Alexander E. Blair is an American citizen and alleged accessory to terrorism. He was arrested on April 10, 2015, and charged with failing to report a felony. Blair reportedly knew that John T. Booker, arrested earlier the same day, was planning an attack on the U.S. Army base in Fort Riley, Kansas. Booker had reportedly wanted to “kill as many soldiers as possible,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.“United States of America v. Alexander E. Blair,” United States District Court for the District of Kansas, April 10, 2015, 3, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Blair%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf; “Second Man Charged in Plot to Bomb Kansas Army Base for ISIS,” NBC News, April 10, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/second-man-charged-plot-bomb-kansas-army-base-n339701.

Booker tried to detonate what he thought was a bomb at Fort Riley on the morning of April 10, 2015. The bomb was non-explosive and had been provided by an FBI informant. Booker was arrested at the scene and charged with planning to carry out a suicide bombing.“Kansas Man John Booker Indicted in ISIS-Inspired Bomb Plot Against Fort Riley,” NBC News, April 16, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/john-t-booker-jr-indicted-isis-inspired-bomb-plot-n343231.

Blair was arrested later that day.Steve Fry, “Second man alleged to know about plan to detonate WMD at Fort Riley placed on house arrest,” Topeka Capital-Journal, April 16, 2015, http://cjonline.com/news/2015-04-16/second-man-alleged-know-about-plan-detonate-wmd-fort-riley-placed-house-arrest. He admitted to knowing of Booker’s plan to detonate a bomb at the army base, and knew Booker believed he was acting on behalf of ISIS. Blair had allegedly loaned Booker money to rent a storage unit, and knew the unit would be used to store explosive materials and to construct a bomb. He also told agents he believed Booker would carry out the attack, but that he chose not to alert authorities to Booker’s actions. Blair reportedly shared Booker’s “extremist views concerning Jihad against the United States military,” according to criminal complaint filed against Blair.“United States of America v. Alexander E. Blair,” United States District Court for the District of Kansas, April 10, 2015, 3, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Blair%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf. The two men had reportedly met at a Topeka mosque in January 2015.Melissa Hellmann, “Kansas man pleads guilty to aiding foiled bomb plot,” Associated Press, May 23, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/88b7ca90a3a7464cad2c82a4fcb3d17a/change-plea-hearing-set-kansas-bomb-plot-case.

Following his April 2015 arrest, Blair initially pled not guilty. In early May 2016, however, Blair filed a request to plead guilty, stating the government had gathered enough information to convict him.“Topeka man plans to plead guilty in Fort Riley bomb case,” Boston Herald, May 5, 2016, http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/2016/05/topeka_man_plans_to_plead_guilty_in_fort_riley_bomb_case. He pled guilty on May 23, 2016.Associated Press, “Man pleads guilty to aiding foiled bomb plot,” ABC News, May 23, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/change-plea-hearing-set-kansas-bomb-plot-case-39298049.

Ariel Bradley is an American convert to Islam who married a Swedish Muslim man she met online. They have lived in Syria with their two children since 2014. Bradley’s husband, Yasin Mohamad, is a jihadist fighter with ISIS.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley grew up in Hixson, a suburb of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mohammad Abdulazeez—the gunman who killed four Marines in an attack on two military bases in Chattanooga in July 2015—was also from Hixson.Lucas L. Johnson and Kathleen Foody, “4 Marines and gunman die in attack on 2 military sites,” Associated Press, July 17, 2015, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/76b0bb1e8dda406d89972592b1c3832e/mayor-police-pursuing-active-shooter-chattanooga-tenn;
Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley is the third of five children. She told her friends that her family was so impoverished she would forget what milk tasted like. Bradley’s father, Aljon, worked at the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Bradley’s mother, Dianne, homeschooled Ariel with a focus on the doctrine of the Pentecostal Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee. Bradley had a strained relationship with her mother and her religion. Dianne Bradley did not focus as much on giving her daughter a secular education. Bradley studied for her GED, but did not take the test because she could not afford the prep classes, according to friends. She ran away from home when she was 15 or 16 years old, and spent the next several years rebelling against her parents by adopting several different religions.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

According to Bradley’s friends, she changed her identity based on the man with whom she was involved, and defined herself by her relationships. She was always looking for an identity “to cling to,” they said. Bradley became an atheist and a socialist before converting to Islam, and her friends believe she was brainwashed by ISIS.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley held several part-time jobs in Chattanooga. In 2010, she began work at University Deli & Pizza in Chattanooga. The Palestinian owner from Jerusalem served several Arabic dishes, which made the restaurant popular with international students at the University of Tennessee. While working there Bradley met an Arab engineering student who interested her in Islam.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

According to the student and Bradley’s friends, the student’s rejection of a romantic relationship with Bradley spurred her to stop drinking alcohol and begin researching Islam. Bradley converted in the spring of 2011. According to Bradley’s Muslim friends, she took a more orthodox approach to Islam after her conversion. She moved out of the house she shared with Muslim friends because they were not religious enough and moved in with her older sister.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley joined the Islamic dating website Half Our Deen. In August 2011, she matched with Yasin Mohamad in Sweden. Mohamad told Bradley he was an Iraqi refugee. They were engaged within a few months. Mohamad then convinced Bradley to cut off all relationships with unrelated men. They were married in Sweden in December 2011, days after their first meeting.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley soon returned to Chattanooga while Swedish authorities processed her citizenship application. At her husband’s request, Bradley began purging her Facebook friends of all men. Bradley returned to Chattanooga in late 2012 for prenatal care and her daughter was born in Tennessee that December. They returned to Sweden soon after.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

It is unknown when exactly Bradley and her family traveled to Syria. Bradley told her mother in early 2015 that she and her husband were going on a “mission trip” to the Middle East to help his family. In April 2015, Bradley wrote on Twitter that they had been in Syria for over a year and in al-Bab for the past eight months. Her son was born in Syria in 2014.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Bradley has actively posted on Twitter while in Syria, using variations of the names “Umm Aminah” and “Emarah bint Aljon.” In February 2015, she tweeted a request for prayers because of the difficulty of being a non-Arabic speaker, mother, and “wife of a mujahid” in Syria. That July, she used Twitter to praise an attack on two military bases in Chattanooga that left four Marines dead.Ellie Hall, “Whatever Happened to Ariel?,” BuzzFeed News, July 20, 2015, http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/woman-journey-from-chattanooga-to-isis#.bvZqmjPWm.

Minneapolis man Khaalid Adam Abdulkadir was arrested by U.S. authorities on December 11, 2015, for threatening FBI officers over Twitter. Abdulkadir posted multiple tweets threatening FBI agents in reaction to the December 9, 2015, arrest of his friend, Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame, who was charged with conspiring to help ISIS.“United States of America v. Khaalid Adam Abdulkadir,” United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, December 11, 2015, 4, http://kstp.com/kstpImages/repository/cs/files/Abdulkadir%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf; “Minnesota man, 20, accused of conspiring to help Islamic State,” New York Daily News, December 10, 2015, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/minnesota-man-accused-conspiring-islamic-state-article-1.2460965.

According to FBI agents, Abdulkadir also tweeted, “More brother get locked up the cops body they will find on the floor body’s dropping fast #kill them FBI and fuck as judge [sic],” though that tweet has since been removed.“United States of America v. Khaalid Adam Abdulkadir,” United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, December 11, 2015, 4, http://kstp.com/kstpImages/repository/cs/files/Abdulkadir%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf.

Abdulkadir had previously used Twitter and Facebook to communicate with two Minnesotans fighting with ISIS, Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan a.k.a. Mujahid Miski, and Adbiwali Nur.Liz Collin, “Minneapolis Man Charged With Threatening Agents On Twitter; In Custody,” CBS Minnesota, December 11, 2015, http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/12/11/minneapolis-man-charged-with-threatening-agents-on-twitter-in-custody/. In January 2015, Abdulkadir wrote to Miski: “Brother I’m trying to make moves and I have no connection so what’s the deal brother? I’m trying to bounce for untied state Mpls mn [sic] to [ISIS-controlled territory].” Miski told Abdulkadir to travel to Turkey, where he would receive help crossing into Syria.“United States of America v. Khaalid Adam Abdulkadir,” United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, December 11, 2015, 5, http://kstp.com/kstpImages/repository/cs/files/Abdulkadir%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf.

In January 2016, Abdulkadir pleaded not guilty, but faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Three months later, he made a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. The plea agreement stipulated that Abdulkadir will be regularly drug tested, have his Internet use monitored, and be forbidden from visiting extremist online content.Muktar M. Ibrahim, “Mpls. Man Who Pleaded Guilty to Threatening Agents is Released from Jail,” MPR News, March 8, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/03/08/khaalid-abdulkadir-mpls-man-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-agents-isis. According to Abdulkadir’s attorney, FBI agents did not believe that his Twitter threats would materialize. Abdulkadir was sentenced to three years of probation.Esme Murphy, “Minn. Man Pleads Guilty To Misdemeanor In Twitter Threats Case,” CBS Minnesota, March 8, 2016, http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/03/08/man-pleads-guilty-terror-case/; “Mpls. Man Pleads Not Guilty to Threatening FBI, Judge in Terror Case,” ABC5, January 7, 2016, http://kstp.com/news/stories/s4010497.shtml.

Omar Mateen was an American citizen and ISIS follower who perpetrated the deadliest terror attack on American soil since 9/11. In the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, Mateen gunned down 49 people and injured 53 more at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. He reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Facebook—as well as in a call to 911—during the attack. He is believed to have spoken to a 911 operator at least three more times during the shooting.Hayley Tsukayama, Adam Goldman, Peter Holley and Mark Berman, “Terror in Orlando: 50 killed in shooting rampage at gay club; gunman pledged allegiance to ISIS,” Washington Post, June 12, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/06/12/orlando-nightclub-shooting-about-20-dead-in-domestic-terror-incident-at-gay-club/?utm_term=.bf262f6ae243; “Orlando gay nightclub shooting: 50 killed, suspect is Omar Mateen,” BBC News, June 12, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36512308; Ralph Ellis, Ashley Fantz, Faith Karimi and Eliott C. McLaughlin, "Orlando shooting: 49 killed, shooter pledged ISIS allegiance," CNN, June 13, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/;
Kevin Sullivan, Ellen Nakashima, Matt Zapotosky and Mark Berman, “Orlando shooter posted messages on Facebook pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS and vowing more attacks,” Washington Post, June 15, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/investigation-into-orlando-shooting-continues-no-impending-charges-expected/2016/06/15/c3eccf5e-3333-11e6-8758-d58e76e11b12_story.html;
Julie Vitkovskaya, “‘You already know what I did': Read excerpts of Omar Mateen’s 911 calls to Orlando police,” Washington Post, June 20, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/06/20/here-is-the-excerpt-of-omar-mateens-911-call-to-orlando-police/.

Later on June 12, ISIS took responsibility for the mass shooting, writing on its Amaq news agency Telegram channel that “an Islamic State fighter” had “targeted a nightclub for homosexuals….” On June 13, the terror group released another claim of responsibility on its official Al Bayan radio station, referring to Mateen as “one of the soldiers of the caliphate in America.” However, there is little evidence suggesting ISIS lent direct operational support to Mateen, according to authorities. Jared Malsin, “What We Know About ISIS’s Role in the Orlando Shooting,” TIME, June 12, 2016, http://time.com/4365507/orlando-shooting-isis-claims-responsibility-terror/; “IS Calls Orlando Nightclub Shooter "One of the Soldiers of the Caliphate in America,” SITE Intelligence, June 13, 2016, https://news.siteintelgroup.com/Jihadist-News/is-calls-orlando-nightclub-shooter-one-of-the-soldiers-of-the-caliphate-in-america.html; Rukmini Callimachi, “ISIS Claims Responsibility for Orlando Attack in Radio Statement,” New York Times, June 13, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/live/orlando-nightclub-shooting-live-updates/isis-radio-station/; Pete Williams, Tracy Connor, Erik Ortiz and Stephanie Gosk, “Gunman Omar Mateen Described as Belligerent, Racist and 'Toxic',” NBC News, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496.

At 2 a.m. on June 12, Mateen entered Pulse and shot approximately one third of the clubbers. While firing his weapons, Mateen reportedly yelled “Allahu Akhbar,” and said that “America needs to stop bombing ISIS in Syria.” Witnesses also heard him say “stop bombing my country,” presumably in reference to his parents’ native Afghanistan. He engaged in a brief firefight with an off-duty officer, but survived the shootout and took approximately 30 people hostage in the bathroom of the club. During calls with the police, Mateen reportedly threatened to strap explosives to four of the hostages and place them throughout the club. He also reportedly said he would spare African American hostages, announcing, “I don’t have a problem with black people…This is about my country. You guys suffered enough.” At 5 a.m., a SWAT team stormed the premises and, according to authorities, detonated a “distractionary device” in order to confuse Mateen. The officers reportedly broke through a wall of the nightclub in order to free hostages, after which they shot and killed Mateen. “Orlando Shooting: What We Know and Don’t Know,” New York Times, June 12, 2016, http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/13/us/orlando-shooting-what-we-know-and-dont-know.html?referer=; Kate Lions, “Orlando Pulse club attack: gunman identified as police investigate motive,” Guardian (London), June 12, 2016, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/12/orlando-shooting-nightclub-pulse-gunman.

Mateen worked as a security guard and lived in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He had legally purchased firearms within a week of the attack, and used both a handgun and an AR-15-type assault rifle—as well as many rounds of ammunition—during the shooting. According to police, “suspicious devices” were found on Mateen as well as in his car. “Orlando Shooting: What We Know and Don’t Know,” New York Times, June 12, 2016, http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/13/us/orlando-shooting-what-we-know-and-dont-know.html?referer=; Colin Wolf, “Pulse shooter identified as Omar S. Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida,” Orlando Weekly, June 12, 2016, http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2016/06/12/pulse-shooter-identified-as-omar-s-mateen-of-fort-pierce-florida; Kate Lions, “Orlando Pulse club attack: gunman identified as police investigate motive,” Guardian (London), June 12, 2016, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/12/orlando-shooting-nightclub-pulse-gunman; Jay Reeves and Eric Tucker, “Correction: Nightclub Shooting-Florida story,” Associated Press, June 15, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/761507bed75f461e9fd95a1422e63ef7/orlando-mourns-possible-motives-emerge-club-gunman; David Shariatmadari, “Omar Mateen's interest in gay men makes this no ordinary act of terrorism,” Guardian (London), June 14, 2016, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/14/omar-mateen-gay-men-terrorism-pulse-jackd-sexuality;
Kevin Sullivan, Ellen Nakashima, Matt Zapotosky and Mark Berman, “Orlando shooter posted messages on Facebook pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS and vowing more attacks,” Washington Post, June 15, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/investigation-into-orlando-shooting-continues-no-impending-charges-expected/2016/06/15/c3eccf5e-3333-11e6-8758-d58e76e11b12_story.html;
Frances Robles and Richard Perez-Pena, “Omar Mateen Told Police He’d Strap Bombs to Hostages, Orlando Mayor Says,” New York Times, June 15, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooting.html;
Danika Fears, “Club killer wanted to spare black people,” New York Post, June 14, 2016, http://nypost.com/2016/06/14/club-killer-wanted-to-spare-black-people/;
Lizette Alvarez, Richard Perez-Pena, Christine Hauser, “Orlando Gunman Was ‘Cool and Calm’ After Massacre, Police Say,” New York Times, June 13, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/us/orlando-shooting.html.

The FBI interviewed Mateen in both 2013 and 2014, though both cases were closed after it was determined he did not pose a threat. In 2013, Mateen reportedly claimed he had family connections to al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, and told coworkers “he hoped that law enforcement would raid his apartment and assault his wife and child so that he could martyr himself,” according to FBI director James Comey.“Orlando gay nightclub shooting: Who was gunman Omar Mateen?,” BBC News, June 12, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36513468;
Pete Williams, Tracy Connor, Erik Ortiz and Stephanie Gosk, “Gunman Omar Mateen Described as Belligerent, Racist and 'Toxic',” NBC News, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496;
Associated Press, “Obama says it appears Orlando shooter was inspired by extremist information disseminated over the internet,” Washington Post, June 13, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-says-it-appears-orlando-shooter-was-inspired-by-extremist-information-disseminated-over-the-internet/2016/06/13/e0d59f84-317a-11e6-ab9d-1da2b0f24f93_story.html;
Adam Goldman, Joby Warrick and Max Bearak, “‘He was not a stable person’: Orlando shooter showed signs of emotional trouble,” Washington Post, June 12, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ex-wife-of-suspected-orlando-shooter-he-beat-me/2016/06/12/8a1963b4-30b8-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html;
Associated Press, “FBI: Orlando Gunman Had Strong Indications of Radicalization,” ABC, June 13, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/fbi-orlando-gunman-strong-indications-radicalization-39820558.

In 2014, Mateen was questioned about his alleged connection to Moner Mohammad Abusalha, the first American to carry out a suicide bombing in Syria, on behalf of the Nusra Front. The two men were believed to attend the same mosque in Fort Pierce, Florida. According to FBI Director James Comey, “the investigation turned up no ties of any consequence between the two of them.” But on one of his calls with 911 during the shooting, Mateen reportedly noted his support for Abusalha, as well as the Tsarnaev brothers, responsible for the Boston marathon bombings in April 2013. In an around 2013, Mateen is also believed to have watched videos of the deceased al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, whose radical propaganda has been implicated in multiple domestic terror attacks including the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, the 2013 Boston bombing, and the 2015 San Bernardino shooting.“Orlando gay nightclub shooting: Who was gunman Omar Mateen?,” BBC News, June 12, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36513468; Pete Williams, Tracy Connor, Erik Ortiz and Stephanie Gosk, “Gunman Omar Mateen Described as Belligerent, Racist and 'Toxic',” NBC News, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496; Associated Press, “Obama says it appears Orlando shooter was inspired by extremist information disseminated over the internet,” Washington Post, June 13, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-says-it-appears-orlando-shooter-was-inspired-by-extremist-information-disseminated-over-the-internet/2016/06/13/e0d59f84-317a-11e6-ab9d-1da2b0f24f93_story.html; Adam Goldman, Joby Warrick and Max Bearak, “‘He was not a stable person’: Orlando shooter showed signs of emotional trouble,” Washington Post, June 12, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ex-wife-of-suspected-orlando-shooter-he-beat-me/2016/06/12/8a1963b4-30b8-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html; Associated Press, “FBI: Orlando Gunman Had Strong Indications of Radicalization,” ABC, June 13, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/fbi-orlando-gunman-strong-indications-radicalization-39820558; “Orlando killer expressed support for multiple Islamist groups,” Reuters Canada, June 14, 2016, http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN0YY08B?sp=true; Cassandra Vinograd, “Omar Mateen, U.S. Suicide Bomber Tied to Fort Pierce, Florida,” NBC, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/omar-mateen-u-s-suicide-bomber-tied-fort-pierce-florida-n590846.

On June 13, President Obama said that it appeared Mateen had been radicalized by extremist content online, and referred to the attack as a case of “homegrown extremism.” Mateen operated a Facebook account, and pledged allegiance to ISIS, writing “may Allah accept me,” on the account before the attack. He also reportedly operated an account on the social media site MySpace, although it is unclear if he utilized the platform to disseminate extremist messaging. Mateen reportedly searched for news of the attack as he was carrying it out.“Orlando gay nightclub shooting: Who was gunman Omar Mateen?,” BBC News, June 12, 2016, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36513468; Pete Williams, Tracy Connor, Erik Ortiz and Stephanie Gosk, “Gunman Omar Mateen Described as Belligerent, Racist and 'Toxic',” NBC News, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496; Associated Press, “Obama says it appears Orlando shooter was inspired by extremist information disseminated over the internet,” Washington Post, June 13, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-says-it-appears-orlando-shooter-was-inspired-by-extremist-information-disseminated-over-the-internet/2016/06/13/e0d59f84-317a-11e6-ab9d-1da2b0f24f93_story.html; Adam Goldman, Joby Warrick and Max Bearak, “‘He was not a stable person’: Orlando shooter showed signs of emotional trouble,” Washington Post, June 12, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ex-wife-of-suspected-orlando-shooter-he-beat-me/2016/06/12/8a1963b4-30b8-11e6-8ff7-7b6c1998b7a0_story.html; Associated Press, “FBI: Orlando Gunman Had Strong Indications of Radicalization,” ABC, June 13, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/fbi-orlando-gunman-strong-indications-radicalization-39820558; Rachel Bishop, “Orlando clubbers filmed dancing just two hours before ISIS fanatic shot 49 partygoers dead,” Mirror (London), June 13, 2016, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/orlando-clubbers-filmed-dancing-just-8183772; Kevin Sullivan, Ellen Nakashima, Matt Zapotosky and Mark Berman, “Orlando shooter posted messages on Facebook pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS and vowing more attacks,” Washington Post, June 15, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/investigation-into-orlando-shooting-continues-no-impending-charges-expected/2016/06/15/c3eccf5e-3333-11e6-8758-d58e76e11b12_story.html; Richard Perez-Pena, “Omar Mateen Posted to Facebook Amid Orlando Attack, Lawmaker Says,” New York Times, June 16, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/us/orlando-shooting.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news.

According to numerous witnesses, Mateen had frequently visited Pulse. One of the club’s customers reported that Mateen had attempted to pick up men, and that the customer’s friends thought Mateen was a “strange person.” Another witness reported that Mateen had messaged him over an online dating app for gay men called Jack’d. Others claimed he interacted with them on gay dating apps including Grindr and Adam 4 Adam. In late June, the FBI reported it had found no evidence suggesting Mateen communicated on gay dating apps or had homosexual relationships.“Orlando attacker Omar Mateen 'frequented gay nightclub',” Al Jazeera, June 14, 2016, http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/orlando-attacker-omar-mateen-visited-pulse-gay-club-160614112632336.html;
Matt Zapotosky, Adam Goldman and Brian Murphy, “FBI director: Orlando shooting probe also looks ‘backward’ into agency files on shooter,” Washington Post, June 14, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/06/14/fbi-director-orlando-shooting-probe-also-looks-backward-into-agency-files-on-shooter/?utm_term=.06bccfa2ea41;
“If you were gay you would definitely be my type’: Orlando shooter came onto former classmate and shared penis pictures on gay app - but gunman's father insists he isn't homosexual,” Daily Mail (London), last modified June 16, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3642784/If-gay-definitely-type-Former-classmate-reveals-Orlando-shooter-came-drag-queen-says-club-regular-shooter-s-father-insists-isn-t-homosexual.html;
“FBI investigators say they have found no evidence that Orlando shooter had gay lovers,” Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-orlando-gay-fbi-20160623-snap-story.html.

Mateen’s autopsy showed that he had been a habitual user of steroids for muscle growth at the time of his death. These steroids are reportedly known to cause severe emotional swings in some users, although it is unknown whether this played any role in Mateen’s decision to perpetrate the shooting.Ginger Adams Otis,” Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen was HIV-negative and user of steroids, autopsy shows,” New York Daily News, July 15, 2016, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/omar-mateen-hiv-negative-habitual-steroid-user-autopsy-article-1.2713155.

After the attack, Mateen’s father, Seddique Mateen, immediately denied a connection between his son’s crime and radical Islam, stating that the shooting “had nothing to do with religion.” According to his father, Omar had previously been angered after witnessing a same-sex couple kissing in Miami. The day after the shooting, Mateen’s father posted a video on Facebook in which he claimed that “God himself will punish those involved in homosexuality…this is not for the servants [of God].” Pete Williams, Tracy Connor and Erik Ortiz, “Nightclub Shooter Omar Mateen Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Was Once Probed by FBI,” NBC News, June 12, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496; Tim Craig, Max Bearak and Lee Powell, “Shooter Omar Mateen’s father says he’s saddened by massacre, calls gunman ‘a good son’,” Washington Post, June 13, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the-orlando-shooters-afghan-roots/2016/06/13/d89a8cd0-30e4-11e6-ab9d-1da2b0f24f93_story.html.

Mateen was born in New York to Afghan immigrant parents, and moved to Florida more than a decade prior to the shooting. At age 14, Mateen reportedly imitated an airplane flying into the twin towers, and claimed he could shoot an AK-47. He reportedly applauded the 9/11 attacks when they occurred, and told classmates that Osama bin Laden was his uncle. In high school, Mateen reportedly smoked marijuana and used steroids, and was expelled in the ninth grade for fighting. He attended Indian River State College, receiving an associate of science degree in criminal justice technology in 2006.Kevin Sullivan, Ellen Nakashima, Matt Zapotosky and Mark Berman, “Orlando shooter posted messages on Facebook pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS and vowing more attacks,” Washington Post, June 15, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/investigation-into-orlando-shooting-continues-no-impending-charges-expected/2016/06/15/c3eccf5e-3333-11e6-8758-d58e76e11b12_story.html; Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Catherine E. Shoichet and Amy La Porte, “Omar Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS, official says,” CNN, June 13, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-shooter-omar-mateen/; Damian Paletta, Alexandra Berzon, and John R. Emshwiller, “A Life of Violent Threats Paved Way for Orlando Attack,” Washington Post, June 17, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-life-of-violent-threats-paved-way-for-orlando-attack-1466127324.

Mateen’s ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, claimed that Mateen was bipolar, and told reporters that he had physically abused her. Yusufiy’s parents were reportedly forced to rescue her from the marriage. According to Yusufiy, “He started abusing me physically, very often, and not allowing me to speak to my family, keeping me hostage from them.” Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Catherine E. Shoichet and Amy La Porte, “Omar Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS, official says,” CNN, June 13, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-shooter-omar-mateen/.

Mateen worked as a security guard for a company called G4S Secure Solutions, and reportedly aspired to become a law-enforcement officer. A former colleague of Mateen’s reportedly described him as “toxic,” belligerent, and racist, adding that he “referred to every other race, religion, gender in a derogatory way.” Another former co-worker, Daniel Gilroy, told reporters that Mateen had “talked about killing people all the time.” Mateen’s peer in high school, Robert Zirkle, said, “We joked that he’d become a terrorist. And then he did.”Pete Williams, Tracy Connor, Erik Ortiz and Stephanie Gosk, “Gunman Omar Mateen Described as Belligerent, Racist and 'Toxic',” NBC News, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/terror-hate-what-motivated-orlando-nightclub-shooter-n590496; Alan Blinder, Jack Healy and Richard A. Oppel Jr., “Omar Mateen: From Early Promise to F.B.I. Surveillance,” New York Times, June 12, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/13/us/omar-mateen-early-signs-of-promise-then-abuse-and-suspected-terrorist-ties.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=a-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news; Damian Paletta, Alexandra Berzon, and John R. Emshwiller, “A Life of Violent Threats Paved Way for Orlando Attack,” Washington Post, June 17, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-life-of-violent-threats-paved-way-for-orlando-attack-1466127324.

Mateen’s second wife, Noor Salman, faces charges for failing to alert authorities about the attack. According to U.S. officials speaking to NBC News, Salman once drove with Mateen to the Pulse nightclub, and had accompanied him to purchase ammunition. Salman also reportedly claimed that she had attempted to talk Mateen out of carrying out the attack.Jason Silverstein, “Omar Mateen's wife Noor Salman went with him to Pulse nightclub and to buy ammo, might face criminal charges,” New York Daily News, June 14, 2016, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/omar-mateen-wife-spotted-time-massacre-article-1.2672956. According to Salman’s attorney, she suffered abuse for years at the hand of Mateen.“Some neighbors ‘not surprised’ after wife of Pulse nightclub shooter arrested,” WHIOTV7, January 17, 2017, http://www.whio.com/news/national/some-neighbors-not-surprised-after-wife-pulse-nightclub-shooter-arrested/kGTxMlxbUhBvmB8a0anlBM/.

On January 16, 2017, Salman was arrested outside of San Francisco on charges of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting Mateen’s “material support” to ISIS.Pamela Brown, Evan Perez and Adam Levine, “Widow of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateern arrested,” CNN, January 17, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/16/us/omar-mateen-wife-arrested/. According to Orlando Chief of Police John Mina, Salman had enough information in advance of the shooting to prevent the attack.Pamela Brown, Evan Perez and Adam Levine, “Widow of Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateern arrested,” CNN, January 17, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/16/us/omar-mateen-wife-arrested/. Salman pled not guilty to the charges, and on March 1, 2017, she was released on a bail of $500,000 on the grounds that there was no evidence that she held connections to the Islamic State or any other extremist groups.Liz Kreutz, Emily Shapiro and Duan Perrin, “Wife of Pulse Nightclub Gunman Omar Mateen Pleads Not Guilty,” ABC News, January 18, 2017, http://abcnews.go.com/US/wife-pulse-nightclub-gunman-omar-mateen-pleads-guilty/story?id=4485158;
Christal Hayes and Gal Tziperman Lotan, “Pulse shooter’s widow, Noor Salman, to be released on bail,” Orlando Sentinel, March 1, 2017, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/os-noor-salman-released-bail-pulse-20170301-story.html. This ruling was reversed by an Orlando federal judge a week later, who ruled that she should remain in prison on grounds of her awareness of her husband’s plans.Gal Tziperman Lotan, “Judge: Pulse shooter Omar Mateen’s widow, Noor Salman, will stay in Jail,” Orlando Sentinel, March 10, 2017, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/os-noor-salman-pulse-details-20170310-story.html. Salman began trial hearings in April 2017.Rene Stutzman, “Noor Salman trial starts in March; summonses to be sent in September, judge says,” Orlando Sentinel, April 20, 2017, http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/pulse-orlando-nightclub-shooting/os-pulse-noor-salman-trial-date-hearing-20170420-story.html. On March 30, 2018, Salman was found not guilty and was released.Eric Levenson, “Pulse gunman’s widow found not guily,” CNN, March 31, 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/30/us/noor-salman-pulse-trial-verdict/index.html.

Mohamad Khweis is an American foreign fighter for ISIS who surrendered to Kurdish Peshmerga forces in Iraq in March 2016, allegedly in order to escape ISIS and return to the United States.Tracy Connor, “Captured American Mohamad Khweis Talks About His Time With ISIS,” NBC News, March 18, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/bad-decision-captured-american-mohamed-khweis-talks-about-his-time-n541081. A U.S. federal jury convicted Khweis in June 2017 of providing material support to ISIS. He received a sentence of 20 years in prison.“American Sentenced to 20 Years for Joining ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 27, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/american-sentenced-20-years-joining-isis.

According to an FBI affidavit, Khweis claims he first became interested in ISIS in mid-2015. He allegedly started watching videos online showing ISIS executions in preparation for joining the group. Khweis told U.S. investigators that he knew that ISIS employed violence but that the group also engaged in peaceful and humanitarian efforts. He said ISIS wanted to take over the United States, and admitted to using social media to contact ISIS members to learn about going abroad.United States of America v. Mohamad Jamal Khweis Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 11, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/865806/download.

Khweis left the United States for London in December 2015. From there he traveled to Amsterdam and then to Turkey.“American Islamic State fighter chose to surrender to Kurds: TV,” Reuters, March 18, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-american-idUSKCN0WK095. Khweis claimed that it was in Istanbul where he met an Iraqi woman who led him to the ISIS-controlled Iraqi city of Mosul, where she said her sister was married to an ISIS fighter. Analysts have suggested that this woman was an ISIS recruiter who lured men to the group with promises of marriage or sex.Anne Speckhard, “American ISIS Defector - Mohamad Jamal Khweis and the Threat Posed by ‘Clean Skin’ Terrorists: Unanswered Questions and Confirmations,” Huffington Post, March 21, 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-speckhard/american-isis-defector-mo_b_9511746.html. It is unclear whether the woman had been a prearranged contact or she had convinced Khweis to followher. Khweis admitted to U.S. authorities that he had previously researched how to smuggle himself across the Turkish-Syrian border. Khweis used social media in Turkey to communicate with other ISIS members, using the phrase “Green Bird” to identify supporters of jihad.United States of America v. Mohamad Jamal Khweis Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 11, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/865806/download.

Khweis reportedly traveled with the woman on a bus to the Turkish border. The woman’s sister arranged for a taxi to then take them into Syria. The two then separated and Khweis continued on to Mosul with a group of recruits. They turned over their passports and received new names.Tracy Connor, “Captured American Mohamad Khweis Talks About His Time With ISIS,” NBC News, March 18, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/bad-decision-captured-american-mohamed-khweis-talks-about-his-time-n541081. Khweis became “Abu Omar.”Anne Speckhard, “American ISIS Defector - Mohamad Jamal Khweis and the Threat Posed by ‘Clean Skin’ Terrorists: Unanswered Questions and Confirmations,” Huffington Post, March 21, 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-speckhard/american-isis-defector-mo_b_9511746.html. He and other recruits subsequently spent eight hours a day in religious indoctrination classes and prayer. Khweis told Kurdish interviewers that after a month, he decided to escape, realizing that ISIS are “not good Muslims.”Tracy Connor, “Captured American Mohamad Khweis Talks About His Time With ISIS,” NBC News, March 18, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/bad-decision-captured-american-mohamed-khweis-talks-about-his-time-n541081;
“American Islamic State fighter chose to surrender to Kurds: TV,” Reuters, March 18, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-american-idUSKCN0WK095.

According to Khweis, he then convinced a friend to take him close to the Turkish border. There, he sought out Kurdish fighters near the village of Golat in northern Iraq in the hope that they would turn him over to the Americans and he could go home. According to his own account, Khweis sought out the Kurds because of their good relations with America.“American Islamic State fighter chose to surrender to Kurds: TV,” Reuters, March 18, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-american-idUSKCN0WK095. Sarbaz Hama Amin, a Kurdish Peshmerga commander in Iraq, said that Khweis approached his unit in northern Iraq and “screamed” if anybody spoke English and that he wanted to go with them. The Peshmerga arrested Khweis and took him to their camp.Najab Balay and Sirwan Kajjo, “Parents of IS Fighter Thought He Was in Canada,” Voice of America, March 14, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/content/accused-american-islamic-state-member-held-by-kurdish-forces-in-iraq/3234840.html. In an interview with Kurdish TV news channel K24 a few days later, Khweis called the ISIS lifestyle “very difficult,” and said he regretted his “bad decision” to move to Mosul.“American Islamic State fighter chose to surrender to Kurds: TV,” Reuters, March 18, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-american-idUSKCN0WK095.

Khweis’s parents are Palestinian immigrants living in Alexandria, Virginia. Khweis’s father, Jamal, came to the United States in 1988.Najab Balay and Sirwan Kajjo, “Parents of IS Fighter Thought He Was in Canada,” Voice of America, March 14, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/content/accused-american-islamic-state-member-held-by-kurdish-forces-in-iraq/3234840.html. According to reports, Khweis’s parents and U.S. law enforcement were both unaware of Khweis’s path toward radicalization. Khweis had studied criminal justice in Virginia and only occasionally attended mosque.Anne Speckhard, “American ISIS Defector - Mohamad Jamal Khweis and the Threat Posed by ‘Clean Skin’ Terrorists: Unanswered Questions and Confirmations,” Huffington Post, March 21, 2016, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-speckhard/american-isis-defector-mo_b_9511746.html. Khweis had previously been arrested for driving under the influence and public drunkenness, though the public drunkenness charge had been downgraded to trespassing and was dismissed on appeal.Shane Harris, “American ISIS Fighter Captured in Iraq,” Daily Beast, March 14, 2016, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/14/american-isis-fighter-captured-in-iraq.html;
Jon Williams, Kirit Radia, and Alexander Marquardt, “Alleged American ISIS Member: I Made a ‘Bad Decision,’” ABC News, March 17, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/International/alleged-american-isis-member-made-bad-decision/story?id=37729313. On the day that their son surrendered to Peshmerga forces, the Khweises told Voice of America that they thought their son was in Canada, though Khweis’s mother claimed they knew he had been traveling in Turkey.Najab Balay and Sirwan Kajjo, “Parents of IS Fighter Thought He Was in Canada,” Voice of America, March 14, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/content/accused-american-islamic-state-member-held-by-kurdish-forces-in-iraq/3234840.html.

According to U.S. State Department Spokesman John Kirby, ISIS fighters are increasingly “becoming disenfranchised” and defecting in larger numbers.“American Islamic State fighter chose to surrender to Kurds: TV,” Reuters, March 18, 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-american-idUSKCN0WK095. Syrian Kurdish fighters say they have seen a rise in defections from ISIS, coinciding with the group’s territorial losses. After his escape, Khweis said ISIS does not represent Islam and life under the terror group’s rule is “really, really bad.”Balint Szlanko, “American IS fighter: I made a bad decision,” Associated Press, March 18, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/33409c625b7f45d9bf846b45daa07e97/american-fighter-i-made-bad-decision. Khweis was returned to the United States in June 2016 to face trial.Matt Zapotosky, “American ISIS fighter who ‘found it hard’ returns to face criminal charges,” Washington Post, June 9, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/american-isis-fighter-who-found-it-hard-returns-to-face-criminal-charges/2016/06/08/b6990ea2-efa5-11e5-a61f-e9c95c06edca_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_khweis-615a-lede%3Ahomepage%2Fstory.

On June 7, 2017, a federal jury in Virginia convicted Khweis of providing material support to ISIS. Andrew W. Vale, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said that Khweis “purposefully traveled overseas with the intent to join ISIL in support of the terrorist group’s efforts to conduct operations and execute attacks to further their radical ideology.”“Jury Convicts Man of Providing Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 7, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-man-providing-material-support-isis. On October 27, 2017, Khweis was sentenced to 20 years in prison.“American Sentenced to 20 Years for Joining ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 27, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/american-sentenced-20-years-joining-isis.

Kyrgyzstan-born Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is a naturalized U.S. citizen and an Islamic extremist. On April 15, 2013, then-19-year-old Tsarnaev carried out the Boston Marathon bombings alongside his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, then age 26. The bombs killed three people and injured more than 250, 17 of whom became amputees. Three days later, the brothers shot and killed 27-year-old police officer Sean Collier while attempting to ambush him and steal his pistol.Steve Annear, “MIT dedicates monument to Sean Collier,” Boston Globe, April 29, 2015, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/29/mit-dedicate-monument-sean-collier-wednesday/E8aVcQXkrht6KO8D85VPFL/story.html;
Katharine Q. Seelye and Jess Bidgood, “Breaking Silence, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Apologizes for Boston Marathon Bombing,” New York Times, June 24, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/boston-marathon-bombing-dzhokhar-tsarnaev.html?_r=0. In May 2015, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death by a unanimous jury vote in Boston, after he was found guilty the previous month on 30 charges relating to the bombing attack.Milton J. Valencia and Patricia Wen, “Tsarnaev guilty on all counts in Marathon bombings,” Boston Globe, April 8, 2015, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/08/tsarnaev-jury-begins-second-day-deliberations/t7KplwR18hH1RSuX1BQohM/story.html. A federal appeals court overturned Tsarnaev’s death sentence in July 2020,Alanna Durkin Richer, “Court overturns Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, July 31, 2020, https://apnews.com/article/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-trials-boston-marathon-bombing-ap-top-news-bombings-af38a703ab88fe922629dcc254cb41df; Travis Anderson, “Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber ask Supreme Court to deny government request to review appellate ruling tossing death penalty,” Boston Globe, December 17, 2020, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/17/metro/lawyers-boston-marathon-bomber-ask-supreme-court-deny-government-request-review-appellate-ruling-tossing-death-penalty/; Mark Sherman, “Court could reimpose Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, March 22, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/court-could-reimpose-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-death-sentence-719087dcbe7145514094fe3c7da8d9bf. but the Supreme Court reinstated the sentence in March 2022.Mark Sherman, “High court reimposes Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, March 4, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/bombings-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-e52706c006644cfcb3f742cf78afa6d0. Tsarnaev’s attorneys filed another appeal in January 2023.Alanna Durkin Richer, “Court weighs tossing Boston marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, January 10, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/massachusetts-state-government-legal-proceedings-crime-boston-f32276fbfccb77fca2a08ae831d7f4df; Shelley Murphy, “Where the legal battle over Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence stands a decade after the Marathon bombings,” Boston Globe, April 16, 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/16/sports/boston-marathon-bombing-dzhokhar-tsarnaev/. On March 21, 2024, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston demanded further investigation of Tsarnaev’s claims of juror misconduct during the 2015 trial.Nate Raymond, “US appeals court directs probe of juror bias in Boston Marathon bomber’s case,” Reuters, March 21, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-directs-inquiry-into-juror-bias-boston-marathon-bombers-trial-2024-03-21/.

At the Boston Marathon, the Tsarnaev brothers placed two pressure-cooker bombs near the race’s finish line. Each device “killed at least one person, maimed, burned and wounded scores of others, and damaged public and private property,” according to the criminal complaint filed against Tsarnaev.“United States of America v. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,” United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, April 21, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/resources/363201342213441988148.pdf. Three days after the bombings, on April 18, the brothers carjacked a vehicle and fled to Watertown, Massachusetts, west of Boston. On April 19, Boston police and SWAT team members found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding in an upturned boat in a backyard at 67 Franklin Street, Watertown. After a gunfight that killed Tamerlan and injured Dzhokhar, Dzhokhar was arrested and brought in for questioning.“United States of America v. Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev a/k/a/ ‘Jahar Tsarni,’” United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, June 27, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ma/legacy/2013/06/27/Indictment1.pdf.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged with 30 counts and pleaded not guilty to all of them. On April 8, 2015, he was found guilty on all 30 charges including causing death by use of a weapon of mass destruction. The following month, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection. The day after his conviction, he was transferred to a maximum-security prison near Florence, Colorado. During his trial, Tsarnaev’s defense lawyers suggested he was heavily influenced by his older brother Tamarlan and therefore less responsible for the bombings.Patricia Wen and Milton J. Valencia, “Tsarnaev defense keeps focusing on brother’s influence,” Boston Globe, April 28, 2015, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/04/28/defense-continues-push-for-life-prison-for-tsarnaev-boston-marathon-bomber/GFWPFfPF8PD293g4F6aH7M/story.html.

An ethnic Chechen, Tsarnaev was born in the northern Kyrgyz town of Tokmok near the Khazak border. His family fled to Dagestan following the Russian invasion of Chechnya in 1999. His family was also prompted to flee following the purge of Chechens from the Kyrgyz government, which caused his father to lose his job.Janet Reitman, “Jahar’s World,” Rolling Stone, July 17, 2013, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717. Tsarnaev arrived in the United States as a child in 2002, and lived in Massachusetts.Lara Jakes, Matt Apuzzo, and Rodrique Ngowi, “Officials: Suspect described plot before Miranda,” Associated Press, April 25, 2013, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/lawmakers-ask-who-knew-what-about-bomb-suspect. In high school, Tsarnaev was “as American as they come,” became wrestling team captain, and “partied hard and studied when he had to,” according to the Washington Post.Marc Fisher, “The Tsarnaev family: A faded portrait of an immigrant’s American dream,” Washington Post, April 27, 2013, http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/feature/wp/2013/04/27/the-tsarnaev-family-a-faded-portrait-of-an-immigrants-american-dream/. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on September 11, 2012.Janet Reitman, “Jahar’s World,” Rolling Stone, July 17, 2013, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717.

Tsarnaev was inspired to murder in part by the Yemeni-American Islamist preacher Anwar al-Awlaki.Patricia Wen, “Tsarnaev posted radical messages on second Twitter account, FBI agent testifies,” Boston Globe, March 10, 2015, https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/03/09/tsarnaev-had-second-secret-twitter-account-witness-testifies/lgiJqqmXlD3ua8HmFLnAZO/story.html. Al-Awlaki—the former director of external operations for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)—was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike on the orders of President Obama in 2011. Tsarnaev exhorted friends via Twitter to listen to al-Awlaki’s sermons. Tsarnaev downloaded al-Awlaki-authored and -inspired materials, including a copy of a book entitled “The Slicing Sword Against The One Who Forms Allegiances With The Disbelievers And Takes Them As Supporters Instead Of Allah, His Messenger And The Believers,” which contains a foreword by al-Awlaki. He also downloaded Volume One of AQAP’s magazine Inspire, which contains instructions on how to construct a bomb. Just three weeks before the Boston bombings, he tweeted, “Listen to Anwar al-Awlaki’s ... here after series… you will gain an unbelievable amount of knowledge.” YouTube videos of al-Awlaki were found on Dzhokhar and Tamerlan’s electronic devices.Scott Shane, “The Lessons of Anwar al-Awlaki,” New York Times, August 27, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/magazine/the-lessons-of-anwar-al-awlaki.html?_r=1;
Ann O’Neill, “The 13^th Juror: The radicalization of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,” CNN, March 30, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/27/us/tsarnaev-13th-juror-jahar-radicalization/;
“United States of America v. Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev a/k/a/ ‘Jahar Tsarni,’” United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, June 27, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ma/legacy/2013/06/27/Indictment1.pdf.

In December 2015, after Tsarnaev’s death sentence was confirmed, his lawyers argued for a re-trial and new sentencing. They argued that his older brother Tamerlan was the mastermind of the bombing, and that it was unfair to hold the trial in Boston because the jury could not be impartial. Tsarnaev is presently held at the Supermax prison in Colorado.Associated Press, “Boston Marathon bomber’s lawyers urge judge to grant new trial,” Guardian (London), December 1, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/01/boston-marathon-bomber-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-lawyers-new-trial. In June 2016, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri warned of the “gravest of consequences” for the United States if Tsarnaev, or any other Muslim prisoner in U.S. custody, is harmed.Alan Yuhas, “Al-Qaida leader: 'grave consequences' for US if Boston bomber executed,” Guardian (London), July 1, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/01/al-qaida-boston-marathon-bomber-tsarnaev-execution. On July 31, 2020, Boston’s 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld 27 of Tsarnaev’s convictions but overturned the death sentence on the grounds that the presiding judge had inaccurately screened jurors for potential bias. The court also called for a new penalty phase trial to weigh a death sentence.Alanna Durkin Richer, “Court overturns Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, July 31, 2020, https://apnews.com/article/dzhokhar-tsarnaev-trials-boston-marathon-bombing-ap-top-news-bombings-af38a703ab88fe922629dcc254cb41df. In October 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to reinstate Tsarnaev’s death sentence.Justine Coleman, “DOJ asks Supreme Court to reinstate death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber,” Hill, October 7, 2020, https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/519944-doj-asks-supreme-court-to-reinstate-death-penalty-for-boston. Lawyers for Tsarnaev have asked the Supreme Court to deny the request.Travis Anderson, “Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber ask Supreme Court to deny government request to review appellate ruling tossing death penalty,” Boston Globe, December 17, 2020, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/17/metro/lawyers-boston-marathon-bomber-ask-supreme-court-deny-government-request-review-appellate-ruling-tossing-death-penalty/.

On January 4, 2021, Tsarnaev filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the U.S. government alleging “unlawful, unreasonable and discriminatory” treatment. In the suit, Tsarnaev complained that he had been limited to three showers a week. He also claimed prison guards had confiscated a baseball hat and bandana he purchased in the prison commissary because they thought he was disrespecting the FBI and victims of the Boston Marathon bombing by wearing them. According to the suit, Tsarnaev’s treatment is contributing to his “mental and physical decline.”“Boston Marathon bomber sues over ballcap, showers in prison,” Associated Press, January 7, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/boston-lawsuits-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-6291406e4d86d029ae5b4d28d8cde16c.

On March 22, 2021, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the government’s appeal on Tsarnaev’s death penalty, filed by the Trump administration in October 2020. The administration of Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, initially sought the death penalty for Tsarnaev. President Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president, has signaled his opposition to the death penalty in general.Mark Sherman, “Court could reimpose Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, March 22, 2021, https://apnews.com/article/court-could-reimpose-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-death-sentence-719087dcbe7145514094fe3c7da8d9bf. Biden’s Justice Department halted federal executions in July 2021, citing the need to review policies and procedures after the Trump administration carried out 13 executions within a six-month span.Michael Balsamo, Colleen Long, and Michael Tarm, “Federal executions halted; Garland orders protocols reviewed,” Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-executions-government-and-politics-9daf230ef2257b901cb0dfeeeb60be44. Nonetheless, the Biden administration pursued Tsarnaev’s death penalty in the case United States v. Tsarnaev, No. 20-443. Government attorneys argued before the Supreme Court in October 2021 to have the sentence reinstated.Adam Liptak, “Supreme Court Seems Ready to Restore Death Sentence for Boston Marathon Bomber,” New York Times, last updated October 18, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/13/us/politics/supreme-court-death-sentence-boston-marathon-bomber.html.

On March 4, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to reinstate Tsarnaev’s death sentence, reversing the July 2020 1st Circuit ruling that the trial judge improperly excluded evidence that could have shown Tsarnaev was less responsible for the marathon attack as he was deeply influenced by his older brother, Tamerlan. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “Dzhokhar Tsarnaev committed heinous crimes. The Sixth Amendment nonetheless guaranteed him a fair trial before an impartial jury. He received one.”Mark Sherman, “High court reimposes Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, March 4, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/bombings-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-e52706c006644cfcb3f742cf78afa6d0. In his dissent on behalf of the court’s three liberal justices, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the Court of Appeals “acted lawfully in holding that the District Court should have allowed Dzhokhar to introduce this evidence.”Mark Sherman, “High court reimposes Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, March 4, 2022, https://apnews.com/article/bombings-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-e52706c006644cfcb3f742cf78afa6d0. Despite the ruling, the Justice Department’s moratorium on federal executions is likely to further delay the execution.

On January 10, 2023, Tsarnaev’s attorneys filed an appeal with the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston to have Tsarnaev’s death sentence thrown out because of juror misconduct. They argued two jurors lied during jury selection. According to the attorneys, one juror lied during selection about not having publicly commented on the case, while another had contact with Tsarnaev’s Facebook friends. One of those friends reportedly urged the juror to “play the part” so he could get on the jury and send Tsarnaev to “jail where he will be taken of.”Alanna Durkin Richer, “Court weighs tossing Boston marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, January 10, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/massachusetts-state-government-legal-proceedings-crime-boston-f32276fbfccb77fca2a08ae831d7f4df. Tsarnaev’s attorneys argued the judge denied Tsarnaev a fair trial by refusing to excuse the two jurors in question and by refusing to hold the trial outside of Boston.Alanna Durkin Richer, “Court weighs tossing Boston marathon bomber’s death sentence,” Associated Press, January 10, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/massachusetts-state-government-legal-proceedings-crime-boston-f32276fbfccb77fca2a08ae831d7f4df; Shelley Murphy, “Where the legal battle over Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence stands a decade after the Marathon bombings,” Boston Globe, April 16, 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/16/sports/boston-marathon-bombing-dzhokhar-tsarnaev/.

In April 2023, streaming service Netflix released a docuseries on the Tsarnaev brothers called American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing. The 10-part series interviews survivors, family of the bombing’s victims, as well as people who personally knew the Tsarnaev brothers. The series traces the events that led to Tamerlan’s death and Dzhokhar’s capture.Amanda Richards and Ingrid Ostby, “‘American Manhunt’ Revisits the Boston Marathon Bombing, 10 Years Later,” Netflix, April 12, 2023, https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/american-manhunt-the-boston-marathon-bombing-release-date-news. Boston Globe reporter David Filipov also gives his perspective. Filipov wrote a December 2013 article on the Tsarnaevs that revealed Tamerlan claimed from an early age he heard a voice in his head that told him to commit various acts. According to the 2013 article, one doctor was concerned Tamerlan was schizophrenic. Media observers noted this piece of information on Tamerlan’s possible psychosis did not appear in the Netflix series.Laura Jane Turner, “Netflix’s Boston Marathon Bombing documentary doesn’t quite address its own controversy,” Digital Spy, April 13, 2023, https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a43575200/tsarnaev-brothers-boston-marathon-bombing-documentary/.

On March 21, 2024, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston directed the presiding judge of the 2015 trial to investigate whether two of the jurors were biased against Tsarnaev and should not have been seated.Nate Raymond, “US appeals court directs probe of juror bias in Boston Marathon bomber’s case,” Reuters, March 21, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-directs-inquiry-into-juror-bias-boston-marathon-bombers-trial-2024-03-21/. According to court documents, two of the jurors were not thoroughly questioned or were dishonest about their exposure to the attack via social media and the news prior to the jury selection process.Alanna Durkin Richer, “Appeals court orders judge to probe claims of juror bias in Boston Marathon bomber’s case,” Associated Press, March 21, 2024, https://apnews.com/article/boston-marathon-bombing-tsarnaev-juror-bias-4cf3031d41cb0ab1bd1cad2bd3ad107a. If the lower court’s investigation reveals that either of two jurors could have been disqualified, the court will vacate Tsarnaev’s death sentence and grant him a new penalty-phase trial.Nate Raymond, “US appeals court directs probe of juror bias in Boston Marathon bomber’s case,” Reuters, March 21, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-court-directs-inquiry-into-juror-bias-boston-marathon-bombers-trial-2024-03-21/. As of March 2024, Tsarnaev remained on death row at a federal supermax prison in Colorado.Danny McDonald, “Federal Prosecutors Want Tsarnaev’s Entire Inmate Account to Go Toward His Outstanding Criminal Penalties,” Boston Globe, March 26, 2024, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/03/26/metro/federal-prosecutors-want-tsarnaevs-entire-inmate-account-go-toward-his-outstanding-criminal-penalties/.

U.S.-born Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz is an alleged facilitator, propagandist, and would-be foreign fighter for ISIS. In December 2015, then-19-year-old Aziz was arrested on charges of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS.Maria Stainer, “Pennsylvania man charged with providing material support to ISIS,” Washington Times, December 18, 2015, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/18/jalil-ibn-ameer-aziz-a-pennsylvania-man-charged-wi/. Aziz pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to provide material support and communicating a threat to injure,“Harrisburg terror suspect pleads guilty,” ABC27, January 30, 2017, http://abc27.com/2017/01/30/harrisburg-terror-suspect-pleads-guilty/. and was sentenced to 160 months in prison.“Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and Transmitting a Communication Containing a Threat to Injure,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, December 20, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jalil-ibn-ameer-aziz-sentenced-conspiracy-provide-material-support-and-resources-designated.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Aziz utilized Twitter to disseminate ISIS’s propaganda and operated under at least 57 consecutive accounts.“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 6, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download. Aziz allegedly facilitated the travel of ISIS recruits over Twitter, serving as a liaison between potential foreign fighters and facilitators in Turkey.“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 13, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Aziz “passed location information, including maps and a telephone number, between these [ISIS] supporters.”“Jalil Abn Ameer Aziz Who Was Charged With Providing Material Support To ISIL Faces New Charges For Solicitation To Commit A Crime Of Violence And Transmitting A Communication Containing A Threat To Injure,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 18, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/jalil-abn-ameer-aziz-who-was-charged-providing-material-support-isil-faces-new-charges. Aziz also allegedly tweeted a list of names and addresses of 100 U.S. military members and called for violence against them.“Pennsylvania Resident Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, December 17, 2015, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pennsylvania-resident-charged-providing-material-support-isil. He regularly tweeted about his desire to “buy” a 17-year-old female Yazidi slave upon his arrival to the so-called caliphate.“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 11, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download.

In June 2014, Aziz officially declared his allegiance to ISIS on Twitter,“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 7, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download. and encouraged others to “perform their Islamic duty” and “support jihad with wealth.”“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 8, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download. He offered advice on how to discreetly travel to Syria without raising suspicion. Aziz advocated for violence, and frequently encouraged the killing of non-Muslims by tweeting the hashtag #killallkuffar.Sam Wood, “Pa. teen charged with aiding ISIS,” Philly.com, December 17, 2015, http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Pa_teen_charged_with_aiding_ISIS.html.

On November 27, 2015, authorities issued a court order to search Aziz’s home where he lived with his parents.Mike Wereschagin, “FBI: Harrisburg man helped would-be jihadists for ISIS,” The Morning Call, December 18, 2015, http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-pa-harrisburg-man-helped-3-would-be-jihadists-20151218-story.html. Upon examining his closet, authorities recovered an army-style tactical backpack, five high capacity magazines loaded with 5.6 ammunition, a kitchen knife wrapped in string with the handle removed, and a balaclava.“United States of America v. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz,” United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, December 17, 2015, 16, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/800566/download.

Authorities arrested Aziz on December 17, 2015, on charges of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS.“Pennsylvania Resident Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, December 17, 2015, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pennsylvania-resident-charged-providing-material-support-isil;
Maria Stainer, “Pennsylvania man charged with providing material support to ISIS,” Washington Times, December 18, 2015, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/18/jalil-ibn-ameer-aziz-a-pennsylvania-man-charged-wi/. He pleaded not guilty on December 23.Associated Press, “Young Pennsylvania man charged with trying to help IS group deemed flight risk,” WTAE.com, December 24, 2015, http://www.wtae.com/news/harrisburg-man-charged-with-supporting-isis/37016430. In May 2016, Aziz faced a new charge for solicitation to commit a crime of violence and transmitting a communication containing a threat to injure. The charge relates to accusations that Aziz tweeted the names of military personnel and encouraged violence against them. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in late May.“Jalil Abn Ameer Aziz Who Was Charged With Providing Material Support To ISIL Faces New Charges For Solicitation To Commit A Crime Of Violence And Transmitting A Communication Containing A Threat To Injure,” U.S. Department of Justice, May 18, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/jalil-abn-ameer-aziz-who-was-charged-providing-material-support-isil-faces-new-charges. On January 30, 2017, Aziz pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to provide material support and communication of a threat to injure.“Harrisburg terror suspect pleads guilty,” ABC27, January 30, 2017, http://abc27.com/2017/01/30/harrisburg-terror-suspect-pleads-guilty/.

On December 20, 2017, Aziz was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison and 12 years of post-release supervision. He was also ordered to pay $6,635.79 in restitution to the U.S. military personnel whose lives he threatened.“Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and Transmitting a Communication Containing a Threat to Injure,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, December 20, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jalil-ibn-ameer-aziz-sentenced-conspiracy-provide-material-support-and-resources-designated.

Aziz is currently incarcerated at Marion United States Penitentiary in Illinois, with a scheduled release date of April 27, 2027.“JALIL IBN AMEE AZIZ,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed April 11, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Edward Archer is an American Islamist extremist. On January 7, 2016, the then-30-year-old fired at least 11 shots at Philadelphia police officer Jesse Hartnett using a stolen police gun. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross told reporters that Archer carried out the attack because “[Archer] believed that the police defend laws that are contrary to the teachings of the Quran.” Hartnett was badly wounded but survived.Emily Shapiro, “Man Accused of Shooting Philly Cop Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Police Say,” ABC News, January 8, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/US/man-accused-shooting-philly-cop-confessed-committing-act/story?id=36169588. Archer was convicted of the attack, and sentenced to 48.5 to 97 years in state prison.Chris Palmer, “Gunman Who Pledged Allegiance to ISIS After Shooting Philly Cop Sentenced to Almost 50 Years in Prison,” Philadelphia Inquirer, May 14, 2018, https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/crime/edward-archer-sentencing-isis-police-shooting-philadelphia-jesse-hartnett-20180514.html.

Archer had reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS.Emily Shapiro, “Man Accused of Shooting Philly Cop Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Police Say,” ABC News, January 8, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/US/man-accused-shooting-philly-cop-confessed-committing-act/story?id=36169588. He later told detectives, “I follow Allah. I pledge my allegiance to the Islamic State, and that’s why I did what I did.” His mother said that Archer had been “hearing voices in his head” and that he required medical attention.“Police: Gunman who shot cop pledged allegiance to the Islamic State,” Philly.com, January 10, 2016, http://articles.philly.com/2016-01-10/news/69618068_1_police-officer-islamic-state-wounded-officer.

After the shooting, Archer was taken into custody and charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault of a law enforcement officer, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of an instrument of crime with intent and weapons possession.“Alleged Pa. cop shooter arraigned, denied bail,” Fox News, January 9, 2016, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/01/09/fbi-investigating-alleged-pa-cop-shooters-trips-to-middle-east.html. At the time of the attack, Archer had been awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of forging documents and careless driving.“Police: Gunman who shot cop pledged allegiance to the Islamic State,” Philly.com, January 10, 2016, http://articles.philly.com/2016-01-10/news/69618068_1_police-officer-islamic-state-wounded-officer.

Archer had traveled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 2011 and to Egypt in 2012. He was not on any watch list.Emily Shapiro, “Man Accused of Shooting Philly Cop Pledged Allegiance to ISIS, Police Say,” ABC News, January 8, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/US/man-accused-shooting-philly-cop-confessed-committing-act/story?id=36169588.

On February 1, 2018, Archer was found guilty of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and several other charges stemming from the attack.Chris Palmer, “Gunman Who Pledged ISIS Allegiance Convicted in 2016 Shooting of Philly Cop,” Philadelphia Enquirer, February 1, 2018, https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/crime/isis-inspired-gunman-guilty-shooting-philadelphia-cop-jesse-hartnett-20180201.html. On May 14, 2018, he was sentenced to 48.5 to 97 years in state prison, the maximum allowable under law.Chris Palmer, “Gunman Who Pledged Allegiance to ISIS After Shooting Philly Cop Sentenced to Almost 50 Years in Prison,” Philadelphia Inquirer, May 14, 2018, https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/crime/edward-archer-sentencing-isis-police-shooting-philadelphia-jesse-hartnett-20180514.html. He is currently incarcerated at Forest State Correctional Institution in Marienville, Pennsylvania.“NK0791 – Edward Archer,” Inmate Search – Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, accessed April 7, 2021, http://inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov/#/Result.

Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab is a Palestinian-Iraqi who came to the United States as a refugee from Syria in October 2012.“United States of America v. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, January 6, 2016, 2, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/811696/download. He spent time in Arizona and Wisconsin before settling in Sacramento, California.Maneeza Iqbal, “Man accused of terrorism arrested in Sacramento,” KCRA ABC, January 7, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/suspect-arrested-in-sacramento-in-regards-to-national-security/37321358. Travel dates—as well as bank and electronic communication records—indicate that Al-Jayab traveled twice between Syria and the United States from 2012 to 2014. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, while in Syria, Al-Jayab fought for al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate al-Nusra Front. Al-Jayab may also have fought alongside Ansar al-Islam, a group that pledged allegiance to ISIS in August 2014. “United States of America v. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, January 6, 2016, 16, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/811696/download; Abdallah Suleiman Ali, “IS disciplines some emirs to avoid losing base,” Al-Monitor, September 2, 2014, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/09/is-takfiri-caliphate.html#.

Al-Jayab reportedly lied about his involvement in terrorism in an October 2014 interview with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigration officers asked Al-Jayab a variety of questions, including if he had been a member of a rebel group, if he had ever killed another person, and if he had ever solicited membership from a terrorist organization. Al-Jayab answered “no” to each question.“United States of America v. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, January 6, 2016, 3, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/811696/download.

The then-23-year-old was arrested on January 7, 2016, in Sacramento, California, on charges of making a false statement involving international terrorism.Shawn Brouwer, “Sacramento man indicted on terrorism-related charge,” KCRA ABC, January 14, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/sacramento-man-indicted-on-terrorismrelated-charge/37444394.

Almost immediately after he arrived in the United States in October 2012, Al-Jayab began discussing his desire to return to Syria to “work” with family and associates. On October 13, 2012, he began conversing with two unnamed individuals—one in Iraq and the other in Syria—about his plans to return to Syria and join al-Nusra Front.“United States of America v. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, January 6, 2016, 6, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/811696/download.

Over the next few months, Al-Jayab received money via Western Union from a variety of unnamed individuals in Syria. Al-Jayab told these individuals that he needed the money to travel to Syria and was interested in joining al-Nusra Front. He asked questions about weapons, inquired about the type of training he would receive, and asked God to grant him martyrdom.“United States of America v. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, January 6, 2016, 9, http://www.justice.gov/opa/file/811696/download.

In 2013, Al-Jayab communicated over social media with fellow U.S.-based Iraqi refugee Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan.“FBI: Refugees used social media to plan fight in Syria,” KCRA 3, January 8, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/family-suspect-in-terror-case-went-to-american-river-college/37335406. Al-Jayab spoke to Al Hardan about weapons training, and the two discussed travel to Syria.Catherine E. Shoichet and Joshua Berlinger, “Feds arrest 2 Middle East refugees on terror-link charges,” January 8, 2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/08/us/terror-charges-refugees/. Al-Jayab bragged about his experience fighting in Syria and promised to teach Al Hardan how to enter Syria and fight with weaponry.“FBI: Refugees used social media to plan fight in Syria,” KCRA, January 8, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/family-suspect-in-terror-case-went-to-american-river-college/37335406. Al Hardan was arrested on January 8, 2016.Manny Fernandez, “Refugee Tried to Assist Islamic State, U.S. Says,” New York Times, January 8, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/09/us/refugee-appears-in-houston-court-on-terror-related-charges.html.

On January 8, 2016, a judge ordered Al-Jayab be held without bail, citing he was a flight risk and danger to the community.Sam Stanton, Stephen Magagnini, and Denny Walsh, “Sacramento junior college student ordered held without bail in terror case,” Sacramento Bee, January 8, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article53731420.html. In early March, the FBI requested and was granted access to Al-Jayab’s two cellphones, an iPhone 6S and a Samsung Galaxy S5. FBI agents were reportedly able to bypass the Samsung Galaxy’s security and gain access to multiple Facebook accounts operated by Al-Jayab.“Application for a Search Warrant,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, March 1, 2016, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2778672-Al-Jayab-Warrant-for-iPhone-and-Samsung.html; Thomas Fox-Brewster, “FBI Wants Access To Another ISIS-Linked iPhone -- Will It Demand Apple Aid?,” Forbes, March 29, 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2016/03/29/fbi-apple-iphone-6s-warrant-al-jayab/#60e8bf635df6.

As of March 29, 2016, the status of the iPhone’s data is unknown. Analysts posited the FBI might request Apple to aid in unlocking the iPhone, just as they demanded in the case of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook.“Application for a Search Warrant,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, March 1, 2016, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2778672-Al-Jayab-Warrant-for-iPhone-and-Samsung.html; Thomas Fox-Brewster, “FBI Wants Access To Another ISIS-Linked iPhone -- Will It Demand Apple Aid?,” Forbes, March 29, 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2016/03/29/fbi-apple-iphone-6s-warrant-al-jayab/#60e8bf635df6.

On March 17, 2016, Al-Jayab was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois for attempting to provide material support to acts of violence overseas. If found guilty, Al-Jayab may face up to 15 years in prison.“California Man Indicted in Chicago for Attempting to Provide Material Support to Overseas Terrorists,” United States Department of Justice, March 17, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-man-indicted-chicago-attempting-provide-material-support-overseas-terrorists. On October 31, 2018, he pleaded guilty to providing material support to the jihadist group Ansar al-Islam and making a false statement to federal agents investigating an international terrorism case. Although the two charges combined carry a maximum of 23 years in prison, Al-Jayab’s plea bargain stipulates a maximum sentence of 15 years.Bennett Clifford and Seamus Hughes, “United States v. Aws Mohammed Younis al-Jayab: A Case Study on Transnational Prosecutions of Jihadi Foreign Fighter Networks,” CTC Sentinel 11, no. 11, December 2018, https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/CTC-SENTINEL-122018.pdf, 26, 29.

Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan is an Iraqi citizen of Palestinian descent and a suspected domestic terrorist. Hardan entered the United States as a refugee in November 2009.Manny Fernandez, “Refugee Tried to Assist Islamic State, U.S. Says,” New York Times, January 8, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/09/us/refugee-appears-in-houston-court-on-terror-related-charges.html. In January 2016, the then-24-year-old was arrested on charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, and making false statements.“Texas Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” United States Department of Justice, January 7, 2016, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/texas-man-charged-attempting-provide-material-support-isil.

It was later revealed that Hardan had pledged allegiance to ISIS and planned to blow up shopping malls in Houston, Texas.“Houston Terror Suspect Reportedly Wanted to Blow Up Galleria, Sharpstown Mall,” ABC13, January 13, 2016, http://abc13.com/news/houston-terror-suspect-reportedly-planned-attacks-at-2-houston-malls/1157091/.

In May 2014, while living in Houston, Texas, Hardan began using his knowledge of weaponry—specifically of machine guns—to aid ISIS by offering to provide training over the Internet.“Texas Man Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” United States Department of Justice, January 7, 2016, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/texas-man-charged-attempting-provide-material-support-isil. He applied to become a naturalized U.S. citizen a few months later in August 2014.Manny Fernandez, “Refugee Tried to Assist Islamic State, U.S. Says,” New York Times, January 8, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/09/us/refugee-appears-in-houston-court-on-terror-related-charges.html.

In 2013, Hardan communicated over social media with another refugee in California, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab. The two reportedly discussed travel to Syria. Al-Jayab spoke to Hardan about weapons training and told him he had fought against Bashar al-Assad’s soldiers.“FBI: Refugees used social media to plan fight in Syria,” KCRA 3, January 8, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/family-suspect-in-terror-case-went-to-american-river-college/37335406. Al-Jayab was arrested and charged on January 7, 2016, with making a false statement involving international terrorism.Shawn Brouwer, “Sacramento man indicted on terrorism-related charge,” KCRA ABC, January 14, 2016, http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/sacramento-man-indicted-on-terrorismrelated-charge/37444394.

In a bond hearing on January 13, 2016, federal investigators testified that Hardan had plotted to use a remote bomb to blow up the Galleria and Sharpstown Mall in Houston. According to investigators, Hardan had told a government informant that when attacking the malls, he planned to place a bomb in a trash can and use a cellphone to detonate the explosive. He also told the informant that he sought to sneak into the Grand Prairie military base in Texas and blow up Humvees.“Houston Terror Suspect Reportedly Wanted to Blow Up Galleria, Sharpstown Mall,” ABC13, January 13, 2016, http://abc13.com/news/houston-terror-suspect-reportedly-planned-attacks-at-2-houston-malls/1157091/. At the bond hearing, investigators provided evidence including the cell phones Hardan had used, as well as a document in which he pledged allegiance to ISIS.“Houston Terror Suspect Reportedly Wanted to Blow Up Galleria, Sharpstown Mall,” ABC13, January 13, 2016, http://abc13.com/news/houston-terror-suspect-reportedly-planned-attacks-at-2-houston-malls/1157091/. Authorities deemed Hardan a flight risk and ordered him to remain in jail until his detention hearing. Later that month, Hardan pled not guilty to all three charges.Juan A. Lozano, “Federal agent says Iraqi refugee wanted to bomb Texas malls,” Dallas Morning News, January 14, 2016,http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20160114-federal-agent-says-iraqi-refugee-wanted-to-bomb-texas-malls.ece.

On October 17, 2016, Hardan pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS. On December 18, 2017, he was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison following his conviction of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.“Iraqi Refugee Sentenced for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” United States Department of Justice, December 18, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/iraqi-refugee-sentenced-attempting-provide-material-support-isil.