A teenage terror suspect charged with trying to construct a weapon of mass destruction was arrested on the dwelling of a Philadelphia protection lawyer in search of the Democratic nomination for a choose’s function, sources say.
The 17-year-old, whose title has not been launched, was allegedly speaking with a Jordanian affiliate of the Islamic State and planning a “catastrophic terrorist attack” when he was arrested Friday, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s workplace revealed.
Sources linked the arrest to Friday’s FBI raid on Woodbine Avenue, dwelling of Qawi Abdul-Rahman, who unsuccessfully contested this 12 months’s Democratic main for the Common Pleas Court choose, the courtroom mentioned. Philadelphia investigator And phillymag. com.
Police intervened after US Customs advised them that “14 international shipments of military and tactical equipment” had arrived on the seven-bedroom dwelling within the metropolis’s leafy Wynnefield neighborhood.
“Among the items he purchased were tactical equipment, wiring, chemicals and devices commonly used as remote detonators,” FBI agent Jacqueline Maguire mentioned on the information convention.
Philadelphia protection lawyer Qawi Abdul-Rahman outdoors his childhood dwelling in Philadelphia in a marketing campaign video as he seeks the Democratic nomination for Common Pleas Court choose
FBI brokers discovered bombs being constructed on the home within the leafy suburb
Dozens of officers took half within the raid that the prosecutor’s workplace says might have thwarted a catastrophic terrorist assault.
“Not only had he taken steps to acquire those items and materials commonly used in improvised explosive devices, but he had also taken steps to assemble potential devices.”
The teen has been charged with crimes involving weapons of mass destruction, legal conspiracy, arson, inflicting or risking a disaster, tried legal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangerment of one other particular person,” prosecutors mentioned.
He has been charged as a minor, however prosecutors are attempting to have him tried in an grownup courtroom.
“I can’t imagine anyone doing anything illegal or wrong there,” neighbor Paul Lazorko mentioned fox29. com
Abdul-Rahman, 54, was born at Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, New York, the son of an Air Force officer.
Raised in North Philadelphia, he attended the University of Delaware earlier than transferring to Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
“When Mr. Rahman transferred to Cheyney University, he switched his major to political science because of a newfound ambition to become a lawyer after seeing the injustices inflicted on people in his community,” his marketing campaign web site states.
After graduating from Cheyney, he attended St Thomas School of Law in Miami, Florida. After working in Dade County Public Defender’s Office, Mr. Rahman returned to Philadelphia to satisfy a promise he made to himself to serve the individuals of his group.
“With 25 years of legal experience, Mr. Rahman effectively serves his community and in 2018 received the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Pro Bono Publico Award.”
Qawi Abdul-Rahman advised voters he “knows exactly what needs to be done when it comes to crime”
On Friday night, the spacious home with seven bedrooms was raided
Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner (left) and FBI Special Agent Jacqueline Maguire mentioned the investigation had saved lives
Chemicals, wiring and bomb precursor had been recovered through the raid on the home
The biography additional describes Rahman as a “loyal son, husband, father and role model.”
“When you are not in court, you can find Mr. Rahman on the football field serving his community as a youth football coach,” it provides.
In a marketing campaign video, the lawyer returns to the house the place he grew up and talks to native residents.
“I know exactly what needs to be done when it comes to crime,” he tells the digital camera.
“Those people who feel marginalized, excused and overlooked, I was those people.”
Abdul-Rahman advised phillymag.com he had no touch upon the search as a result of it was an “open case.”
Asked if the boy arrested is his son, he advised the web site, “You want to know what I’m really about?
“Text or call me again and you’ll hear what I’m talking about.”
FBI brokers had the boy underneath surveillance since March this 12 months after intercepting Instagram communications with Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ), a international terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaeda that was delisted final 12 months by the US State Department. Affairs was labeled as a international terrorist group.
The group which can be allies of Islamic State has claimed duty for worldwide suicide bombings, together with a 2017 assault on a subway in St Petersburg, Russia, that killed 14 individuals.
His WhatsApp account additionally confirmed photographs of the Chechnya-based Riyadh-us-Saliheen Martyrs’ Brigade and the Islamic State, in keeping with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s workplace.
Investigators mentioned the teenager, who additionally had entry to “a fairly large number of firearms,” had taken steps to “travel abroad for the purpose of joining or supporting terrorist activities,” and was investigating doable terrorist targets.
“The young man who was arrested was an aspiring terrorist,” mentioned Larry Krasner, a Philadelphia district lawyer.
“He didn’t just think he did things that are very disturbing and a great danger to everyone — to himself, his family, the block where he lives and quite frankly people all over Philadelphia and possibly people all over the country or even beyond.
Neighbor Paul Lazorko said the family at the center of the raid was calm and friendly
“The work of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force may have thwarted a catastrophic terrorist attack in the name of a perverted ideology that in no way, shape, or form represents the beliefs of the vast majority of peace-seeking believers, including Muslims.
“The charges we have filed against this individual represent the most serious alleged terrorist activity prosecuted by the Philadelphia County Court in recent memory.
“We intend to hold full accountability for these crimes and will continue to work vigilantly with our law enforcement partners to protect all our communities from hateful, ideologically driven acts of violence.”
Dailymail.com has reached out to Mr. Abdul-Rahman for remark.