FBI says 'Australian IS jihadist' is actually a Jewish American troll named Joshua Ryne Goldberg
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
A young Jewish American man has been charged with pretending to be an Australian-based Islamic State jihadist after a FBI joint investigation with the Australian Federal Police based on information provided by Fairfax Media.
Joshua Ryne Goldberg, a 20-year old living at his parents' house in US state of Florida, is accused of posing online as "Australi Witness," an IS supporter who publicly called for a series of attacks against individuals and events in western countries.
In recent days Australi Witness has claimed online that he is working with other jihadists to plan attacks in Australia and the United States. He distributed pictures of a bomb that he was working on with "2 lbs of explosives inside".
Early on Friday, Australian time, Goldberg, who is non-Muslim and has no real-world links with extremism, was arrested at his home by Florida police for "distribution of information relating to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction".
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-is-jihadist-is-actually-an-jewish-american-troll-20150911-gjk852.html
Chan790
(20,176 posts)I mean I would think "making terroristic threats" would make more sense...and "distribution of information relating to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction" would present an obvious 1st A. issue the same way that the government can't force bookstores to not sell The Anarchist Cookbook or that sleazy hitman-instruction manual that came out about a decade ago.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,271 posts)The affidavit, released by Special agent William Berry of US Customs and Border Protection, says that Goldberg had initially denied to officers that he had any involvement with distributing information on how to make a bomb, but then later admitted it.
"Goldberg further admitted that he believed the information would create a genuine bomb," Agent Berry alleged.
However, Goldberg also claimed that he meant for the person he was communicating with to either kill himself creating the bomb or, that Goldberg intended to warn police in time so that he would receive "credit for stopping the attack".
With that, I think the charge makes sense. He didn't threaten people directly, so "making terroristic threats" would be hard to make stick.
And then there's the Bornstein stuff further down - I think I'll post that in the I/P forum since they had threads about the original.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)and the end result was a court decision against the publisher
and a destruction by the publisher of their remaining copies.
From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit_Man:_A_Technical_Manual_for_Independent_Contractors
On May 21, 1999, Paladin Press' insurance company agreed to settle the case out-of-court, against the wishes of Paladin Press themselves, who were confident that they would prevail in court; however, Paladins insurance company balked at going to court again, figuring expenses for a lengthy trial in federal court, plus the posting of a bond in case they lost and appealed, would have cost much more than the settlement.[4] Under this settlement, Paladin's insurance policy paid several million dollars to the families of those killed by the murderer, while also agreeing to destroy the remaining 700 copies of the book in their possession and surrendering any rights they had to publish and reproduce the work. Jon Ford, Paladins editorial director, called the settlement "economic censorship."
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)in Kansas City in which firefighters and first responders mourn and honor those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, calling it "the perfect place,""
The anarchist's cookbook mostly just discusses mechanical and chemical issues. This clown was actually trying to incite death and hatred.
Different. He could be acting as an agent for Netinyahoo's vendetta against Muslims, Iran.
Regardless, I think prison is an appropriate place for the ass clown, perhaps until he is 80.
Reter
(2,188 posts)I first saw it in a store in 1992 when I was a teen. And it was 20 years old then.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)The same as if some KKKer posted online that he was a Black Panther who intended to rape white women.
branford
(4,462 posts)is not a crime in the USA, and neither would someone posing as a Black Panther generally stating they intended to rape white women.
Unlike places such as most of Europe, encouraging "hate" or publishing vile opinions against minority groups is constitutionally protected speech. A "hate crime" in the USA almost always involves a commonly recognized underlying crime such as assault or murder, and the fact that it was motivated by certain characteristics of the victim (gender, race, religion, etc.) usually just results in a longer sentence.
There are some circumstances where speech can be criminalized, such as incitement to imminent lawless action, but such crimes are extremely limited in nature and scope, and often very difficult to prove. Generalized bigotry or support of violence, no matter how disgusting, almost never meets the high burden for prosecution. In this instance, this is likely he reason why Mr. Goldberg was arrested for the distribution of information relating to explosives, and this too might prove difficult to sustain in court.
cprise
(8,445 posts)The way the establishment responds to identity will pretty much ensure that doesn't happen to him.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)more than one occasion.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Same thing. Manufacturer hate against Muslims to push own agenda.
LuvNewcastle
(16,838 posts)he could do shit like this and not get the attention of authorities? We've all seen enough now to know what our intelligence services are capable of. This was a very stupid move. It might get a long sentence in a Supermax, depending on how big of an example the FBI wants to make of this guy. Hope it was worth it for him.
6chars
(3,967 posts)typing on his computer from his "bedroom" in his parents basement.
NBachers
(17,083 posts)LuvNewcastle
(16,838 posts)Response to NBachers (Reply #5)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Depaysement
(1,835 posts)Between July and September, Goldberg had been in contact online with an individual, who -- unbeknownst to Goldberg -- was actually an informant. Goldberg had allegedly provided the individual with details on how to construct a bomb and instructed him to fashion a pressure cooker bomb and fill it with nails, metal and other shrapnel dipped in rat poison.
According to the complaint, Goldberg directed the individual to carry out a bombing at a memorial in Kansas City, Mo. commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
. . .
Goldberg surfaced on the FBI's radar after he took credit for inspiring the May 3 attack in Garland, Texas on the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest. That's where two gunmen -- later identified as Elton Simpson and Nadir Hamid Soofi -- wearing body armor and carrying rifles opened fire on a police officer and security officer before they were shot and killed by police.
. . .
"If you can, dip the screws and other shrapnel in rat poison before putting them in. That way, the kuffar who get hit by them will be more likely to die," Goldberg told the informant.
He also picked out a location to stage the attack, a stair climbing event on Sept. 13 in Kansas City in which firefighters and first responders mourn and honor those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, calling it "the perfect place," according to the complaint. He selected the event because it would attract the largest number of people on the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack; even though the event was set for two days later.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/crime/2015/09/10/prosecutors-announce-federal-terror-arrest-orange-park-man/72027082/
Depaysement
(1,835 posts)karynnj
(59,498 posts)He is clearly a very troubled individual, who is clearly the very definition of a terrorist.
reddread
(6,896 posts)this is a very interesting disclosure.
DavidDvorkin
(19,469 posts)Response to DavidDvorkin (Reply #18)
Depaysement This message was self-deleted by its author.
Depaysement
(1,835 posts)But foreign intelligence services operate here all the time.
MrBig
(640 posts)Except there's no could about it.
Depaysement
(1,835 posts)Even though that would be all too common.
6chars
(3,967 posts)Since this criminal is Jewish, and since this is du, it is reasonable to,guess you mean Israel. Think about it for,a,second. Is Mossad that hard up,that they are going to have a 20 year old loser punk in his parents basement be their key? I guarantee you, this fellow has nothing to do with intelligence.
Depaysement
(1,835 posts)But Mossad has done both worse and more unusual acts. They are very active in the U.S. as are many other intelligence services.
JohnyCanuck
(9,922 posts)21st Century Wire
Not surprisingly, the usual suspects are already appearing to help steer this story
Terrorist experts at Bethesda, Maryland-based, and CIA and Israeli intelligence-linked media outlet, S.I.T.E. Intelligence Group, are suddenly claiming that Goldberg had fooled them, when its much more likely that Goldberg was actually working with S.I.T.E. on some level in order to craft his online terrorist persona. S.I.T.E.s boss, an Israeli operative named Rita Katz previous claimed that Goldberg was an, IS supporter who held a prestige position in online jihadi circles, part of the hard core group of individuals who constantly look for targets for other people to attack.
Goldberg also appears to have also been intimately involved in a staged ISIS attack in Garland, Texas last May, where Israeli-American operative, Pamela Geller, staged a Mohammed Cartoon media event which ended in two FBI-handled shooters allegedly showing up at the event only to be gunned down after meeting dozens of privately-hired ex-special forces mercenaries and police who were told just happened to be there at the event. In the run-up to Gellers media stunt, Goldberg tweeted the events address and reposted a tweet calling for jihadists to come armed.
snip
Undoubtedly, Goldberg is much more than a bedroom hoaxer, and is more likely to be part of the inter-agencys network of online intelligence assets. Whether he was working under instruction, or was being handled, or manipulated, remains to be seen. But he was playing a role in propagating the ISIS narrative online for either western or Israeli interests, or both.
http://21stcenturywire.com/2015/09/12/josh-goldberg-jewish-american-isis-or-online-intellig
muriel_volestrangler
(101,271 posts)http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/04/03/western-propaganda-goes-full-tilt-red-ice-radio-interview-with-patrick-henningsen/
Oooh, you can tell it's a serious site, with no dodgy ideas about Israel being behind 9/11 at all, can't you?
Reuters: Russian Boots on Ground in Syria Seeking to Destroy Western Created ISIS
9/11 Revisited: Declassified FBI Files Reveal New Details About 'The Five Israelis'
9/11 Memory Hole: 'No Plane Hit The Pentagon'
Retrospective: Hunter S. Thompson's Iconic Post-911 Interview
Putin: The Only World Leader Speaking Sense on Syria & The Migrant Crisis
Naming Names: Here Are the Key Players in the 9/11 False Flag Conspiracy
The Elephant in the Room: WTC Building 7
BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)This sick, twisted attempt to stir up hatred of Muslims shouldn't go unpunished.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Mr. Goldberg's deliberate and complex conspiracy needs exactly the same kind of harsh treatment already reserved and meted out for aiding and abetting ISIS by the handful of young brainwashed Muslim girls and boys captured by the FBI "stings"....and Goldberg was not even entrapped!
Attempts to defend these despicable and dangerous actions will be revealing.
Jason Huh
(36 posts)Ugh!
marble falls
(57,014 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)orpupilofnature57
(15,472 posts)Mosby
(16,263 posts)Funny how I never hear the phrase Christian American in headlines.
DavidDvorkin
(19,469 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)So what is the big deal with "Jewish"?
Mosby
(16,263 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,271 posts)The most significant thing about the persona was that 'he' was a fanatical Muslim. The claim to be Australian was secondary. But if you're going to put 'IS jihadist' and 'Australian' and 'American' in the headline, then 'Jewish' just as significant as them.
Mosby
(16,263 posts)Kingofalldems
(38,425 posts)SWAT team.
Grins
(7,199 posts)Gee. 'Ya think?
Best line of the day!
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Rita Katz, executive director of the SITE Intelligence Group, said the tweeter known as Australi Witness, reportedly from Melbourne, had a "prestige" position in online jihadi circles and was, "part of the hard core of a group of individuals who constantly look for targets for other people to attack" and actively seeks recruits for the Islamic State.
"They are working non-stop to incite other attacks," she said.
Asked if she knew if American government agencies were monitoring his activity she said they struggled to keep track of American activity, let alone follow global chatter.
"The Australians are having problems following their own guys, you want [the Americans] to follow them too?," she told Fairfax Media.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-twitter-user-encouraged-islamic-state-fighters-to-attack-prophet-mohammad-cartoon-contest-in-texas-report-20150504-ggu26d.html
Does she really think that people are so stupid that intelligence agencies are unable to track the account she's advertising? All it takes is a call to twitter from the FBI to get the IP of the Australi Witness account. Or was she marketing to stupid people, recruiting those who are ignorant of the depth and breadth of the NSA dragnet. Encouraging the curious to follow this "prestige member". lulz