Update June 24th: Read New English Review for an update on the Marine charged in a jihadist plot, here.
This is a breaking story in the Washington, DC area today.
Update: Alleged terror plotter a former Marine, here. (At 22, he sure got in and out of the Marines fast?)
From MYFoxDC:
ARLINGTON, Va. – A man was in custody Friday after a major security alert outside the Pentagon.
The incident began when a man — believed to be a naturalized US citizen who came to the US from Ethiopia — was found in the nearby Arlington National Cemetery overnight Thursday. The man was arrested at the scene.
US Park Police then searched for the man’s vehicle. A short time later, a car was located near the Pentagon.
Several roads near the Pentagon were blocked off as law enforcement agencies including the FBI, the US Park Police, and the Pentagon Police rushed to the scene. A Pentagon Police spokesman said that an explosives team was also called in to investigate the vehicle.
Authorities reportedly found al Qaeda-related statements, a backpack initially believed to contain ammonium nitrate, and spent 9mm shells at the scene, ABC’s “Good Morning America” reported.
A notebook containing words including “al Qaeda” and Taliban” was found at the scene, FOX News Channel reported.
ABC News is reporting that the man’s name is Yonathan Melaku, 22 of Alexandria, VA.
If you thought all Ethiopians were Christians and therefore not likely to be terrorists, then you are wrong. Ethiopia is approximately 34% Muslim, here. And, I was interested to see that the Oromo who are now arriving in meatpacking towns like Garden City, Kansas are Muslim.
If you are a new reader, the Ethiopian Community Development Council located in Arlington, VA is one of the top federal refugee contractors and responsible for many Ethiopian immigrants in Northern Virginia. As a matter of fact, I once heard they were operating in Maryland and ran into some sort of problem and no longer resettle refugees in Maryland.
Melaku is likely a former refugee or asylee. Just a reminder that Open Borders activists are moaning about increased security screening slowing the flow of refugees to American. Earlier this month we had two Iraqi refugees arrested on terror charges in Kentucky, here.
In addition, we recently told you about another Ethiopian former refugee on trial for murder in Northern Virginia here.