Homegrown Terrorism on the Rise?
Posted by Samara Greenberg
Tue, 16 Mar 2010, 6:27 AM | Permalink | Comment
Last week, three U.S. citizens were arrested abroad for engaging in Jihadist activities, raising fears that homegrown terrorism is on the rise in the United States. On Wednesday, Irish police announced that they arrested a U.S. citizen who plotted along with six others to kill Lars Vilks, the Swedish cartoonist who depicted the Prophet Muhammad with a dog's body. Colleen Renee LaRose from Philadelphia, 46, who calls herself "Jihad Jane," was arrested for plotting to murder Vilks, as well as for conspiring to provide support to terrorists, making false statements, and attempting identity theft.
The following day, Yemeni authorities announced the arrest of U.S. citizen Sharif Mobley, 26, on charges of being an al-Qaeda operative. Mobley, who is of Somali origin, was raised in New Jersey but moved to the Middle East approximately two years ago. Of great concern, Mobley worked at 5 U.S. nuclear plants before leaving the country. Authorities are currently investigating his access level, and whether he could have obtained sensitive information useful to terrorists.
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