Weekly Terrorism Spotlight

Volume 1, Issue 1 (March 17)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Islamist jihad threat nets arrest

University of Illinois Islamist jihad threat nets arrest as FBI probe claim of a pending attack by terrorists

“We take these matters very seriously,” University of Illinois police spokesman Bill Burton told PRB News of an arrest for terrorist e-mail threats allegedly made by a Chicago campus student.

The e-mail sent to numerous campus leaders threatened a death squad looked forward to “doing a mass shooting somewhere on campus,” adding they were not joking, it would really happen.

Mahtab Shirani, 24, of Wheaton, faces a federal charge of making threats through use of the Internet – a penalty of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The University of Illinois at Chicago police “was able to make this arrest with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department with whom we work very closely,” Burton said.

“This threat was initially sent as an e-mail to several school administrators,” he added, noting the time proximity to a nearby shooting at Northern Illinois University that killed six students.

The threat stated a violent attack by a group of five terrorists would take place sometime during the spring semester, FBI investigative records stated.

UIC police tracked the e-mail source and arrested Mahtab Shirani,” Burton said, adding no assumption of her guilt should be made outside a proper trial process.

FBI Special Agent Robert D. Grant praised the campus police efforts in a statement to PRB News. “The school’s response to this threat not only led to the identification and arrest…but also prevented widespread panic from sweeping the campus,” he said.

The investigation into the threat is outlined in affidavit notes provided to PRB News by Chicago Police Sgt. Michael P. Murphy of the Chicago area joint terrorism task force.

Murphy stated the task force is charging the statement as knowingly false. “Shirani stated in sum and substance, ‘What was I thinking? I knew you would find out who sent it,’” Murphy said.

He quoted Shirani further: “I know there are cameras everywhere.” Murphy added, “Shirani stated the threat was without merit, as she does not have access to firearms nor a group of individuals with whom to carry out the threat.”

The e-mail message stated:

I’m writing this to all UIC faculty I know. I’m a student at UIC. I’m warning everyone beforehand. I will be looking forward to doing a mass shooting anywhere on campus. I’m not gonna tell you where of course, this is serious and it’s not a joke. You want to stop this from happening? You can’t…This is a warning though and I’m aiming to kill as many as I can, this is not a joke. Not a joke. This will happen in the spring of 2008. You got this semester. I have a group of five people. I’m not by myself…You won’t stop our group. After NIU, it’s UIC’s turn to face disaster. Sit back and relax now, you’ll get what you deserve soon.

Shirani had reportedly received a $75,000 bond for release. Current federal records show a $4,500 personal recognizance bond for the case presently, and no scheduled court dates.

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