A man "fueled by an ideology of hatred" has been charged with attempting a major attack on a US synagogue. The suspect is said to have been inspired by the Pittsburgh synagogue attack in October in which 11 people died.
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US federal authorities have charged a 21-year-old man with attempting to provide material support to the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group by allegedly planning an attack on a synagogue in Ohio.
The suspect "was allegedly inspired by ISIS' call to violence and hate," said John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, referring to the militant group by an alternative acronym. The suspect "hoped that it would lead to the deaths of many and spread fear."
According to the Justice Department, the suspect expressed his support for IS several times and even produced propaganda material to recruit would-be jihadis. In September, he sent some of the videos he produced to an undercover FBI agent.
Weeks later, authorities said the suspect told the undercover agent that he supported "martyrdom operations," saying: "There will always be casualties of war." The Justice Department said he had also lambasted his local mosque for taking a critical stance against the militant group IS.
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.
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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.
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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.
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'Ideology of hatred'
The situation took a turn for the worse following the worst anti-Semitic attack on American soil in October, in which Robert Bowers killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The suspect allegedly told the agent he admired the attack, adding: "I can see myself carrying out this type of operation."
In the weeks leading up to his arrest, he is said to have scoped out two synagogues and later detailed his plans to attack one of them to an agent. The suspect was arrested on Friday while he was attempting to pick up two AR-15 assault rifles from the FBI agent.
"This man spent months planning a violent terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS here in the United States, and eventually targeted a Jewish synagogue in the Toledo area," said US attorney Justin Herdman. "The charges describe a calculated man fueled by an ideology of hatred and intent on killing innocent people."
While the group has suffered military defeat, law enforcement officials in Europe and the US have warned that battle-hardened foreign fighters attempting to return to their home countries pose a major security threat. Others have pointed to their ideology and its potential to radicalize as a significant risk to the public.
