(RepublicanView.org) – Law enforcement officers arrested a suspect who was allegedly planning a terror attack in Las Vegas. Dori Koren, deputy chief of Homeland Security and Special Operations Division, said a 16-year-old ISIS supporter was arrested after he said he planned to undertake “lone wolf operations in Las Vegas,” according to Fox News. Federal agents found explosive device components and terrorist propaganda at his home.
The teenager allegedly made his intentions known on November 28, saying on social media that he was announcing his intention to begin “lone wolf operations in Las Vegas against the enemies of Allah.” He added that he is a supporter of Islamic State and would make sure the “Zionists” in the Nevada city “know it.” Hours later, the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department counterterrorism division identified the poster, and he was rapidly taken into custody.
Dori Koren told reporters that the teenager is believed to have been acting alone, and “there is no indication” of a current threat to the city. The suspect was not identified but has been charged with felony counts of terroristic threats, attempt to further an act of terrorism, providing material support to a terrorist organization, and possession of explosive components.
When Islamic State, or ISIS, crashed onto the global scene in 2013, US law enforcement examined its impact in America. It determined that around 200 Americans had traveled to Syria to join the group by 2015, and it had supporters in all 50 states. Investigations found that backers came from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and were primarily motivated by a desire to defend Muslims abroad.
Further reports suggest that teenagers are especially vulnerable to ISIS recruitment campaigns, and the FBI believes a need for a sense of identity and belonging drives this. Matthew Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center in 2014, said another reason is the sophisticated recruitment methods used by ISIS, which target young people and use social media as a primary platform.
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