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The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity / sympathies.
A Tampa, Florida man writes on Facebook that he converted to Islam after he served with the U.S. military overseas. Recently, he has posted pro-Islamic State (ISIS) content and promoted jihad. Specifically, posting content from a pro-ISIS media outlet known for publishing anti-West posters calling for jihad. He writes many personal messages about his time in the U.S. military, promising that he will spend the rest of his life working to make amends for his mistakes by fighting against, and encouraging others to fight against, the U.S. military.
Posts Against And Threatening The U.S. And The U.S. Military
The man posted an image of a U.S. soldier, commenting that while the U.S. military told him he was fighting to protect innocent American civilians from merciless killers, he had been lied to, and that it was the U.S. military who were the mindless killers and oppressors. He wrote it that he converted to Islam later and vowed he will not stop fighting the U.S. military and their lies until he is dead.
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In another post, the man commented on the recent riots and protests happening domestically in the United States after the murder of George Floyd who was killed in police custody on May 25, 2020. He claims that this is not just a police issue, but a larger U.S. military issue, arguing that he witnessed the U.S. military use violent suppression internationally and will now work for the rest of his life on fixing the mistakes that he personally made while in the military.
He shared an article discussing the United States' use of drones against Al-Shabab in Somalia, arguing that while U.S. military may have left certain countries, it remains active. He claims that the military believes Muslims anywhere are evil, but that he has witnessed first-hand that the U.S. military is Satanic.
He shared an article about the U.S. Air Force changing their dress code policy with regard to Islamic dress. He argued that this change was a way to put Muslims against other Muslims, using them as propaganda and as a way to learn about Islam to then psychologically attack their enemy. Again, he mentions that he witnessed these tactics first-hand and hopes no other Muslim will fall into this lie, vowing to repay his debt to Islam by fighting the U.S. military.
In another post, the Tampa man shared an article showing French soldiers arriving at the port of Beirut after the explosion on August 4, 2020, writing that this demonstration of care was a façade, and the reality of the situation is that the soldiers only cared about greed and power. He notes that he was once part of the U.S. military, but thankfully was shown the path of Islam. He then suggests that the Beirut explosion was an accident and hopes that it was not a tactic to get Muslims out of Lebanon.
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