Man Accused of Bomb Plot at Kansas City 9/11 memorial; Lauren Bush; 9th Period

Joshua Ryne Goldberg from Orange Park, Florida, has been charged for distributing information on how to create weapons and explosives. After suspecting Goldberg of coordinating Jihad attacks through social media, the FBI started communicating with him through Twitter direct messaging. These conversations began in late-July, and by mid-August, Goldberg had shared explicit information and website links on how to “construct explosives, including pipe bombs and incendiary devices.” The conversation then turned to deciding where to attack. Goldberg asked the FBI source if he could travel to Kansas City to bomb the Kansas City Stair Climb on September 13, and event honoring the New York City firefighters killed in the 9/11 attacks. Authorities eventually were able to locate Goldberg’s Florida home address. When agents raided his house on a search warrant, Goldberg confessed  that he had been spreading information on how to make bombs online. He claimed that he was going to call the authorities before the bomb was detonated so he could be a hero. I’m curious to know whether or not this is really the case. It is very likely that Goldberg made up this hero excuse to avoid a longer jail-time sentence. I also think it is pretty stupid to discuss something so illegal on social media, which has proved in the past so easy to hack and obtain personal information from. I feel like with the growing popularity of ISIS and other terrorist groups on social media, extremists feel they can post whatever they please without thinking of the consequences.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/10/us/9-11-memorial-bomb-plot-kansas-city-missouri/