A 17-year-old boy from West Philadelphia has been arrested and charged in an ongoing terrorism investigation following an FBI raid at a home along Woodbine Avenue on Friday. He is accused of communicating with a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
"The young man who is under arrest is, was, an aspiring terrorist that was not merely thinking but was doing things that are deeply disturbing and presented a grave danger to everyone - himself, his family, the block where he lived, and frankly, people all around Philadelphia," said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner at a press event on Monday.
A law enforcement official told NBC10 that the case involves a boy who was radicalized online. No one else in the teen's family is believed to be involved in terrorist activities, officials said.
Krasner said the teen has been charged with possessing weapons of mass destruction, criminal conspiracy and related offenses.
Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, of the FBI's Philadelphia office, claimed that the teen communicated with Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, or KTJ - a global terrorist group that is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
She said the teen that was arrested was "purchasing materials online" and had come to the FBI's attention after he researched targets.
"Most concerning, however, was the evidence that he had access to firearms and had purchased items and materials commonly used in the production of improvised explosive devices. Some of these purchases had occurred in the last few weeks," said Maguire.
www.nbcphiladelphia.com
"The young man who is under arrest is, was, an aspiring terrorist that was not merely thinking but was doing things that are deeply disturbing and presented a grave danger to everyone - himself, his family, the block where he lived, and frankly, people all around Philadelphia," said Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner at a press event on Monday.
A law enforcement official told NBC10 that the case involves a boy who was radicalized online. No one else in the teen's family is believed to be involved in terrorist activities, officials said.
Krasner said the teen has been charged with possessing weapons of mass destruction, criminal conspiracy and related offenses.
Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire, of the FBI's Philadelphia office, claimed that the teen communicated with Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, or KTJ - a global terrorist group that is affiliated with Al-Qaeda.
She said the teen that was arrested was "purchasing materials online" and had come to the FBI's attention after he researched targets.
"Most concerning, however, was the evidence that he had access to firearms and had purchased items and materials commonly used in the production of improvised explosive devices. Some of these purchases had occurred in the last few weeks," said Maguire.
West Philly teen arrested in terrorism investigation presented 'a grave danger to everyone'
A 17-year-old West Philly teen boy has been arrested in an ongoing terrorism investigation after, federal officials say, he had purchased materials commonly used in bomb making.
www.nbcphiladelphia.com
