MSA WORLDVIEW 29 SEPT 2020
Jeff Johnson
President at Summit Solutions Group | Summit Point Training Facility | Motorsports Park | Driving business growth through customer relationships.
According to a federal complaint, Jaylyn Christopher Molina of Texas, and Kristopher Sean Matthews of South Carolina, are facing charges in connection to a terrorist plot involving the White House and Trump Towers in New York City (NYC). The two men are currently being charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). According to prosecutors, both men allegedly plotted to bomb or shoot at high profile sites across the U.S. In 2019, Molina and Matthews used an online chat group in which they discussed attacking U.S. targets on behalf of ISIS. Both men also allegedly discussed the possibility of traveling to Syria in an attempt to join ISIS and fight on behalf of the terrorist group. In the encrypted chat room, both men were interested in building car bombs, suicide belts, and other types of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Additionally, Molina and Matthews also allegedly tried to recruit others to join their cause. If convicted of the current charges, both men face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison “and fines up to a quarter of a million dollars.” In recent years, there has been an increase in arrests of homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) who have become radicalized by ISIS ideology and propaganda. The recent case further highlights the continued interest for HVEs to provide support to FTOs, as ISIS has continued to mobilize sympathizers in the U.S. at a rate higher than previously seen by any FTO.
Domestic
ISIS Supporters Targeted NYC Locations to “Send a Message,” Feds Say
Worldwide Death Toll From COVID-19 Eclipses One Million
https://news.yahoo.com/global-death-toll-coronavirus-eclipses-013715548.html
Man Takes Officer’s Gun, Opens Fire Inside LA Police Station
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-confirm-shooting-los-angeles-police-station-73271707
Cyberattack Hobbles Major Hospital Chains U.S. Facility
https://apnews.com/article/media-archive-21ebb97dc7b9e2a7c06244069a35b7e6
Three Killed in Northern California Wildfire; Thousands Flee
International
Iraqi Military: Five Dead, Two Wounded in Baghdad Rocket Attack
https://apnews.com/article/baghdad-iraq-archive-9f440b716d811943bb2f9f428458d3f9
Pakistan Opposition Leader Arrested in Corruption Case
UK Government Toughens COVID-19 Restrictions in Northeast England
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/28/liverpool-coronavirus-infections-rise-bars-restaurants
Armenia-Azerbaijan Conflict: Casualties Mount In Nagorno-Karabakh
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54338454
Belarus Detains 500 at Weekend Anti-Government Protests
ECOWAS to Uphold Mali Sanctions Until Civilian PM Appointed
Mexico Says an Official Coronavirus Death Toll Won't be Available for “a Couple of Years”