-Pak region, Rahami had a prior history of arrests and violence dating back to 2008. On one occasion in 2012, Rahami spent a day in jail after allegedly violating a restraining order filed against him.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html. In another incident in 2014, Rahami spent three months in jail on charges of aggravated assault and illegal possession of a firearm after allegedly stabbing a relative in the leg.N. R. Kleinfeld, “Ahmad Rahami: Fixture in Family’s Business and, Lately, a ‘Completely Different Person,’” New York Times, September 19, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/nyregion/ahmad-khan-rahami-bombing-suspect.html. It was reportedly this violent incident in 2014 that prompted Rahami’s father to contact the FBI and request an investigation.Spencer Ackerman, Paul Owen, and Amber Jamieson, “Ahmad Khan Rahami’s Father Contacted FBI in 2014 over Terrorism Worry,” Guardian (London), September 20, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/sep/20/ahmad-khan-rahami-father-fbi-terrorism-bombing.

According to reports, Rahami may have begun planning for the New York and New Jersey attacks as far back as February 2015, when he allegedly purchased the first of two flip phones used as timers for the IEDs.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download. In June 2016, Rahami allegedly began purchasing bomb-related materials off of eBay, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download. Two days before the September 17 attacks, Rahami was recorded on a family member’s cellphone lighting “incendiary materials” in a “cylindrical container,” according to the criminal complaint.“Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download.

On October 16, 2017, Rahami was convicted in connection to the New York and New Jersey attacks, including use of weapons of mass destruction and bombing a place of public use.Michael Wilson, “New Jersey Man Found Guilty in Chelsea Bombing,” New York Times, October 16, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-verdict.html; “Criminal Complaint: United States of America v. Ahmad Khan Rahami a/k/a/ ‘Ahmad Rahimi,’ defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,” September 20, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/file/894396/download. The conviction carried a mandatory life sentence.“Ahmad Khan Rahimi found guilty of New York bombing,” BBC News, October 16, 2017, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41642571; Michael Wilson, “New Jersey Man Found Guilty in Chelsea Bombing,” New York Times, October 16, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/nyregion/chelsea-bombing-verdict.html. On January 24, 2020, Rahami was sentenced to a second life sentence for the attempted murder of five police officers stemming from a shootout with police in New Jersey two days after the bomb had exploded.“Convicted Chelsea Bomber Ahmad Khan Rahimi Gets 2nd Life Sentence in Attempted Cop Killings,” NBC New York, January 24, 2020, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/convicted-chelsea-bomber-ahmad-khan-rahimi-gets-2nd-life-sentence-in-attempted-cop-killings/2266059/.

Rezwan Ferdaus is a U.S. citizen of Bangladeshi origin and a convicted domestic extremist sympathetic to al-Qaeda.“Rezwan Ferdaus admits US model plane explosives plot, BBC News, July 21, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-18936072;
Agent Gary S. Cacace, “Affidavit of Special Agent Gary S. Cacace,” Guardian (London), September 28, 2011, http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2011/09/29/affidavit.pdf. In July 2012, he pled guilty to attempting to blow up the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol using remote-controlled planes, as well as attempting to give material support to the Foreign Terrorist Organization al-Qaeda.Jess Bidgood, “Massachusetts Man Gets 17 Years in Terrorist Plot,” New York Times, November 2, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/us/rezwan-ferdaus-of-massachusetts-gets-17-years-in-terrorist-plot.html?_r=1. He told undercover FBI agents that he sought to kill American soldiers and that he never wavered in his convictions, even when given “dozens” of opportunities to back out of his plans by agents whom he believed were al-Qaeda operatives.Jess Bidgood, “Massachusetts Man Gets 17 Years in Terrorist Plot,” New York Times, November 2, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/us/rezwan-ferdaus-of-massachusetts-gets-17-years-in-terrorist-plot.html?_r=1. In fact, according to the FBI, Ferdaus “repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to his attack plans and his hope to cause mass destruction and psychological harm to the United States.”“Man Sentenced in Boston for Plotting Attack on Pentagon and U.S. Capitol and Attempting to Provide Detonation Devices to Terrorists,” FBI, November 1, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/boston/press-releases/2012/man-sentenced-in-boston-for-plotting-attack-on-pentagon-and-u.s.-capitol-and-attempting-to-provide-detonation-devices-to-terrorists.

Ferdaus began to build parts for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in January 2011. That June, he gave the first of several of his devices to individuals he believed were al-Qaeda operatives, but were in fact undercover FBI agents. When falsely told by agents that his IEDs had killed U.S. soldiers, Ferdaus said he was “100% [at] peace,” and “so happy to hear that and so thankful,” according to the FBI.“Man Sentenced in Boston for Plotting Attack on Pentagon and U.S. Capitol and Attempting to Provide Detonation Devices to Terrorists,” FBI, November 1, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/boston/press-releases/2012/man-sentenced-in-boston-for-plotting-attack-on-pentagon-and-u.s.-capitol-and-attempting-to-provide-detonation-devices-to-terrorists.

In May 2011, Ferdaus traveled to Washington, D.C., to carry out surveillance on federal buildings. He also identified a site in East Potomac Park, Washington, from where to launch drone strikes.“Man Sentenced in Boston for Plotting Attack on Pentagon and U.S. Capitol and Attempting to Provide Detonation Devices to Terrorists,” FBI, November 1, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/boston/press-releases/2012/man-sentenced-in-boston-for-plotting-attack-on-pentagon-and-u.s.-capitol-and-attempting-to-provide-detonation-devices-to-terrorists. After renting a storage space under a false name in September 2011, Ferdaus asked his undercover contacts to give him “C-4 explosives, three grenades, and six fully automatic AK-47 assault rifles,” according to the FBI.“Man Sentenced in Boston for Plotting Attack on Pentagon and U.S. Capitol and Attempting to Provide Detonation Devices to Terrorists,” FBI, November 1, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/boston/press-releases/2012/man-sentenced-in-boston-for-plotting-attack-on-pentagon-and-u.s.-capitol-and-attempting-to-provide-detonation-devices-to-terrorists.

Ferdaus was arrested by FBI agents shortly after receiving these items. In July 2012, he pled guilty to two charges of conspiring to damage and destroy U.S. federal property with explosives, and attempting to provide material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Prosecutors dropped six other charges in exchange for his guilty plea.“Rezwan Ferdaus admits US model plane explosives plot, BBC News, July 21, 2012, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-18936072. In November of that year, Ferdaus was sentenced to 17 years in prison and 10 years of supervision upon release.Jess Bidgood, “Massachusetts Man Gets 17 Years in Terrorist Plot,” New York Times, November 2, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/us/rezwan-ferdaus-of-massachusetts-gets-17-years-in-terrorist-plot.html?_r=1. According to the FBI affidavit, Ferdaus “planned to commit acts of violence against the United States, both here and abroad.” He also filmed a 20 minute training video that he believed would be used to train al-Qaeda militants.Jess Bidgood, “Massachusetts Man Gets 17 Years in Terrorist Plot,” New York Times, November 2, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/us/rezwan-ferdaus-of-massachusetts-gets-17-years-in-terrorist-plot.html?_r=1.

Ferdaus had previously communicated with Jesse Morton, founder of the now-defunct extremist group and website Revolution Muslim.Matt Zapotosky, “The feds billed him as a threat to American freedom. Now they’re paying him for help,” Washington Post, February 5, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/the-feds-billed-him-as-a-threat-to-american-freedom-now-theyre-paying-him-for-help/2016/02/04/32be460a-c6c5-11e5-a4aa-f25866ba0dc6_story.html. According to the FBI, in February 2010 Ferdaus sought the advice of Morton regarding the propriety of martyrdom operations.  Morton replied that such operations could have “enormous benfits (sic) in a war of attrition.”“Man Sentenced in Boston for Plotting Attack on Pentagon and U.S. Capitol and Attempting to Provide Detonation Devices to Terrorists,” FBI, November 1, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/boston/press-releases/2012/man-sentenced-in-boston-for-plotting-attack-on-pentagon-and-u.s.-capitol-and-attempting-to-provide-detonation-devices-to-terrorists. Morton later “admitted to influencing Rezwan Ferdaus,” according to the New York Police Department.“Terrorist Plots Targeting New York City,” New York Police Department, accessed September 6, 2016, http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/pr/plots_targeting_nyc.shtml. Morton later “admitted to influencing Rezwan Ferdaus,” according to the New York Police Department.Jason Ryan, Pierre Thomas, and Richard Esposito, “New York Man Guilty in ‘South Park’ Murder Threat,” ABC News, February 09, 2012, https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/york-man-guilty-south-park-murder-threat/story?id=15548422.

Mohamed Hamoud Alessa is a convicted Islamic extremist and would-be foreign fighter for al-Shabab.“Two New Jersey Men Sentenced To Decades In Prison For Conspiring To Kill Overseas With Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Al Shabaab,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 15, 2013, https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/two-new-jersey-men-sentenced-decades-prison-conspiring-kill-overseas-designated-foreign;
Associated Press, “Two New Jersey men arrested on route to join jihadist group in Somalia,” NY Daily News, June 6, 2010, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-jersey-men-arrested-route-join-jihadist-group-somalia-article-1.179245. He planned to join the Somali-based terror group alongside his friend Carlos Eduardo Almonte. Both men were arrested in June 2010 as they attempted to board separate international flights from John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York. In April 2013, Alessa was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Almonte received a lesser sentence of 20 years.“Two New Jersey Men Sentenced To Decades In Prison For Conspiring To Kill Overseas With Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Al Shabaab,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 15, 2013, https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/two-new-jersey-men-sentenced-decades-prison-conspiring-kill-overseas-designated-foreign;
“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html.

The FBI began investigating Alessa and Almonte—both residents of New Jersey—in October 2006 after agents received a tip from a member of the public. The individual warned that Alessa and Almonte were accessing extremist content online, and “[kept] saying that Americans are their enemies, that everybody other than Islamic followers are their enemies, and they all must be killed.”“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html. In a search of Almonte’s computer in 2007, FBI agents found content authored by Osama bin Laden and his then-deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html. After uncovering that material, the FBI launched a full-force investigation on the men called “Operation Arabian Knight.”“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html.

Alessa and Almonte began planning their travel to Somalia while under FBI surveillance. In order to prepare for their trip, the pair saved thousands of dollars and underwent physical training including running, lifting weights, and engaging in paintball fights. They also reportedly acquired “tactical clothing, hydration systems, knives, night-vision optics,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.“TWO NEW JERSEY MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO KILL OVERSEAS FOR DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AL SHABAAB,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 3, 2011. In November 2009, Alessa told an undercover FBI agent that he wanted to be “the world’s known terrorist,” and that “a lot of people need to get killed…..” He further revealed that he wanted to “get an assault rifle and just kill anyone that even looks at me the wrong way, bro. My soul cannot rest until I shed blood.”“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html.

During this time, Alessa and Almonte acquired, watched, and disseminated extremist content including audio and video materials produced by al-Qaeda, al-Shabab, and other terrorist groups. Both men reportedly viewed and listened to audio lectures and videos of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a targeted U.S. drone strike in Yemen in 2011. The men reportedly shared Awlaki’s videos with an undercover FBI agent.William K. Rashbaum “Two Arrested at Kennedy Airport on Terror Charges,” New York Times, June 6, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/nyregion/07terror.html?src=mv. The pair is also believed to have supported Revolution Muslim, a group and website founded by U.S. extremist Jesse Morton. Morton was interviewed by investigators from the New York City police on the day after Alessa and Almonte’s arrest in June 2010, according to court documents.“Statement of Facts: United States of America v. Jesse Curtis Morton, defendant,” U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, 19. Morton pled guilty in February 2012 to conspiring to solicit murder and using the Internet “to place others in fear.”“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism.

In preparation for Alessa and Almonte’s arrest, the FBI coordinated with multiple U.S. bodies including the State Department and the Transportation Security Agency. On June 5, 2010, the day of the arrest, FBI agents dressed as civilians tracked both Alessa and Almonte at their homes, during transit to the airport, and finally at JFK. Both men planned to fly to Egypt, from where they would travel on to Somalia. After going through security, Alessa and Almonte were arrested and charged with conspiring to commit an act of international terrorism.Associated Press, “Two New Jersey men arrested on route to join jihadist group in Somalia,” NY Daily News, June 6, 2010, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-jersey-men-arrested-route-join-jihadist-group-somalia-article-1.179245;
“FBI followed every move of two N.J. terror suspects for years, culminating in airport arrests,” NJ.com, June 13, 2010, http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/authorities_followed_every_mov.html.

In March 2013, both men pled guilty to conspiring to murder persons outside the United States on behalf of designated Foreign Terrorist Organization al-Shabab.“TWO NEW JERSEY MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO CONSPIRING TO KILL OVERSEAS FOR DESIGNATED FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AL SHABAAB,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 3, 2011. Alessa was sentenced to 22 years in prison in April 2013.“Two New Jersey Men Sentenced To Decades In Prison For Conspiring To Kill Overseas With Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Al Shabaab,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 15, 2013, https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/two-new-jersey-men-sentenced-decades-prison-conspiring-kill-overseas-designated-foreign.

Jose Pimentel is a New York resident who was convicted on terrorism-related charges in February 2014.James C. McKinley Jr., “Man Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charge in Terrorism Case,” New York Times, February 29, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/nyregion/manhattan-man-pleads-guilty-to-reduced-charges-in-terror-case.html;
Suman Varandani, “Jose Pimentel, US Citizen And Al Qaeda Sympathizer, Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison In New York City Pipe Bomb Case,” International Business Times, March 26, 2014, http://www.ibtimes.com/jose-pimentel-us-citizen-al-qaeda-sympathizer-sentenced-16-years-prison-new-york-city-pipe-bomb-case. Pimentel—a convert to Islam who ran extremist website trueislam1.com—had told a police informant of his intention to kill Americans in retaliation for the murder of al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.James C. McKinley Jr., “Man Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charge in Terrorism Case,” New York Times, February 29, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/nyregion/manhattan-man-pleads-guilty-to-reduced-charges-in-terror-case.html. Pimentel was arrested in his Bronx home in November 2011 while in possession of a homemade explosive device that, by Pimentel’s account, was one hour away from completion.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 3, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

Before his arrest in November 2011, Pimentel owned and maintained an extremist website known as True Islam (trueislam1.com, formerly TrueIslam12.blogspot.com). Pimentel had also interacted online with other American extremists. In early April 2011, Pimentel emailed extremist Jesse Morton, saying that he was a “big fan” of Morton’s extremist websites RevolutionMuslim.com and IslamPolicy.com, according to court documents.“United States of America v. Jesse Curtis Morton: Statement of Facts,” accessed September 2, 2016, 24, http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/1905.pdf. In the email, Pimentel also inquired whether Morton thought that an unnamed individual known to the two of them was trustworthy. Morton replied to Pimentel’s email later that day urging him to stay away from the individual in question, and said that there was a “high probability that [the individual] is working for the FBI.”“United States of America v. Jesse Curtis Morton: Statement of Facts,” accessed September 2, 2016, 24, http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/1905.pdf.

Like Morton’s RevolutionMuslim.com website, Pimentel’s True Islam website hosted al-Qaeda’s official propaganda materials, including the group’s English-language Inspire magazine, which contained instructions on how to create a bomb. The website also hosted a series of articles that praised and eulogized known terrorist figures.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 3, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

One such True Islam article, in support of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, openly called for the murder of U.S. citizens. The article—titled “Why Usama Ibn Laden is the Leader of the Believers”—asserted that America and its allies are “legitimate targets in warfare.” The article went on to describe potential locations that readers could target. Among the locations listed in the article were “facilities such as army bases, police stations, political facilities, embassies, CIA and FBI buildings, private and public airports” as well as “all kinds of buildings where money is being made to help fund the war[s in Afghanistan and Iraq].”“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 3, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

In September 2011, Pimentel told a police informant that he was himself interested in creating bombs to target “government establishments, police establishments, and banks,” according to the criminal complaint filed against him.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 3, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf. On October 18, 2011, Pimentel expressed his desire to use an explosive device to kill U.S. soldiers returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the criminal complaint.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 3-4, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

Days later, Pimentel went to a 99-cent store and Home Depot to purchase the bomb-making materials outlined in al-Qaeda’s online Inspire magazine. Among other materials, Pimentel purchased a clock, elbow piping, matches, Christmas lights, batteries, and drill bits, according to the criminal complaint.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 4, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf. Pimentel was nearly complete with his bomb by mid-November, according to an assessment by the New York Police Department (NYPD) Bomb Squad. He was arrested in his home in the Bronx on November 19, 2011.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 4-5, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

Upon his arrest, Pimentel acknowledged that he had purchased the bomb-related materials in question, and was approximately one hour from finishing the bomb.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 1, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf. Pimentel stated to police his belief that Islamic law obligates him and all true Muslims to wage war in the United States to avenge the United States’ invasion of Muslim lands.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 1, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf. Pimentel was subsequently charged with three counts of terrorism-related offenses, including soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism, and the possession of a weapon as a crime of terrorism.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 1, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf. Pimentel was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and conspiracy in the fourth degree.“People of the State of New York v. Jose Pimentel a.k.a. Muhammad Yusuf,” Official Website of the City of New York, November 20, 2011, 1, http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/2011/jose_pimentel_complaint.pdf.

On February 19, 2014, Pimentel accepted a deal with prosecutors and pled guilty to a single charge of criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree as a crime of terrorism.James C. McKinley Jr., “Man Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charge in Terrorism Case,” New York Times, February 29, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/nyregion/manhattan-man-pleads-guilty-to-reduced-charges-in-terror-case.html. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on March 25, 2014.James C. McKinley Jr., “Judge Imposes 16-Year Term for Manhattan Man in Pipe Bomb Case,” New York Times, March 25, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/nyregion/judge-imposes-16-year-term-for-manhattan-man-in-pipe-bomb-case.html.

Colleen R. LaRose is an American citizen and a convicted Islamic extremist. Between 2008 and 2009, LaRose served as an online recruiter and fundraiser for an Ireland-based al-Qaeda cell from her home in Pennsylvania.“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Easter District of Pennsylvania, January 28, 2011, 4. In August of 2009, she traveled to Ireland to live with the cell members and to plan the assassination of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, LaRose agreed to kill Vilks—who had previously depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a dog—in such a way that would frighten “the whole Kufar [nonbeliever] world.”“Pennsylvania Woman Indicted in Plot to Recruit Violent Jihadist Fighters and to Commit Murder Overseas,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 9, 2010, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pennsylvania-woman-indicted-plot-recruit-violent-jihadist-fighters-and-commit-murder-overseas. LaRose lived in Ireland for approximately six weeks before she “grew frustrated” with the slow pace of her fellow cell members and returned to the United States, according to the Assistant U.S. Attorney. She was arrested by the FBI in October 2009.“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, December 30, 2013, 5. LaRose pled guilty to four terrorism-related charges in February 2011,“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, December 30, 2013, 6. and authorities sentenced her to 10 years in prison in January 2014.John Shiffman, “U.S. woman known as Jihad Jane sentenced to 10 years in plot,” Reuters, January 6, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-jihadjane-idUSBREA050PC20140106.

Starting in 2007, LaRose grew self-radicalized online and went by the nom de guerre “Jihad Jane.” LaRose is believed to have accessed extremist content on YouTube, where she reportedly watched videos posted by Revolution Muslim, a now-defunct extremist group founded by American citizen Jesse Morton.“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism. Morton pled guilty in February 2012 to conspiring to solicit murder and using the Internet “to place others in fear.”“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Morton personally told Jamaican-based extremist cleric Abdullah Faisal that LaRose subscribed to Revolution Muslim’s YouTube account.“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism. LaRose was also reportedly radicalized by the online lectures of Anwar al-Awlaki, the late al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric.Peter K. Forster, “Countering Individual Jihad: Perspectives on Nidal Hasan and Colleen LaRose,” GlobalEcco, https://globalecco.org/countering-individual-jihad-perspectives-on-nidal-hasan-and-colleen-larose#35;
“Anwar al-Awlaki, Counter Extremism Project, January 2016, http://www.counterextremism.com/sites/default/themes/bricktheme/stylesheets/images/disruption/CEP_Report_Anwar_al-Awlaki.pdf. LaRose was allegedly listed as a “friend” on a YouTube channel of Awlaki’s sermons.Steve Emerson, “Web Weaves Evidence Against ‘Jihad Jane’,” Newsmax, March 10, 2010, http://www.newsmax.com/t/finance/article/352269.

LaRose’s online activity brought her into contact with Ireland-based Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian citizen who recruited LaRose to the al-Qaeda cell.“US woman who plotted to kill Swedish cartoonist sentenced to 10 years,” AlJazeera America, January 6, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/6/us-woman-who-plottedtokillswedishcartoonistsentencedto10years.html;
John Burns, “Irish Town Puzzled by Role in Investigation,” New York Times, March 19, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/world/europe/20ireland.html?ref=topics&_r=0. Her co-conspirators reportedly viewed LaRose as an asset because of her physical attributes as well as her gender and American citizenship.“Pennsylvania Woman Indicted in Plot to Recruit Violent Jihadist Fighters and to Commit Murder Overseas,” U.S. Department of Justice, March 9, 2010, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pennsylvania-woman-indicted-plot-recruit-violent-jihadist-fighters-and-commit-murder-overseas. Upon her departure to Ireland in August 2009, LaRose brought with her a stolen American passport to “facilitate an act of international terrorism,” according to her guilty plea. She reportedly intended to provide a co-conspirator with the passport in order to help him enter Europe.“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, December 30, 2013, 6; “United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, January 28, 2011, 6. LaRose also sought to gain residency status in a European country, and to then marry a fellow extremist in order to ease his path to EU citizenship.“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, March 4, 2010, 4.

In October of 2009, after spending about six weeks in Ireland, LaRose “grew frustrated because her co-conspirators were not ready for action,” according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Williams.“US woman who plotted to kill Swedish cartoonist sentenced to 10 years,” AlJazeera America, January 6, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/6/us-woman-who-plottedtokillswedishcartoonistsentencedto10years.html. LaRose returned to the United States for what she planned to be a temporary visit,“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, December 30, 2013, 5. but was arrested by the FBI within the following month. According to court records, LaRose began cooperating immediately with U.S. law enforcement and provided operational information and testimonies on the activities of her six co-conspirators in Ireland.“United States of America v. Colleen R. LaRose a/k/a ‘Fatima LaRose’ a/k/a ‘JihadJane’,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, December 30, 2013, 10;
“US woman who plotted to kill Swedish cartoonist sentenced to 10 years,” AlJazeera America, January 6, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/6/us-woman-who-plottedtokillswedishcartoonistsentencedto10years.html. Her assistance to authorities provided Irish officials with enough evidence to arrest Damache and the five other co-conspirators in March of 2010.John Burns, “Irish Town Puzzled by Role in Investigation,” New York Times, March 19, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/world/europe/20ireland.html?ref=topics&_r=0. Because of her assistance, LaRose was sentenced to 10 years in prison rather than a life sentence.John Shiffman, “U.S. woman known as Jihad Jane sentenced to 10 years in plot,” Reuters, January 6, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-jihadjane-idUSBREA050PC20140106.