Ohio FBI Thwarts 2 Planned Terror Attacks

TOLEDO, OH — The FBI has arrested two people accused of planning deadly attacks in Northeast Ohio. One of the suspects planned to detonate a bomb at a Toledo-area bar, and the other wanted to commit a mass shooting at a synagogue, investigators said. Both suspects were reportedly inspired by other violent attacks on Americans.

The arrests of Elizabeth Lecron, 23, and Damon Joseph, 21, were announced during a press conference on Monday in Toledo.

Inspired By A Tragedy

“In a matter of months, Damon Joseph progressed from radicalized, virtual jihadist to attack planner," said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Fortunato. "He ultimately decided to target two Toledo-area synagogues for a mass-casualty attack in the name of ISIS."

Joseph, 21, came to the attention of law enforcement when he posted photos of knives and guns to social media and shared material distributed by the media wing of ISIS, an affidavit said. Undercover FBI agents contacted Joseph, who told them he was a supporter of ISIS. He also made recruitment videos for ISIS and complained that his mosque was critical of the terrorist group, the affidavit said.

As the dialogue between Joseph and agents progressed, he reportedly said he would be willing to take part in a violent attack. The FBI said that after the Oct. 30 attack at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Joseph told the agents, "I admire what the guy did with the shooting actually." He then added, "I can see myself carrying out this type of operation inshallah. They wouldn’t even expect [an attack] in my area..."

On Dec. 2, investigators said, Joseph sent a detailed plan for an attack on a synagogue. He was trying to decide between two synagogues as targets.

An undercover agent arranged to purchase two AR-15s for Joseph, the affidavit said. When Joseph received the guns, he was arrested.

Joseph, from Holland, is charged with providing material support to ISIS.

"Joseph will now be accountable in a court of law for his pursuit of a violent act of terrorism upon our fellow citizens attending their desired house of worship," Fortunato said.

Black Powder and Screws

Lecron came to FBI attention in early 2018, when one of her associates said he wanted to commit a violent attack on American soil. Investigators said they looked into Lecron's past and found that she had posted several comments and photographs glorifying the Columbine High shooters and Dylann Roof, who killed nine people in a church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 23-year-old Lecron flew to Colorado to visit Columbine High and tried to send Nazi literature to Roof, an affidavit said.

In August, Lecron told an associate that she had plans to attack a Toledo bar, the affidavit said. She said the bar had only two ways in and out, a tactical advantage, and she later said she wanted to attack a farm or a Toledo business.

She met with undercover agents and told them she wanted to make a pipe bomb, the affidavit said. On Dec. 4, she agreed to buy black powder to make a bomb. She then bought two pounds of Hodgson Triple Seven Muzzleloading Propellant and 665 screws, of various sizes, investigators said.

“This defendant bought black powder and hundreds of screws that she expected would be used to make a bomb,” said Justin Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. “Through her words and actions, she demonstrated that she was committed to seeing death and destruction in order to advance hate. This case demonstrates terrorism comes in many guises and we will remain vigilant to protect all Americans.”

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

Photo from Shutterstock