The Justice Department reported that James Bradley and Arwa Muthana (a married couple from New York City and Alabama) accepted a guilty plea. They were trying to support ISIS (Islamic State terrorist organization) financially. While intending to travel abroad, the two were detained in New Jersey last year. Federal authorities claimed that the pair intended to sail to Yemen on a cargo ship to evade law authorities.
In May 2020, Bradley reportedly told an undercover agent that he believed ISIS was great for Muslims since it was striving to build a kingdom. He also allegedly suggested that he could do “something” at a U.S. military training camp if he couldn’t leave the country. He admitted to the same undercover cop in January 2021 that, as part of his jihadist mission, he was thinking about using his truck and wife to “take out” ROTC soldiers he had seen at a new university in New York. In the past, he’s shown interest in targeting a military compound.
Early in March, just after the couple had visited New York, Bradley allegedly asked the undercover cop for assistance in boarding a cargo ship to head to the Middle East. The cop linked them with a helpful person who turned out to be a fellow undercover officer. According to AL.com, Muthana is the sister of Hoda Muthana, who fled the United States in 2014 to marry an ISIS fighter. She allegedly admitted to “regretting” entering ISIS in 2019. Still, a U.S. judge determined that year that she wouldn’t be permitted to return to the country since she isn’t a citizen.
Arwa Muthana would be sentenced the following day, on February 2, 2023, while Bradley would be sentenced the same day. Each of them risks a 20-year sentence.
