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Feds Foil ISIS-Inspired Attack on US Capitol

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An Ohio man accused of plotting a homegrown terror attack in the nation's capital is behind bars Thursday.

Christopher Lee Cornell was arrested Wednesday after buying two M-15 assault rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition from the Point Blank Indoor Shooting Range and Gun Shop in Ohio.

"You wouldn't think Cincinnati, Ohio - jihadist in the same sentence," Point Blank manager John Dean said.

According to the FBI, the 20-year-old's plan was to launch a deadly assault on the Capitol building and members of Congress.

Authorities say Cornell, also known as Raheel Mahrus, publicly supported the Islamic State and had been posting disturbing messages on Twitter.

"I believe we should just wage jihad under our own orders and plan attacks," he tweeted.

A beginner’s handguide to Islam was among the things taken from Cornell's apartment.

"He had just recently converted to Islam and I mean, he had been talking about it for a few months," his father, John Cornell, said. "He's a good kid. He's been kind of lost."

The news comes as France continues to investigate the recent terror attacks in Paris.

Both incidents highlight a growing concern that more Islamic jihadists around the world are beginning to model themselves after ISIS. 

For instance, Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is acting more and more like the Islamic State, declaring an Islamic caliphate and launching widespread attacks across countries in East Africa.

Girls as young as 10 are being used as suicide bombers and the number of attacks there are increasing. In one of their most recent attacks, Boko Haram massacred up to 2,000 people.

Despite the deadly terrorism in Paris, and the Muslim attacks around the world, the White House still refuses to use the words "radical Islam" to describe the jihadist – even when they themselves say they're acting on behalf of Islam and Mohammed.

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About The Author

Caitlin Burke Headshot
Caitlin
Burke

Caitlin Burke serves as National Security Correspondent and a general assignment reporter for CBN News. She has also hosted the CBN News original podcast, The Daily Rundown. Some of Caitlin’s recent stories have focused on the national security threat posed by China, America’s military strength, and vulnerabilities in the U.S. power grid. She joined CBN News in July 2010, and over the course of her career, she has had the opportunity to cover stories both domestically and abroad. Caitlin began her news career working as a production assistant in Richmond, Virginia, for the NBC affiliate WWBT