A former Bronx man of Albanian nationality has been arrested in Montana after revealing to an FBI informant his plans to join ISIS and avenge the Christchurch mosque shootings.
His arrest took place without incident, the DOJ said in a statement.
“Fabjan Alameti recently moved to Bozeman from another state,” said Paul Haertel, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office. “We want to make it absolutely clear that Mr. Alameti has no known ties to Montana or any affiliation with the Muslim community in Bozeman,” he said.
Alameti faces gun possession and drug charges. He was also charged with making false statements involving international terrorism.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah Lynch ordered him detained for further proceedings.
‘I Will Attack Random People’
FBI Special Agent Matthew Duermeier, whose sworn statement filed with the court was cited by the Associated Press, provided details of the investigation into Alameti’s alleged links to ISIS and terrorist intent.Alameti reportedly made pro-ISIS statements on Facebook, according to Duermeier. The suspect also told an informant in January that he wanted to fight with ISIS in Iraq and Syria and to carry out an attack in the US against a military facility, recruitment center, government building, “gay club” or Jewish temple, according to the FBI.
Duermeirer added that Alameti later said he would not actually carry out an attack in the United States because America had granted him citizenship.
After shootings at two mosques in Christchurch left 50 people dead, Alameti allegedly told the informant, “I will attack random people to avenge their blood.”
Accused gunman Brenton Harrison Tarrant of Australia faces 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges for the March 15 massacre in two New Zealand mosques.
According to The Associated Press, another federal informant recorded Alameti saying that he wanted to “shoot up” a hotel on American soil.
On Wednesday, Alameti showed up at the firing range, paid $35 to rent an M1A rifle and was arrested when he took possession of it, Deurmeier said.
Jihadi Recruit ‘Osama bin Bieber’ Killed by ISIS
Meanwhile, a teenage ISIS recruit nicknamed “Osama bin Bieber” for his youthful appearance has reportedly been executed by the terror group for allegedly being a spy.Mohammed Ismail was 18 when he left the British city of Coventry to join the jihadi terror cult in March 2014.
Muthana was killed in a precision air strike in the Iraqi city of Mosul, a former ISIS stronghold.
According to the report, ISIS operatives were convinced Muthana was successfully targeted due to Ismail’s espionage.
The jihadi recruit’s last moments alive were recorded on video, in which he apologized, according to the newspaper.
His execution is believed to be the first known ISIS killing of a suspected British spy.
No information was immediately available as to how Ismail was killed.