Colleen LaRose

A Pennsylvania woman held over an alleged overseas terrorism plot has pleaded not guilty to four charges.

Colleen LaRose, who allegedly called herself Jihad Jane, denies conspiring with Islamists and pledging to murder in the name of a Muslim holy war.

The 46-year-old was indicted as part of an investigation into an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist who drew pictures of the Prophet Muhammad.

She was arrested in October 2009 in Philadelphia.

The accused, also known as Fatima LaRose, appeared in a Philadelphia federal court wearing a green jumpsuit and with corn-row braids in her hair.

Authorities say she posted a YouTube video in 2008, saying she was "desperate to do something" to ease the suffering of Muslims.

Lars Vilks

Her indictment was part of an international investigation into an alleged plot to kill Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who drew the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.

Ms LaRose was charged on Tuesday of last week, on the same day as seven Muslims were detained in the Irish Republic.

Five of them, including a Colorado woman, Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, have been freed without charge.

Two others, an Algerian and a Libyan, have been charged with sending a menacing text message and an immigration offence respectively.

Mr Vilks’ controversial cartoon was used in a 2007 Swedish newspaper editorial on freedom of expression.

A group linked to al-Qaeda in Iraq later offered a cash reward for killing him, with a bonus if his throat was cut.


This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

  • Share/Bookmark

Generic image of computer

A Pennsylvania woman in her late 40s has been charged with terror offences including using the internet to recruit militants for deadly attacks abroad.

Colleen LaRose – also known as Fatima LaRose and "Jihad Jane" – was arrested in Philadelphia in October 2009.

A federal indictment accuses her of agreeing to kill a Swedish citizen and travelling to Europe for this purpose.

However one of the prosecutors told the Associated Press the indictment did not link to any "organised terror groups".

A Department of Justice statement said Ms LaRose and five others "recruited men on the internet to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe, and recruited women on the internet who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad".

Ms LaRose, a US citizen born in 1963, is charged with "conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft."

Attorney Michael Levy was quoted as saying Ms LaRose’s appearance "was considered to be an asset because it allowed her to blend in."

He said the case "demonstrates that terrorists are looking for Americans to join them in their cause, and it shatters any lingering thought that we can spot a terrorist based on appearance".

If Ms LaRose is found guilty, she could face a life term in prison and a fine of $1m.

After she was arrested on 15 October, she made an initial court appearancebut did not enter a plea, AP reported.


This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

  • Share/Bookmark
© 2010 International news round the clock Suffusion WordPress theme by Sayontan Sinha