* From the US Attorney…
A Chicago man has been arrested on federal criminal charges for allegedly threatening to commit violence at a women’s reproductive health clinic.
FARHAN SHEIKH, 19, is charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Sheikh was arrested Friday night and made an initial court appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox. Judge Cox ordered Sheikh to remain in custody pending a detention hearing set for Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
* AP…
The complaint says Sheikh subscribed to the iFunny account of “ArmyOfChrist,” the purported user name of 18-year-old Justin Olsen, who was charged earlier this month in Ohio with threatening an agent. He allegedly posted support for mass shootings and for any attacks on Planned Parenthood.
Olsen, who was arrested at a home stockpiled with guns and ammunition, had been under investigation since February. But prosecutors in the federal judicial district for northern Ohio said they choose to bring him in in the wake of recent mass shootings in Ohio and Texas.
The complaint against Sheikh doesn’t identify the clinic he is said to have threatened, saying only that it was about four miles from Sheikh’s North Side residence.
* More on “ArmyOfChrist” from the criminal complaint (redacted by me)…
* More from the complaint (redacted by me)…
I am done with my state and thier [sic] bulls**t abortion laws and allowing innocrnt [sic] kids to be slaughtered for the so called ‘womans right’ bulls**t. Ive seen nothing but wh*res go out of the way to get an abortion, but no more. I will not tolerate this anymore. Im DONE. … I will go to the [Victim A] in Chicago on [Street A]. I will proceed to slaughter and murder any doctor, patient, or visitor i see in the area and I will not back down. consider this a warning for anyone visiting. … To all the fbi agents in this app, I am NOT a satirical account. I post what I mean, and i WILL carry out what I post
* Tribune…
At an initial appearance Monday in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago, Sheikh was ordered held in custody by U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox at least until a detention hearing Tuesday.
FBI agents linked the iFunny account to Sheikh by connecting it with other social media accounts of his. When agents confronted him Friday, he admitted that the “awarded” account belonged to him, according to the complaint.
When agents asked him why he thought the FBI was at his home, Sheikh said he believed it was because of a “joke” he had posted on iFunny, the complaint said.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
Sickening.
- Papa2008 - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:21 pm:
With so many of these kinds of incidents being perpetrated by young men, is it time to institute mandatory military and/or civil service? These idiots have way too much time on their hands.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:22 pm:
Because killing people, especially pregnant women, is going to help the ‘right to life’ cause.
- downstateR - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:26 pm:
What is in the water nowdays?? That rant isn’t exactly driving money changers out of the temple–it’s just hate. *shakes head*
- sulla - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:31 pm:
“Pro-lifers are killing people. I mean, come on. It’s irony at a base level, but it’s still a hoot.”
- Bill Hicks
- Colin O'Scopy - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 2:59 pm:
=To all the fbi agents in this app, I am NOT a satirical account. I post what I mean, and i WILL carry out what I post=
Joking….I was joking….
- Nick Name - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:07 pm:
So. Pro. Life.
Funny how you never see pro-choice activists threatening to murder pro-lifers or to attack crisis pregnancy centers. Hm.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:13 pm:
==Because killing people, especially pregnant women, is going to help the ‘right to life’ cause.==
Please don’t lump this person in with us. He is not right to life. He wants to kill any visitor in the area as well. He is about killing and nothing more.
- a drop in - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
With respect, Papa2008, I don’t think exposing these hateful characters to military training is a good idea.
- Charlie Brown - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:44 pm:
=== Please don’t lump this person in with us. He is not right to life.===
Agreed. Most of the attempts trying to draw false parallels between gun ownership rights and abortion rights “to own the libs” are coming from gun rights groups and their close allies like The federalist.
It’s a crazy metaphor, which is actually completely backward. Gun control laws prohibit someone from owning a gun. Abortion laws don’t prohibit someone from having a child.
A more logical comparison would be:
Gun control laws are to firearms ownership as
Child welfare laws are to child custody.
- lakeside - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:45 pm:
Meanwhile, PP and other reproductive health orgs had to give up Title X funding today because they insist on simply telling pregnant people all legal their options, even though that funding didn’t cover abortions.
I hear some folks don’t want to be lumped in with the pyschos, but there’s a clear line between these two things. When folks say a legal medical procedure is the worst thing someone could do (so much so that we as a nation will no longer fund condoms, sti tests and mammograms), this sort of thing is the logical conclusion for some folks. It’s why some of us get… very passionate… on here about rights for pregnant people and the rhetoric people use surrounding them.
- thunderspirit - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 3:46 pm:
Perpetual claim: it was a ‘joke.”
Except that it isn’t, and never was.
- Amalia - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 4:06 pm:
you want not to have him lumped in with the rest of you? start reading some of the verbiage surrounding your cause, the comments from many on line. this is not unfamiliar language. start by being better about your cause.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 4:09 pm:
The army of Christ successfully converting an Arab-American to their cause? Thats a surprising 180-degree turn from news reports of the last several years
- Papa2008 - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 4:21 pm:
A drop in:
If you believe the only thing the military will teach you is how to kill, you have a point. I don’t share that view.
- FormerParatrooper - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 4:26 pm:
Leaded water symptoms. Half snark.
- JoanP - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 4:36 pm:
@Papa2008 -
Frankly, my concern would not be that the military would teach these kids how to kill.
I’ve just never seen the logic in saying we should fill the military with screw-ups and nut jobs. Seriously, would you want to be deployed with this guy?
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Aug 19, 19 @ 5:07 pm:
==I hear some folks don’t want to be lumped in with the pyschos, but there’s a clear line between these two things.==
Nope. No clear line at all. Birth control reduces abortion. Noting else succeeds for reducing abortion. Killing people has nothing to do with making sure they have birth control.
- A guy - Tuesday, Aug 20, 19 @ 9:01 am:
I’m as Pro Life as can be. Toss this deranged criminal in jail.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, Aug 20, 19 @ 9:13 am:
If this was a joke, he ought to consider getting out of comedy.