Florida convert to Islam indicted for jihad terror plot

Robert Spencer from Jihad Watch reports:

Yet another convert to Islam misunderstands his new, peaceful religion as involving violence against non-Muslims. There are no converts to Christianity who have misunderstood it as involving violence against non-Christians — so it doesn’t seem to be a general misunderstanding. Nonetheless, no mosque or Islamic organization in the U.S. has any program to teach converts to Islam to reject this understanding of Islam that they ostensibly reject. But government and law enforcement authorities don’t seem in the least concerned about that, so why should anyone else be? What could possibly go wrong?

“Jacksonville teen indicted for conspiring to Jihad terrorist plot,” by Paris Carerra for WOKV.com, July 18 (thanks to Pamela Geller):

The State Attorney’s office announced a grand jury indictment charging a local teenager for conspiring and attempting to provide material support to terrorists.He has been identified as 19-year-old Shelton Thomas Bell. According to the indictment, Bell planned to travel to the Arabian Peninsula, an alias for Al-Qaida and participate in “Jihad” activity. The indictment alleges between May 2012 and September of 2012, Bell and others participated in training and other preparation for armed conflict in the Middle East described as “the actions of Jihad.” Bell is accused of trying to gain the help of others, including juveniles to travel overseas. Investigators say he engaged in making audio and video recordings to be distributed to others once he arrived in the Middle East.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Jacksonville Joint Terrorism Task Force. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for both charges.

The Washington Post reports, “According to court records, Bell made video and audio recordings intended to be distributed to others once he arrived in the Middle East. The purpose was to solicit and recruit others there to participate in violent jihad, federal authorities said.” Bell grew up in Jacksonville and his parents live in the northeast Florida city.

Jihad proceeds in stages. Stage One: Stealth Jihad. Stage Two: Defensive Jihad. Stage Three: Offensive Jihad. To understand how an American from Jacksonville, FL becomes a jihadi watch this video:

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