terrorism

July 1, 2016

Three Men Found Guilty of Conspiring to Join ISIS

In a story that made national news, a federal jury has found three men guilty of plotting to join the terrorist group ISIS and commit murder overseas. Guled Omar, 21, and Mohamed Farah, 22, were found guilty on all charges, while the third man, Abdirahman Daud, 22, was only found guilty on all terror counts, but not of lying to a grand jury. They face life imprisonment.

Back in 2014, it was reported that at least 15 Somali-American men have traveled to Syria from Minnesota to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). These three men were amongst nine Minnesota men arrested since 2014 for allegedly plotting with the terrorist group. Six have already pleaded guilty to conspiring to travel to Syria to join ISIS. The family members of the three suspects in this case insist that they are innocent. None of the men have prior criminal convictions, and the Somali community in Minnesota claim that they were just young, impressionable teenagers who were trying to talk ‘tough.’

What Exactly are You Charged With if You Join ISIS?

March 23, 2016

Navy Offering Reward for Information on Bomb Threats

by David M. Boertje

Earlier this week, the Naval base in San Diego received a phone call that specifically threatened one of the buildings on the base. Around 9:15am, someone called in and threatened to bomb Building 36. Around 9:15am, the base posted on its Facebook page that the area had been secured, meaning they did not find evidence of bomb(s). There was a perimeter set up between Pier 3 and Pier 5.

This is the second threat at Naval Base San Diego within two weeks. Previously, a hand-written note sparked an investigation and the evacuation of the pier at 32nd Street and Harbor Drive.

The base is currently not on lockdown. Now the Navy is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the person who made the fake bomb threat. A spokesperson for the Navy stated that since last November, 11 fake bomb threats have been made.

December 24, 2015

After Paris, LAPD Sees Terror Risk Shifting Across the City

by David M. Boertje

There is no shortage of tragic news in the realm of terrorism lately. The bombings in Paris have sparked counterterrorism efforts 6,000 miles away in Southern California. Specifically, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has always remained a focus of the region whenever the topic of national security comes up, as it is a major international travel port. As a result, the LAPD has increased its security in the airport and even broadened the locations where the masses gather, such as buses, railway stations, malls, and popular public places within Los Angeles County. The LAPD is concerned that Los Angeles will be a popular terrorist target because of the urban sprawl, high population, and different neighborhoods which all hold popular venues for people to gather.

The department’s priority plan is to protect “soft targets,” which are areas that typically do not have security. The approaching holiday season also has the department on edge. Travel warnings have been issued for the LAX area for the millions of travelers that go through the tri-county area. The alerts will remain effective until February 24.

What is a Terroristic Threat?