Gonzales County was the positioning of the primary skirmish of the Texas Revolution, and its residents maintain on to that satisfaction almost 200 years later. The county seat nonetheless shows the “Come and Take It” flag just like one flown by Texians who fought for the state’s independence.
So when the FBI arrested resident Jaylyn Christopher Molina, 22, in September on a cost that he conspired to offer materials assist to the terrorist group ISIS, it appeared unbelievable to some {that a} younger man who backed then-President Donald Trump and his “America First” credo had been on-line with different ISIS supporters discussing plans for violent assaults on American targets, together with the White Home and Trump Tower.
“How on the planet did he get tied into one thing like that?” mentioned Randall Sutton, who owns the cell house within the city of Value that the FBI raided once they arrested Molina. “I feel he simply bought in with the incorrect folks.”
Molina pleaded responsible in January to conspiracy to offer materials assist to ISIS and to receiving baby pornography, a depend that was added after brokers discovered photographs on his mobile phone.
He faces as much as 20 years in federal jail on every depend at his sentencing, scheduled for subsequent month.
It’s the first ISIS-related prison case in San Antonio’s federal judicial district.
Court docket information present he was being recruited as an ISIS operative by Kristopher Sean Matthews, 34, of South Carolina, who held chat periods with not less than 20 different suspected ISIS supporters on encrypted on-line platforms that the FBI had infiltrated.
Interviews and a overview of public information and Molina’s social media accounts point out that his disenchantment and a must belong pushed him into extermism. Raised within the Pentecostal religion, he spent most of his life within the Gonzales space, about 75 miles east of San Antonio. He tried to embrace the Catholic religion on his father’s aspect, nevertheless it wasn’t sturdy, mentioned his mom, Misty Rhoades.
“He simply bounced round to no matter accepted him,” Rhoades mentioned.
Rhoades, who described Molina as sensible and giving, break up up with Molina’s father when her son was not but 2. She mentioned the boy was bullied in class, and lecturers had been robust on him.
Molina left Gonzales Excessive at first of his senior faculty 12 months in 2016. Rhoades mentioned he didn’t graduate.
Earlier than his federal case, Molina had been arrested not less than twice in Gonzales, for prison trespass and possession of artificial marijuana.
His mom mentioned Molina had used medicine on and off since he was not less than 14, and he couldn’t work for lengthy due to again issues. She added that he didn’t have “two {dollars} to go to city and get a soda.”
But he doted on a daughter, now 3, and would deal with her a pair weeks a month. He and his ex-girlfriend share custody of the kid, Rhoades mentioned.
“He didn’t go and be a part of some Muslim brotherhood,” mentioned Rhoades. “Every little thing was by way of the web.”
“He’s a hermit,” Rhoades added. “I’m not saying that what he did isn’t incorrect, however he’s not this evil monster.”
Pledging allegiance
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, is a Sunni jihadist group with a violent ideology that that took key cities in Iraq and Syria and shaped a caliphate.
Starting in 2014, U.S.-led coalitions started a collection of airstrikes focusing on ISIS, because the group expanded right into a community of associates in not less than eight different nations, in keeping with the Wilson Heart in Washington D.C. and different suppose tanks that observe extremism.
Its branches, supporters, and associates used social media to recruit followers that included younger People, a few of whom traveled abroad to combat with ISIS. With the expanded attain, ISIS carried out terrorist assaults past the borders of its caliphate, focusing on the U.S. and its coalition companions.
In 2015, ISIS terrorists killed 130 folks and injured greater than 300 in a collection of coordinated assaults in Paris. And in June 2016, a gunman who pledged assist to ISIS killed 49 folks and wounded greater than 50 others at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla.
By 2019, certainly one of its key leaders had been killed and extra U.S.-led offensives prompted President Trump to declare that ISIS had been defeated. However court docket paperwork in Molina’s case point out that ISIS, with new management, is searching for a resurgence and nonetheless depends on the web for recruits.
“Consider it when it comes to a neighborhood gang on the lookout for members,” mentioned Abel Peña, a retired FBI particular agent who collected intelligence for the bureau in San Antonio. “Nevertheless it’s a gradual activation course of, speaking to one another and vetting one another, cultivating relationships.”
In contrast to the construction of a gang, which usually has “jump-ins” to provoke new members, ISIS makes use of the web to search out like-minded recruits and makes use of propaganda that a few of its members are tasked with distributing on-line.
“It’s damaged up like a company,” mentioned Peña, who now runs a safety consulting firm. “You’ve gotten folks in finance, some in media. You might need an outreach coordinator and recruiters.”
Peña mentioned he was not stunned that ISIS had focused Molina in a rural, conservative space as a result of it has been recognized to recruit folks from all walks of life, usually exploiting those that are confused about their lives.
Molina is believed to have transformed to Islam in 2019, when he posted quotes on one Twitter account from the Quran alongside animated selfies together with his younger daughter. In one other Twitter account with restricted entry, his profile image seems within the foreground of a bigger picture of “ISIS” and the group’s black flag.
Molina’s co-defendant, Matthews, who pleaded responsible to the terrorism conspiracy cost in November, transformed to Islam when he was 15 and has a “jihad” tattoo on his neck, his rap sheet reveals.
Matthews admitted in court docket that he was a co-administrator of not less than one on-line encrypted chat group for ISIS ideology that allowed solely vetted members to take part, amongst them Molina.
Matthews faces sentencing in San Antonio in Could.
Matthews had been drawn in by his personal use of social media. In November 2019, he posted in a single chat group his personal video pledging “bayat,” or allegiance, to ISIS’ latest reported chief, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashim al-Quraishi. The FBI was watching. It was unclear when Matthews started utilizing the alias, Ali Jibreel.
Molina, in the meantime, had publicly made recognized his change to Islam in Gonzales County as a result of he dressed in another way and grew facial hair, in keeping with Sutton, his landlord. It was not instantly clear when he started utilizing his alias, Abdur Rahim.
“He ran round with a towel on his head,” Sutton mentioned. “He seemed like a Taliban.”
‘Netflix worthy’
In April 2020, Matthews requested Molina to supply his personal “bayat” to ISIS.
“Thanks ahki (brother), I’ll do this as quickly as attainable,” Molina replied.
On the finish of Could 2020, Molina submitted his personal video declaring allegiance to al-Quraishi and referring to Matthews as Molina’s “emir,” or chief in America.
Molina then started working, posting ISIS movies displaying the way to practice with an AK-47 rifle and different propaganda on social media that supplied justification for the 9/11 terrorist assaults and confirmed assist for ISIS and violent jihad. It recognized America as Molina’s enemy, a view he espoused in different boards.
Based on court docket information, Molina advised Matthews he wished to “get deeper into spreading consciousness of what’s happening abroad. Exposing kuffar (infidels) and spreading the reality of Islam.”
When Matthews requested him if he wished to be head of a media division, Molina replied sure, till he might “go to battle.” Molina produced and edited propaganda and distributed it on numerous social media channels, court docket information present.
He additionally participated in discussions about bomb making, together with in a single chat room referred to as “The Actual BOOM BOOM Group.” In some chats, directions for making bombs had been shared.
At one level, Matthews cautioned Molina to not inform anybody they’d bomb-making supplies as a result of it “could have them alphabet boys knocking on the door” — referring to the FBI.
“Knock on my door that (expletive) going to go,” Molina responded, making the sound of an explosion.
In a single chat, the pair mentioned Matthews’ disdain for solo jihad and rattled off potential targets — authorities buildings and financial facilities, the headquarters of the FBI, CIA and DEA. They agreed most casualties had been higher, with small groups finishing up coordinated assaults.
“I’d be prepared to do it…let’s face it, had been (sic) jihadists…not regular Muslims,” Matthews mentioned. “That is actual, not a joke.”
Matthews suggested in opposition to assaults on locations reminiscent of malls, “the place harmless youngsters are.” As a substitute, he mentioned targets ought to be authorities facilities, the inventory market, Trump Tower in New York or the White Home.
Molina mentioned establishing traps as a part of the plots, which he mentioned could possibly be carried out with “20 or much less brothers.”
It might “ring bells if we completed the mission … rock star standing child,” Matthews replied. “This could possibly be Netflix worthy.”
Rhetoric or actual?
Some in Gonzales County dismiss the net discussions as boastful rhetoric. Sutton didn’t suppose Molina was able to finishing up an assault as a result of he was usually quiet. He added: “However you don’t know, it could be a entrance.”
Rhoades mentioned: “That factor about attacking the White Home, there’s no means. He loves President Trump. So far as (the declare) of not liking America, it’s not that he doesn’t like America. It’s that he didn‘t perceive why we had been on the market bombing and killing folks and infants.”
Like Molina, Matthews had dropped out of highschool and used medicine. His mother and father weren’t round and he was raised by his grandmother. He additionally was a loner and joined a gang, in keeping with public paperwork reviewed by the Specific-Information.
The Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart says those that embrace ISIS’ ideology are typically “disenfranchised people searching for ideological, spiritual and private achievement.”
A seek for belonging, that means and/or id seems to be an important motivator for a lot of People who embrace ISIS’ ideology, in keeping with the middle. Matthews and Molina match these traits.
“If I had been abroad and I used to be recruiting, these are the varieties of individuals I’d attain out to,” mentioned retired FBI agent Peña. “They’re good.”
He cautioned in opposition to dismissing as mere rhetoric discussions of the sort Molina and Matthews had.
“I feel if anyone is making threats like that, you’ve bought to take it extraordinarily significantly,” Peña mentioned. “You don’t need it to slide by way of and be the subsequent 9/11.”
[email protected] | Twitter: @gmaninfedland
