by Shaw, Bransford & Roth, P.C.
March 11, 2010
A Pennsylvania woman - Colleen R. LaRose (aka "Fatima LaRose" or "Jihad Jane") - has been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements to a government official, and attempted identity theft, Justice Department officials revealed Tuesday. According to the indictment, LaRose (an American citizen born in 1963 who resides in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania) and five unindicted co-conspirators (located in South Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and the United States) recruited men on the Internet to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe, and recruited women on the Internet who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad.
The indictment further charges that LaRose and her unindicted co-conspirators used the Internet to establish relationships with one another and to communicate regarding their plans, which included martyring themselves, soliciting funds for terrorists, soliciting passports and avoiding travel restrictions (through the collection of passports and through marriage) in order to wage violent jihad. LaRose also allegedly stole another individual's U.S. passport and transferred, or attempted to transfer, it in an effort to facilitate an act of international terrorism.
In addition, according to the indictment, LaRose received a direct order to kill a citizen and resident of Sweden, and to do so in a way that would frighten "the whole Kufar [non-believer] world." LaRose allegedly agreed to carry out her murder assignment, and she and her co-conspirators discussed the fact that her appearance and American citizenship would help her blend in while carrying out her plans. The indictment charges that LaRose traveled to Europe and tracked the intended target online in an effort to complete her task.
"Today's indictment, which alleges that a woman from suburban America agreed to carry out murder overseas and to provide material support to terrorists, underscores the evolving nature of the threat we face," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division. "I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked on this important investigation."
If convicted of the charges against her, LaRose faces a potential sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Jennifer Arbittier Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Matthew F. Blue, Trial Attorney from the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department's National Security Division.
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