They caught a sad delusional existential threat
by digby
This guy is a perfect example of the “existential threat” that has the media and Republicans wetting their pants:
Federal officials in Rochester, New York, have arrested and charged a local man who was allegedly plotting a New Year’s Eve machete attack on diners at a local restaurant in the name of ISIS.
Emanuel Lutchman, 25, an ex-con Muslim convert with mental issues, was charged with attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group, federal prosecutors said.
The FBI says he had pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, wanted to leave to U.S. to live in the caliphate, and was in contact with a reputed ISIS member in Syria — who urged him to kill non-Muslims on the holiday.
“New years [sic] is here soon. Do operations and kill some kuffar,” the overseas contact told him, the court papers allege.
Lutchman was nabbed with the help of confidential informants who received payment from the FBI. One of them paid for masks, zip-ties, knives, duct tape, ammonia and latex gloves that were allegedly supposed to be used in the attack, the court documents show.
I feel much safer now. And yes, it’s good news that they were able to stop him before he actually did something although it’s unclear if he actually had any capability.
I do still have a few concerns about the millions of other mentally ill people and right wing yahoos who are armed to the teeth and might decide to take out a crowd of people for reasons entirely unrelated to some Muslim terrorist delusion, but there’s clearly nothing we can do about that because freedom, so never mind …
Happy New Year everyone!
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