The US man was found guilty of plotting to kill a conservative blogger for organizing a "Draw the Prophet" cartoon contest. He was also convicted of conspiring to commit acts of terror on behalf of the "Islamic State."
Image: Getty Images/S. Eisen
Advertisement
Jurors in Boston found David Wright, a Boston-area man, guilty of conspiracy to commit acts of international terrorism and supporting the "Islamic State" (IS) extremist group for planning to behead American blogger Pamela Geller.
Wright, who is 28 years old, was found guilty of all five criminal charges for hatching the beheading plot in 2015 along with his uncle and a friend. He faces up to life in prison.
Conservative blogger Pamela Geller was targetedImage: picture alliance/dpa/AP/M. Lennihan
Wright and his counterparts then plotted to kill Geller in New York. But Wright's uncle Ussamah Rahim lost patience with that plan and decided instead to attack the police. Rahim was shot dead by officers just as he lunged at them with a knife.
The plot to kill Geller, who described the cartoon contest as an exercise of free speech, fell apart.
"You heard them talking about beheadings," Assistant US Attorney Stephanie Siegmann told the jury in her closing arguments Monday, citing tape-recorded conversations between the men.
'Islamic State' link
Prosecutors said Wright was the leader of the conspiracy and brought the others on board. They presented evidence that Wright had been in touch with IS militants in Syria and had vowed to join their cause.
According to prosecutors, Wright's uncle received directions about the plan to murder Geller from Junaid Hussain, an IS militant and hacker who was later killed in an airstrike in Syria.
Rahim's family has denied he showed any signs of radicalization. Wright's friend and co-plotter Nicholas Rovinski pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy charges and testified against Wright.
He told jurors that Wright said Geller "deserved to be beheaded" because she mocked the Prophet Muhammad.
ap/se (Reuters, AP)
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
