Burke and Hare used to murder people to peddle their corpses to medical schools in Edinburgh.
The BBC’s favourite Burke, Jason Burke, their go-to expert on Islamic terrorism, merely disinters dodgy old conspiracy theories, as we looked at in the last post, and flogs them to a credulous BBC.
One comment he made in his latest imaginings is this:
Media in the US reported a network of Isis “sleeper cells” in the “homeland”, and “sleeper agents” in Europe, exactly as they had with al-Qaida in 2002. These claims were, at best, a gross misrepresentation of how either organisation operates and how individuals are radicalised.
So Islamic State sleeper cells or agents in the US are mythical?
The Washington Post disagrees…as does the FBI:
The Islamic State’s suspected inroads into America
U.S. authorities have charged more than 60 men and women around the country with alleged Islamic State activities. Men outnumber women in those cases by about 5 to 1. The average age of the individuals — some have been charged, others have been convicted — is 25. One is a minor. The FBI says that, in a handful of cases, it has disrupted plots targeting U.S. military or law enforcement personnel.
Here’s a breakdown of the cases.
A quarter of the individuals arrested hail from Minnesota, whose large ethnic Somali community has struggled to blunt extremist ideologies. Arrested: May 31, 2014 Charges: Three counts of attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State and one count of attempted murder of current and former members of the United States military Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 25, 2015 Charges: Attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material suppport to the Islamic State. Arrested: Feb. 25, 2015 Charges: Attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 25, 2015 Charges: Attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 25, 2015 Charge: Attempt and conspiracy to provide material support Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 2, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 2, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in the United States Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 11, 2015 Charge: Attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 13, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 17, 2015 Charges: Felon in possesion of firearms; conspiracy and attemping to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: July 29, 2015 Charges: Attempting to provide material support Disposition: Pending Charged: Nov. 24, 2014 Charges: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization Disposition: Charged in absentia; thought to be in Syria Charged: Nov. 24, 2014 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pleaded guilty and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. He awaits sentencing Arrested: Dec. 2, 2014 Charge: Stealing a passport in order to travel to Syria Disposition: Charged in absentia; thought to be in Syria Arrested: Feb. 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State; attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State; making a false statement in a terrorism investigation Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 19, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: March 16, 2014 Charge: Attempting to provide material support or resources to a terrorist organization Disposition: Pending Arrested: July 3, 2014 Charges: Attempting to provide material support and resources to a terrorist organization; two counts of making a false statement on a passport application that was obtained in order to facilitate international terrorism; one count of obstruction Disposition: Pleaded guilty to providing material support to the Islamic State and making false statements; he faces up to 25 years in prison Arrested: April 22, 2015 Charges: Two counts of making false statements involving international terrorism Disposition: Pending Arrested: May 21, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: May 22, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: May 22, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Oct. 3, 2014 Charge: Attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: March 25, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: March 25, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support Disposition: Pending Arrested: Aug. 2, 2014 Charges: Attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and possession of firearm by a felon Disposition: Pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced in May 2015 to more than 20 years in prison. Arrested: March 19, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Disposition: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Arrested: March 19, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Disposition: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists Arrested: June 19, 2015 Charge: Attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Jan. 16, 2015 Charge: Attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 17, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 29, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Aug. 10, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 17, 2014 Charge: Attempting to provide material support to terrorists Disposition: Pleaded guilty to attempting to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State. He was sentenced to 82 months in prison. Arrested: May 14, 2015 Charge: Making a false statement to the FBI after pledging allegiance to self-proclaimed leader of the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: May 26, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Nov. 14, 2014 Charge: Making a false statement to FBI about supporting the Islamic State Disposition: Pleaded guilty to making false statements in an international terrorism investigation and was sentenced in May 2015 to 54 months in prison Arrested: Feb. 27, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization Disposition: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. Sentenced to 136 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and monitoring of his Internet activities. Charged: June 10, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State, conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to kill or injure persons in a foreign country Disposition: Charged in absentia; thought to be in Syria Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: Feb. 5, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists Disposition: Pending Arrested: Jan. 14, 2015 Charges: Material support and attempted murder of U.S. officials and employees Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 19, 2015 Charge: Attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of marijuana Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 2, 2015 Charges: Illegal possession of a firearm as a felon; he admitted being an Islamic State sympathizer, describing himself as a lone wolf for the Islamic State Disposition: Sentenced to 120 months Arrested: July 27, 2015 Charges: Attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction; he has admitted being an Islamic State sympathizer Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 2, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State and conspiracy to obstruct justice Disposition: Pending Arrested: July 4, 2015 Charges: Felon in possession of firearms Disposition: Pending Arrested: Aug. 8, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Aug. 8, 2015 Charges: Conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 8, 2014 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization Disposition: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to support the Islamic State. In 2015, she was sentenced to four years in prison. Arrested: Oct. 1, 2014 Charge: Arrested on parole violation after he purchased an airline ticket to Turkey Disposition: Pleaded guilty to providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Sentenced to 15 years in July 2015 Arrested: April 3, 2015 Charge: Attempting to provide material support Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 8, 2015 Charge: Attempting to provide material support and resources to a terrorist organization Disposition: Pending Arrested: April 10, 2015 Charges: One count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: June 11, 2015 Charge: Conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State Disposition: Pending Arrested: Aug. 24, 2015 Disposition: Pending
Arrests by state
12New York
Mufid A. Elfgeehr
Age at arrest: 30
Rochester, N.Y.
SourceNihad Rosic
Age at arrest: 26
Utica, N.Y.
SourceAbdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev
Age at arrest: 24
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceAkhror Saidakhmetov
Age at arrest: 19
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceAbror Habibov
Age at arrest: 30
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceDilkhayot Kasimov
Age at arrest: 26
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceNoelle Velentzas
Age at arrest: 28
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceAsia Siddiqui
Age at arrest: 31
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceAkmal Zakirov
Age at arrest: 29
Brooklyn, N.Y.
SourceMunther Omar Saleh
Age at arrest: 20
Queens, N.Y.Fareed Mumuni
Age at arrest: 21
Staten Island, N.Y.
SourceArafat M. Nagi
Age at arrest: 42
Lackawanna, N.Y.
Source10Minnesota
Abdiwali Nur
Age when charged: 20
Minneapolis
SourceAbdullahi Yusuf
Age when charged: 18
Minneapolis
SourceYusra Ismail
Age at arrest: 20
St. Paul, Minn.
SourceHamza Naj Ahmed
Age at arrest: 19
Minneapolis
SourceZacharia Yusuf Abdurahman
Age at arrest: 19
Minneapolis
SourceAdnan Farah
Age at arrest: 19
Minneapolis
SourceHanad Mustafe Musse
Age at arrest: 19
Minneapolis
SourceGuled Ali Omar
Age at arrest: 20
Minneapolis
SourceAbdirahman Yasin Daud
Age at arrest: 21
Minneapolis
SourceMohamed Abdihamid Farah
Age at arrest: 21
Minneapolis
Source6California
Nicholas Teausant
Age at arrest: 20
Acampo, Calif.
SourceAdam Dandach
Age at arrest: 20
Orange, Calif.
SourceMohamad Saeed Kodaimati
Age at arrest: 24
San Diego
SourceMuhanad Badawi
Age at arrest: 24
Anaheim, Calif.
SourceNader Elhuzayel
Age at arrest: 24
Anaheim, Calif.
SourceMuhanad Badawi
Age at arrest: 24
Anaheim, Calif.
Source5Illinois
Mohammed Hamzah Khan
Age at arrest: 19
Bolingbrook, Ill.
SourceMediha Salkicevic
Age at arrest: 34
Schiller Park, Ill.
SourceJasminka Ramic
Age at arrest: 42
Rockford, Ill.
SourceHasan Rasheed Edmonds
Age at arrest: 22
Aurora, Ill.
SourceJonas Marcel Edmonds
Age at arrest: 29
Aurora, Ill.
Source4North Carolina
Donald Ray Morgan
Age at arrest: 44
Rowan County, N.C.
SourceAkba Jihad Jordan
Age at arrest: 21
Raleigh, N.C.
SourceAvin Marsalis Brown
Age at arrest: 21
Raleigh, N.C.
SourceJustin Nolan Sullivan
Age at arrest: 19
Burke County, N.C.4New Jersey
Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh
Age at arrest: 47
Neptune, N.J.
SourceSamuel Rahamin Topaz
Age at arrest: 21
Fort Lee, N.J.
SourceAlaa Saadeh
Age at arrest: 23
Hudson County, N.J.
SourceNader Saadeh
Age at arrest: 29
Bergen County, N.J.
Source3Texas
Michael Todd Wolfe
Age at arrest: 23
Austin
SourceBilal Abood
Age at arrest: 37
Mesquite, Tex.
SourceAsher Abid Khan
Age at arrest: 20
Spring, Tex.
Source3Virginia
Heather Elizabeth Coffman
Age at arrest: 29
Richmond
SourceAli Shukri Amin
Age at arrest: 17
Woodbridge, Va.
SourceReza Niknejad
Age when charged: 18
Woodbridge, Va.
Source3Missouri
Ramiz Zijad Hodzic
Age at arrest: 40
St. Louis
SourceSedina Hodzic
Age at arrest: 35
St. Louis
SourceArmin Harcevic
Age at arrest: 37
St. Louis
Source2Ohio
Christopher Cornell
Age at arrest: 20
Green Township, Ohio
SourceRobert C. McCollum
Age at arrest: 38
Sheffield, Ohio
Source2Florida
Miguel Moran Diaz
Age at arrest: 45
Miami
SourceHarlem Suarez
Age at arrest: 23
Key West, Fla.
Source2Massachusetts
David Wright
Age at arrest: 25
Everett, Mass.
SourceAlexander Ciccolo
Age at arrest: 23
Adams, Mass.
Source2Mississippi
Jaelyn Delshaun Young
Age at arrest: 20
Starkville, Miss.
SourceMuhammad Oda Dakhlalla
Age at arrest: 22
Starkville, Miss.
Source1Colorado
Shannon Maureen Conley
Age at arrest: 19
Denver
Source1Georgia
Leon Nathan Davis
Age at arrest: 37
Augusta, Ga.
Source1Pennsylvania
Keonna Thomas
Age at arrest: 30
Philadelphia
Source1Wisconsin
Joshua Ray Van Haften
Age at arrest: 34
Madison, Wis.
Source1Kansas
John T. Booker Jr.
Age at arrest: 20
Topeka, Kan.
Source1Rhode Island
Nicholas Rovinski
Age at arrest: 24
Warwick, R.I.
Source1Arizona
Ahmed Mohammed El Gammal
Age at arrest: 42
Avondale, Ariz.
Only recently I saw the BBC quoted as claiming ‘ It is not our role to seek out any “true agenda” but to report events fairly and accurately.”
Ah, well. No one’s perfect. Even with 20,000 staff and £4Bpa to give it a stab.
Like everyone else, I have noticed the BBC’s consistent highlighting of females, minors and the old in their coverage of the various concentrations of illegals at Europe’s external and internal borders and transport networks.
In spite of this, the setting, panning and background shots all show a large majority of apparently unattached, physically capable, military-age males in virtually every situation, except possibly some of the boat shots. I would say 90% off the top of my head.
This would correspond quite well with the demographic you have recounted here.