A Texas guy allegedly attempted to provide bomb-making fabrics to an agent posing as an ISIS member after his terrorist-sympathizing social media account used to be came upon all through an undercover NYPD investigation, government introduced Monday.
John Michael Garza Jr., 21, allegedly introduced bomb-making fabrics to a gathering with an secret agent posing as an ISIS “brother” ultimate Monday, in step with the USA Division of Justice.
Throughout the assembly, Garza allegedly described the right way to combine the bomb-making elements or even introduced to ship an instruction video on the right way to construct the explosive, government stated.
Officers had been first alerted to Garza in mid-October when an undercover NYPD worker spotted a social media account that had adopted a number of pro-ISIS accounts and penned a submit in improve of the terrorist workforce, in step with federal government.
When the NYPD undercover worker contacted him at the account decided to be Garza’s, he described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican American dwelling in Texas.
In endured conversations between the undercover officer and Garza, the Texan many times shared that he “ascribed to the ISIS ideology” and despatched a couple of authentic ISIS media releases, the DOJ added.
One of the vital media releases incorporated pictures of explosions, masked males, and a bomb-making educational video led by way of a gloved ISIS member, in step with pictures equipped by way of the feds.
Garza then allegedly paid the undercover worker small sums of cryptocurrency in November and December — believing he used to be supporting ISIS by way of purchasing firearms and different fabrics, officers stated.
He started telling the secret agent about his plans to shop for fabrics to make explosives. He supposed to shop for the substances and believed he would then meet with any other ISIS-supporting person — the secret agent whom he met with on Dec. 22 prior to his arrest.
Garza has since been charged in a federal criticism with making an attempt to offer subject material improve or sources to a delegated international 15 may organization, officers stated.
“This situation is a testomony to the improbable paintings of our federal brokers, who paintings tirelessly to avoid wasting American lives,” Lawyer Normal Pamela Bondi stated in a commentary.
“ISIS’s toxic ideology should be ripped out root and stem — somebody who tries to dedicate violence on ISIS’s behalf will likely be discovered, arrested, and prosecuted. You can’t disguise from us.”
The investigation used to be performed by way of the FBI’s Dallas Box Place of work and the NYPD, with further the aid of the FBI’s New York Box Place of work, Dallas Police Division, Midlothian Police Division, and Euless Police Division.
“These days’s fees illustrate that the threats of terrorism and extremist violence in opposition to our country are nonetheless very actual,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated in a commentary.
“The NYPD stays dedicated to figuring out, disrupting, and dismantling those networks at their supply – prior to they may be able to achieve their murderous ends. And any individual who places American lives in peril will face justice and be held responsible to the fullest extent of the regulation,” Tisch added.
“I wish to thank our undercover investigators within the NYPD, in addition to our regulation enforcement companions within the FBI and the U.S. Lawyer’s Place of work, for his or her outstanding paintings in this case.”
Garza seemed in court docket on Dec. 23 and is slated to go back for a likely motive and detention listening to on Tuesday.
If convicted, he faces a most of twenty years in federal jail.
“These days’s announcement underscores the FBI’s dedication to combatting terrorism and demonstrates our steady paintings to disrupt and thwart terrorist plots in opposition to the American public,” FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a commentary.
“Let this function a caution to those that plan to behavior assaults in opposition to america on behalf of terrorist organizations – you are going to be delivered to justice.”
