Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr., a/k/a “Mohammed Junaid Al Amreeki,” a/k/a “Junaid Muhammad,” a./k/a “Rabbani Junaid Muhammad,” a/k/a “Rami Talib.” a/k/a”Ali Taleb Muhammad,” was charged Sunday in United States District Court with attempting to provide material support or resources to “a foreign terrorist organization, to wit, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.”
According to the criminal complaint, Hester indicated on a variety of social media accounts that he had converted to Islam. He also posted photos of weapons and the ISIS flag. He identified himself at one point as a “Zionist Jew Pig Redneck Hunting Super Assassin.” On another occasion, Hester wrote, “Brothers in AmurdiKKKa we need to get something going here all those rednecks have their little militias why shouldn’t we do the same.”
In an online conversation with an undercover FBI agent, Hester said he wanted a “global jihad” and expressed an interest in attacking targets including oil production facilities, Wall Street, and federal buildings.
In meeting with an FBI undercover agent posing as an ISIS representative, Hester not only said he would be willing to join in an attack to produce “mass casualties,” but he also secured materials to help the agent launch the attack.
The undercover gave Hester numerous opportunities to back out, telling him “he could disassociate himself from the operation at this time because this is real.'” Said Hester, “I’m in.” To prevent freelance violence, the undercover gave Hester only two options–in or out. If Hester attempted any action on his own, the undercover threatened to kill him.
The apocryphal attack was to take place in Kansas City on President’s Day. The targets would include busses, trains and Union Station. As the day approached for the planned attacked, Hester told the agent that it was “going to be a good day for Muslims worldwide.”
On February 17, upon his arrival at a storage facility for an agreed-upon meeting, Hester was arrested. The news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri makes no mention of ISIS or Islam, although it does allude to “global jihad.” One wonders whether the media will follow suit.
