Threats to national security persist with arrests in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida

In Vienna, Virginia, former CIA analyst Asif William Rahman, 34, pleaded guilty Friday to possession and transmission of “Top Secret National Defense Information,” including deleting classified documents, photographing them, transferring and destroying devices, according to a federal . complaint. He was indicted by a grand jury and arrested last November. He remains in federal custody and faces up to 10 years in prison on both counts of knowingly possessing and transmitting classified information related to national defense.

Secret documents he shared appeared on social media platforms detailing planned actions by a foreign ally of the US against a foreign adversary, the complaint said.

Rahem, who had a Top Secret security clearance with access to classified information, also “deleted and redacted journal entries and written work product on his personal electronic devices to conceal his personal views on U.S. policy and prepared the records to create a false narrative regarding his activities,” the investigators reported. He also admitted to destroying several electronic devices, including a personal cell phone and an Internet router that he used to transmit classified information and photos of classified documents. He also admitted to throwing them in public trash cans to avoid being caught.

Over approximately six months last year, Rahman repeatedly accessed and printed classified national defense information, took it to himself, reproduced, altered and transferred top-secret information from his work to multiple people, the complaint said.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber said, “Rahman’s actions endangered lives, undermined U.S. foreign relations, and jeopardized our ability to gather vital intelligence in the future.”

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Michael Easley Jr., announced the criminal charges against a 29-year-old Durham, North Carolina man who had been identified for his plans to join ISIS and engage in acts of terrorism.

Alexander Justin White was arrested before boarding a flight to Morocco to join ISIS. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Between May and October of last year, under the name Suleiman Al-Amriki, he allegedly made several social media posts in support of ISIS, including posting videos about ISIS recruitment and fundraising. He was also involved in financial transactions with refugee camps known to be fronts for transferring money to ISIS members, according to complaint.

According to the complaint, his alleged goal was to join ISIS and become a “mujahideen,” a martyr, to wage “jihad,” an Islamic holy war. While making the travel plans, he “pretended it was nothing more than a vacation, when in fact he claimed he would rather die than return to the United States,” the complaint states.

“We are working closely with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to disrupt suspected terrorist activity in the United States, including American citizens poised to commit violence against our troops,” Easley said.

The investigation involved the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, based in Raleigh, as well as several local and state law enforcement agencies. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services and Morocco’s General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance were involved.

In Orlando, Florida, Jordanian Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaichen, 44, recently pleaded guilty to four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destroying an energy facility. If found guilty, he faces a decade in prison.

According to court documentsBeginning last June, a masked man began targeting Orlando-area businesses for allegedly supporting Israel. “Warning letters” were left to the federal government, including political demands and threats to “destroy or blow up everything here in America.” Especially companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel,” the complaint states.

Next, a solar power plant in Wedgefield, Florida was destroyed. Solar panels were smashed, wires were cut, important electronic equipment was damaged, and threatening letters were left behind. Another warning letter threatening to “destroy or blow up everything” was found at an industrial propane warehouse in Orlando.

A multi-agency effort then identified Hnaihen, leading to his arrest in July. He pleaded guilty in December.

This was recently announced by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security forewarned of possible terrorist attacks, reports The Center Square.