The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested and charged two men for allegedly plotting a 'Netflix-worthy' series of ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks including bombings on the White House, Trump Tower and the New York Stock Exchange.
FBI agents arrested Kristopher Sean Matthews, also known as 'Ali Jibreel' and his alleged accomplice, Jaylyn Christopher Molina, alias 'Abdur Rahim', earlier this week and are facing multiple charges.
According to court documents, the duo was arrested after the FBI intercepted communication wherein the two were plotting an attack in the name of Islamic state. The two had shortlisted a host of government centers as part of their planned attack.
Waging War Against the Nation
Ali Jibreel was arrested in Tennessee on Monday, while Abdur Rahim was detained in Texas the same day. An affidavit laying out the charges against them was filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. According to a 14-page criminal complaint filed in US District Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio, Ali Jibreel and Abdur Rahim are accused of conspiring with other ISIS supporters over a period of months to blow up important government centers such as the Trump Tower and the New York Stock Exchange.
According to reports, it was Jibreel's plan to attack government centers instead of places "like malls where innocent children are," court documents show. "We need to stick together, we need to defeat them, we need to take a lot of casualties, a lot of numbers," Rahim allegedly wrote in a secretive chat group where FBI investigators said they pledged their loyalty to ISIS.
In fact, Jibreel had said he thought a series of attacks across the United States 'could be Netflix worthy.' The duo is also alleged to have conspired to provide material assistance to Islamic State or ISIS and discussed plans to recruit and radicalize others to join the terrorist group.
Major Terror Attack Avoided
According to the court documents, Jibreel is allegedly the originator of the plot. Last year, he used an encrypted chat service to find an ISIS supporter outside the United States who would help him travel to Syria and recruit additional ISIS supporters. Rahim allegedly joined the chat in April, and began communicating with Jibreel, soon posting a manual on how to train with an AK-47.
In late May, Jibreel suggested that they target state and Social Security buildings, as well as the stock market or Trump Tower in New York or the White House by shooting it from the outside. As few as four individuals "could be enough" to carry out the attacks, Rahim replied, although he suggested any such operation should have up to eight accomplices, the complaint states.
Moreover, Rahim posted bomb-making instructions found in Inspire, the magazine published by the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. In one of the chats Molina allegedly said, "Let it be clear, I am against America. America is my enemy." In another chat Jibreel wrote if they "accomplished the mission," the attacks would grant them "rock star status baby," the document shows. "This could be Netflix worthy," Jibreel allegedly wrote in the chat group, court papers show.
Luckily, the FBI was successful in infiltrating the chat room using confidential informants and tracked down Jibreel and Rahim. They are now facing multiple charges including plotting terrorist attack and waging war against the nation. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison.
