Florida Jihadist Planned Norway-Style Synchronized Lone Attack

Sami Osmakac

An American jihadist from Pinellas Park, Florida, was arrested in the midst of planning a coordinated solo bomb and firearms attack reminiscent of the July 2011 Norway massacre carried out by anti-Muslim crusader Anders Breivik.

Sami Osmakac, 25, is accused of attempting to purchase assault rifles and components for bombs to use in an attack on Florida nightclubs. He intended to detonate a car bomb outside a club in Ybor City and/or outside the local sheriff's office, then take hostages in another club using a suicide bomb belt or vest.

According to an affidavit filed to support the arrest, Osmakac first considered a military target, but changed his mind because "their bases are so locked up."

A tipster in the Muslim community alerted authorities to Osmakac's radical leanings, and an undercover FBI agent sold him what Osmakac thought were a functioning bombs and firearms.

Read the affidavit

A naturalized American citizen born in Kosovo, Osmakac was a well-known presence online, the star of numerous radical videos berating Christians, Jews and atheists and demanding that they convert to Islam. Contrary to traditional Islamic teaching, he characterized Christians as "pagans" with "evil beliefs."

"What kind of god would come out of a vagina," he asked. "What kind of god would have a penis? What jind of god would get circumcised? ... What kind of god would use the restroom number 1? ... What kind of god would take a piss? What kind of god would defecate number 2 in the bathroom, sitting down and then wiping himself with toilet paper? What kind of god? Are you sick? Where's your intellect?"

In a separate story, a U.S. military vet was charged today in Maryland with attempting to join Al Shabab, the Al Qaeda-linked militia currently fighting an insurgency in Somalia.

American-born Craig Baxam served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to July 2011. Previously non-religious, he converted to Islam during his final days in the Army. In December, he tried to travel to Somalia via Kenya, but was arrested by Kenyan authorities on December 23. He stated he was attempting to make hijra to Somalia to defend the Sharia government Al Shabab has been attempting to institute.

Read the criminal complaint

Links to the Osmakac videos were provided by a Twitter user with a private account. A link to the Baxam complaint was posted to Twitter by @khanserai.

For much more about American jihadists, check out J.M. Berger's new book, Jihad Joe: Americans Who Go to War in the Name of Islam, on sale everywhere.

Labels: American-Jihadists, American-Terrorists, Craig-Baxam, Internet, lone-wolf, Sami-Osmakac

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink