Femi Ashekun/
A 23-year-old Georgia resident, Hasher Jallal Taheb, has pleaded guilty to attempting to attack the White House with explosives.
“Taheb hatched a dangerous plan that would have resulted in unimaginable injury,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak in a statement released yesterday by the US Attorney General’s office.
“We are grateful to community members who noticed his dangerous evolution and alerted law enforcement. Along with our federal, state and local partners, we will remain vigilant in order to disrupt these types of attacks before they happen.”
The statement also quoted the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John C. Demers, as saying that “Taheb planned to conduct a terrorist attack on the White House as part of what he claimed was his obligation to engage in jihad.
“And that was just one of the iconic American landmarks he wanted to target. Thanks to a tip from a member of the community and the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors responsible for this case, the threat posed by the defendant was neutralized and the defendant has admitted his guilt and will now be held accountable for his crime.”
According to court papers, in March 2018, a member of the Atlanta community reported concerns about Taheb to a local law enforcement agency, which then contacted the FBI.
The community member specifically alerted law enforcement that Taheb had become radicalised and was making plans to travel abroad.
During an undercover operation conducted by the FBI, federal investigators learned in October 2018 that Taheb planned to travel overseas and that he had applied for a United States passport in July 2018.
The FBI also learned that Taheb had begun planning domestic attacks in the United States as part of his desire to engage in “jihad.” His targets initially included the White House and the Statue of Liberty.
Later, in December 2018, Taheb broadened his prospective targets in the Washington, D.C. area, to include the Washington Monument, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and a synagogue.
During undercover meetings with Taheb in January 2019, he produced sketches of the White House and described the types of weapons and explosives he wished to use in the attacks, including semi-automatic weapons, improvised explosive devices, an anti-tank weapon, and hand grenades.
FBI special agents arrested Taheb on January 16, 2019, after he arrived at a pre-arranged location where he expected to obtain semi-automatic assault rifles, explosive devices, and an anti-tank weapon.
His sentencing has been scheduled for June 23, before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
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