A Pennsylvania man with a history of plotting a mass-casualty attack as a minor was charged on Tuesday with obtaining a semiautomatic rifle to carry out an attack for ISIS after he discussed strategies to target non-Muslims, according to court documents.Jonathan Hunter Kramer, 21, was arrested on Sunday after agents descended on a hotel room in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
He was charged with receiving a firearm with the intention to be used in a felony or act of terrorism.In a criminal complaint and probable cause affidavit filed in the U.S.
District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, federal prosecutors allege that Kramer, using a Telegram username @ShootIntoACrowd, “posted threatening statements alluding to an unidentified act to occur within three months as well as documents on how to make explosives, C4, and car bombs.” A magistrate judge ordered Kramer detained at his initial appearance on Monday in connection with the new case, according to the public docket.A public defender assigned to Kramer’s case did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The subject in this case was allegedly plotting a violent attack in support of ISIS — engaging with ISIS propaganda online, building attack concepts, and repeatedly expressing extremist rhetoric — all while acquiring weapons believed to be in preparation of the attack,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement released Tuesday.Attorney General Todd Blanche noted that Kramer’s efforts were thwarted by the “outstanding work” of federal law enforcement as the country observed the 25th anniversary of Sept.
11.Agents “thwarted this alleged attack before innocent lives could be lost,” Blanche said in a statement.
During Kramer’s arrest, federal investigators seized a Panther Arms semiautomatic rifle, over 150 rounds of ammunition, two loaded rifle magazines, a rifle bipod and scope, a prayer rug and pepper spray, among other materials.His phone was tucked into ...