‘Persistent terror threat’ — Jihad comes to NJ, new report says

🚨 New U.S. House report highlights jihadist plots

🚨 3 major NJ cases in recent years

🚨 Homegrown threat is deadly and persistent, report says

Homegrown violent extremists, some of whom are New Jersey residents, remain a significant threat to national security, according to a new federal report.

The 13-page terror threat report was released earlier this month by the Committee on Homeland Security in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The report highlights more than 50 recent jihadist cases that span across 29 states. It points to designated terror organizations including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Hezbollah (or Hizballah), which operates in Lebanon, as persistent threats.

"The United States is facing a dynamic and worsening terror threat landscape. Foreign jihadist networks like ISIS and Hizballah, as well as homegrown violent extremists ideologically motivated by these terrorist groups, present security threats to the homeland," said U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., in a statement.

Green, who served as chairman of the committee, blamed what he said was the Biden-Harris administration's "weak leadership" for the issue.

Three cases highlighted in the report involve New Jersey residents. In one case, the defendant's activity dates back to at least 1996.

New Jersey 101.5 reached out to ranking member U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., on Tuesday morning for comment.

NJ terror cases in recent years

Most recently, Hadi Matar was charged in July with terrorism offenses in connection with the attempted murder of novelist Salman Rushdie. Matar is accused of trying to provide material support and resources to Hezbollah.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 26-year-old Fairview resident carried out the 2022 attack based on a fatwa endorsed by Hezbollah that called for Rushdie's death.

Last year, Alexei Saab was sentenced to 12 years in prison for receiving military-type training from Hezbollah dating back to the 1990s. He was convicted of that charge, plus marriage fraud and lying to investigators, in 2022.

Federal prosecutors said Saab, 46, of Morristown, was trained to use rifles, a pistol, and grenades. During an interview with the FBI, he drew diagrams of viable improvised explosive devices.

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Saab moved to the United States in 2000 to conduct surveillance on potential targets in New York City for attacks including the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and the Empire State Building, according to prosecutors.

In 2022, the DOJ announced charges against five people including 25-year-old Edison resident Seema Rahman.

The group was accused of pretending to raise money for humanitarian causes and then sending the money to ISIS.

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Around $35,000 was transferred using cryptocurrency, prosecutors said. Photos and videos were sent by ISIS to the group when asked for proof that the donations were going to support ISIS fighters.

Rahman contributed nearly $1,500 of her own money and individually raised over $10,000 through fake GoFundMe fundraisers to send to ISIS, prosecutors said.

“While we do not comment on pending legal investigations, GoFundMe’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit activities that support terrorism, and it is our policy to cooperate with formal law enforcement requests. GoFundMe operates in full compliance with AML/CFT rules and regulations and will continue to ensure all of our processes meet the highest standards," a GoFundMe spokesperson said.

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