Yesterday’s conspiracy charges against two Twin Cities men accused of trying to join a terrorist organization in Syria has resulted in the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation issuing a Joint Intelligence Bulletin highlighting the risk of individuals targeting U.S. interests after receiving overseas combat experience.
“These two young men conspired to travel to the Middle East to engage in a campaign of terror in support of a violent ideology. Since … 2007, our region has lost dozens of disaffected young people to terrorist organizations that would sooner see Somali-Minnesotans die on foreign battlefields than prosper in peace and security in the United States.” noted U.S attorney Andy Luger after the arrests.
According to the intelligence bulletin “”The FBI and DHS remain concerned US persons who connect with violent extremist groups in Syria—regardless of their original reasons for traveling to the country—could gain combat skills, violent extremist connections, and possibly become further radicalized or persuaded to conduct organized or lone offender extremist-style attacks, potentially targeting the United States and US interests abroad.*,† Syria-based fighters could be persuaded to leave Syria for another conflict zone, encourage associates back home to travel to Syria, and produce English-language communications that inspires other US persons to attempt to travel to Syria to participate in the conflict.”
Also included in the bulletin was a list of indicators that could reveal an individuals intent to join a foreign terrorist organization or violent extremist group.
