Washington - A Pennsylvania woman known as “Jihad Jane” pleaded guilty on Tuesday to plotting to kill a Swedish cartoonist, providing material support to terrorists, and other criminal charges, the US Justice Department said.
Colleen LaRose, at a federal hearing in Philadelphia, admitted her role in a plot with others to kill the cartoonist, who had depicted the Prophet Mohammed in a way that is offensive to Muslims.
LaRose, 47, who has been in US custody for more than a year, could be sent to prison for life when she is sentenced on March 3.
Justice Department prosecutors said LaRose, who is from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, used online pseudonyms such as “Jihad Jane,” “Fatima LaRose”, “ExtremeSister4Life” and “SisterOFTerror”.
They said she used multiple email and YouTube accounts, other websites and various online usernames to publish violent jihadist literature and videos, to raise funds for militants and recruit others.
LaRose initially pleaded not guilty in March after an unsealed federal grand jury indictment alleged that she recruited men online to wage “violent jihad”, or holy war, in South Asia and Europe.
Her case illustrated how US authorities have become increasingly concerned about Americans becoming radicalised by militant groups and being drawn in to participate in potential terrorism plots as well as being able to detect them. - Reuters