Online statements, arsenal of weapons keep suspect in jail (wanted to kill non-muslims)

NOTE The following text is a quote:

www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/self-radicalized-homegrown-terrorist-sentenced

Self-Radicalized Homegrown Terrorist Sentenced

Those who have met Emerson Begolly in person might describe him as a shy young man. But online, the 24-year-old was the complete opposite—he forcefully incited jihadist violence against Americans and Jews. And when FBI agents attempted to talk to him in 2011, he reached for a loaded handgun in his pocket and then bit the agents who disarmed him.

Today, a federal judge sentenced Begolly to eight years and six months in prison for soliciting others to engage in acts of terrorism within the United States and for using a firearm in relation to an assault on FBI agents. “This is a guy who definitely had the potential to hurt people,” said Special Agent Blake McGuire, who led part of the investigation from our Pittsburgh office. “He was a disaffected U.S. citizen who was susceptible to the message of violent extremism, and he became self-radicalized on the Internet.

Full story

NOTE The following text is a quote:

www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2013/july/self-radicalized-american-incited-violent-jihad-online

Homegrown Terrorism
Self-Radicalized American Incited Violent Jihad Online

07/16/13

“This is a guy who definitely had the potential to hurt people,” said Special Agent Blake McGuire, who led part of the investigation from our Pittsburgh office. “He was a disaffected U.S. citizen who was susceptible to the message of violent extremism, and he became self-radicalized on the Internet. That type of offender—the so-called lone wolf—is extremely dangerous,” McGuire added, “because they can be difficult to discover before they resort to violence.”

Begolly came to the FBI’s attention in 2010 when he began posting violent material on an Islamic extremist Internet forum. Using the pseudonym Abu Nancy, the Pennsylvania resident and occasional college student solicited fellow jihadists to use firearms and explosives against American police stations, post offices, Jewish schools and daycare centers, military facilities, train lines, and water plants. He further urged his audience to “write their legacy in blood” and promised a special place in the afterlife for violent action in the name of Allah.

Members of the Bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Pittsburgh and in Northern Virginia worked on the case with U.S. attorneys in both jurisdictions. “We all shared the same concern,” McGuire said, “that something might trigger this young man to carry out his own personal jihad.”

Begolly was under surveillance during the summer of 2010 when he legally purchased an assault weapon. Several months later, he escalated his online postings by soliciting jihadists to violence by posting a manual on how to manufacture a bomb.

Shortly after the bomb-making post, agents obtained search warrants for the homes of Begolly’s parents, where he often stayed. While the searches were being conducted, two other agents approached Begolly at a fast food restaurant near Pittsburgh to speak with him. That’s when he reached for the loaded handgun in his pocket. As the agents subdued him, he bit their fingers, trying to free himself and reach for his gun. His actions were consistent with a previous online post in which he urged jihadists not to be taken alive by law enforcement and to always carry a loaded firearm.

“When you combine troubling rhetoric that escalates with weapons, it poses a tremendous threat to public safety,” McGuire said. “Fortunately, we headed off any potential danger before it happened.”

Resources:
- Press release
- Joint Terrorism Task Forces

NOTE The following text is a quote:

www.fbi.gov/pittsburgh/press-releases/2013/pennsylvania-man-sentenced-for-terrorism-solicitation-and-firearms-offense

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Terrorism Solicitation and Firearms Offense

U.S. Department of Justice
July 16, 2013

WASHINGTON—Emerson Winfield Begolly, 24, of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today in Pittsburgh to 102 months in prison for soliciting others to engage in acts of terrorism within the United States and for using a firearm during and in relation to an assault on FBI agents.

In addition, he was sentenced to serve five years’ supervised release. Begolly pleaded guilty August 9, 2011, to charges filed in the Eastern District of Virginia and the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The sentence was announced by David J. Hickton, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania; Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; John P. Carlin, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Gary Perdue, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Division.

“Emerson Begolly used the Internet to solicit like-minded radical jihadists to commit atrocities and murder,” stated U.S. Attorney Hickton. “Through effective use of court-sanctioned investigative tools, mass tragedy was averted.”

“We now find ourselves in an era where one of the greatest innovations of the modern era—the Internet—is being utilized by radical jihadists who seek to use that medium to endanger American lives,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Those like Mr. Begolly who solicit others to engage in acts of terrorism will be brought to justice and prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.”

“This case highlights the need for continued vigilance against homegrown extremism and use of the Internet to incite violence,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors whose work resulted in today’s sentence.”

“Today’s sentence is the result of the effective coordination and enduring resolve of law enforcement to protect our citizens,” said Assistant Director Parlave. “Together with our partners, we will continue to work to combat the threat of violent homegrown extremism and keep our country safe.”

“The case against Mr. Begolly is an important reminder that online-inspired terrorism can occur anywhere, including Western Pennsylvania. Our efforts to detect and disrupt this threat are enduring,” said Special Agent in Charge Perdue. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners in the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, will continue to proactively employ all necessary resources in order to predict and prevent terrorist attacks from occurring and to ensure the ongoing safety of our communities.”

According to information presented by the government in court, Begolly was an active administrator on the Ansar al Mujahideen English Forum (AMEF), which is an internationally used Islamic extremist Internet forum. Using the pseudonym of Abu Nancy, Begolly systematically solicited jihadists to use firearms, explosives, and propane tanks against targets such as police stations, post offices, Jewish schools and daycare centers, military facilities, train lines, bridges, cell phone towers, and water plants.

In the summer of 2010, Begolly urged jihadists on the AMEF to “write their legacy in blood.” Begolly promised a special place in the afterlife for violent action in the name of Allah. Following the reported shootings in Northern Virginia at the Pentagon and the Marine Corps Museum in October 2010, Begolly posted a comment online that praised the shootings and hoped the shooter had followed his previous postings encouraging similar acts of violence. On December 28, 2010, Begolly further solicited his AMEF audience to violence by posting a manual on how to manufacture a bomb.

Days later, on January 4, 2011, FBI agents were assaulted by Begolly as they attempted to prevent him from reaching a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, which he had concealed on his body. While violently struggling with the agents, Begolly bit the agents on their fingers in an attempt to free himself to reach his firearm. His actions are consistent with a posting in which he urged his audience not to be taken alive by law enforcement, to always carry a loaded firearm, and to aggressively resist any law enforcement encounter including biting fingers if necessary.

These cases were investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Hammerstrom of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia’s National Security and International Crime Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kitchen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania’s National Security and Cybercrime Section, and Trial Attorney Stephen Ponticiello of the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the cases.

http://page4free.biz/20130717/Transcript_of_Convo_between_Begolly_and_CI-16pgs.pdf
http://page4free.biz/20130717/Motion_for_Protective_Order.pdf
http://page4free.biz/20130717/Protective_Order.pdf
http://page4free.biz/20130717/USA_Sentencing_memo.pdf

http://forum.internet-haganah.com/showthread.php?1307-Emerson-Begolly-gets-8-5-year-sentence

“Emerson Begolly gets 8.5 year sentence”

SNIPPET: “Mr. Begolly, who for a time was a central figure in the global jihad online, has now been sentenced. Sentencing had been delayed while he cooperated with US investigators - he could have been sentenced to considerably more time. Good guess is that the USA is reasonably happy with the assistance he provided.

As a result of that cooperation, many of the documents filed with the Court remain under seal, and will stay that way for quite awhile. Below are a few new filings that may have some interest.”

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