The FBI arrested a scholar at Virginia’s George Mason College (GMU) for the alleged distribution of knowledge associated to explosives, harmful units and weapons of mass destruction and the intent to homicide internationally protected individuals, court docket paperwork present.
In line with the paperwork, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, an Egyptian nationwide, allegedly operated a number of accounts on varied social platforms, one among which a tipster had described as partaking in “radical and terrorist-leaning habits.”
The FBI traced the account again to Hassan based mostly on info associated to the e-mail tackle, cellphone quantity and IP tackle.
Prosecutors claimed the account tied to Hassan made posts “revering Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri” and operated “several pro-ISIS and al Qaeda accounts that promoted violence against Jews.”
The court docket paperwork allege Hassan, who lives in Falls Church, Va., “planned a mass casualty attack at the Consulate General of Israel using an explosive device and rifle.”
Courtroom paperwork present an FBI info communicated with Hassan on social media and later allegedly “recruited” him to “conduct a mass casualty attack.”
The workplace of the president, Gregory Washington, at GMU on Thursday issued an announcement concerning the arrest. The assertion mentioned the coed has been “barred from entering university property.”
“George Mason University continues to take enhanced precautions to maintain a safe and secure university community in light of the recent FBI arrest of one of its students,” Washington’s assertion learn.
“As criminal proceedings progress, the university will take appropriate action on student code of conduct violations,” he later added.
The Hill has contacted GMU for additional remark.
