Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Politics and Religion
American ISIS supporter tells of his plan to attack a church

American ISIS supporter tells of his plan to attack a church

Last updated on: February 8, 2016 at 5:45 am by Gene Veith

0 Comments

American ISIS supporter tells of his plan to attack a church 2016-02-07T16:49:30-05:00 Gene Veith

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Muslim from Dearborn Heights, Michigan,was arrested for planning to attack a church in the Detroit area. His remarks about his dreams and motivations are especially telling:

“If I can’t do jihad in the Middle East, I would do my jihad over here.”

“It is my dream to behead someone.”

Is it time for churches to implement security plans? Or would that show a lack of faith that God would protect them, according to His will?

From Michigan ISIS Supporter ‘Tried to Shoot Up’ 6,000-Member Church, FBI Says – NBC News:

Federal authorities have arrested a Michigan man they say is an ISIS supporter who wanted to carry out an attack on a 6,000-member Detroit church.

Khalil Abu-Rayyan is accused by the FBI of supporting ISIS. In his now suspended Twitter account, his profile photo showed him standing in his Dearborn Heights, Mich. driveway with his index finger raised. @khalilray21 / Twitter

Khalil Abu-Rayyan, 21, of Dearborn Heights, allegedly had guns and a large knife and told an undercover FBI agent that he “tried to shoot up a church one day.”

“I bought a bunch of bullets. I practiced reloading and unloading,” he said in an online conversation, the FBI said.

Investigators did not specify which church Abu-Rayyan allegedly was eyeing, but said it has a capacity of 6,000 members, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court.

The FBI had been monitoring Abu-Rayyan for months because of his “increasingly violent threats” about committing acts of terror and martyrdom against churchgoers and police officers on behalf of ISIS.

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed

Federal Authorities Arrest Michigan Man for ISIS Ties 1:47

In addition to the alleged online conversations with the undercover agent, Abu-Rayyan purportedly used Twitter to express solidarity with the terror group.

Abu-Rayyan claimed it would have been “easy” to fire shots on the church, the complaint said. But according to authorities, he said his plan was foiled when Abu-Rayyan’s father discovered his gun, ammunition, and a mask he was going to wear before he could carry out the attack.

“Honestly I regret not doing it. If I can’t do jihad in the Middle East, I would do my jihad over here,” he allegedly said.

He also had armed himself with a knife and told the undercover agent, “It is my dream to behead someone,” authorities said.

Church

Islam

terrorism

anti-Christian violence

Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL

jihadism

terrorism

Previous Post

February 8, 2016

Judge slaps injunction against more Planned Parenthood videos

Next Post

February 8, 2016 Zika, the new global plague

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"While she worked for Trump she was a tool's tool!"

reg

Luther on Tools

"I know wired earbuds are making a comeback (I never stopped using them as I ..."

reg

Luther on Tools

"VCRs, tape decks, and cassette players are all having a revival among a segment of ..."

Tom Hering

Luther on Tools

"As a (retired) lawyer I see potential liability from sharing things like power or sharp ..."

reg

Luther on Tools

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category America Apologetics Art baseball Bible Blog Christ Church crime Culture Economics Education Ethics Family Food Football Government History Holidays Holy Week Humor International Islam Language Law Life Issues Literature Media Medicine Movies Music Nature News Personal Philosophy Politics psychology Reformation Religions Sacraments Science sex Social Science Sports technology television terrorism Theology Uncategorized Vocation war

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Peter James Paul

Books by This Author Books by Gene Veith

See All Titles »