I have a fund raiser suggestion each fall you can do an "al-Shabab for Apples" fair, with games like dunk the infidel and pin the tail on the goat, a head chopping off contest, stone the adulteress. The joke of the thing would be that there are actually no apples.

He's lucky a drone didn't find him first.

Are we supposed to be surprised? This is the kind of worker you get when your entire employee pool is comprised of people who are there because they were too dumb to get into college and didn't have any other options.

Meanwhile, everyone in Somalia is confused as to why anyone would move to Somalia.

this ain't new. at least he was going to somalia rather than spending years as a double agent in military intelligence like the smart ones have done.

/in other news gangs use the military for tactics and weapons training.

Rapmaster2000: Meanwhile, everyone in Somalia is confused as to why anyone would move to Somalia.

Its a libertarian paradise!

PORK CHOP SANDWICHES

xl5150: Are we supposed to be surprised? This is the kind of worker you get when your entire employee pool is comprised of people who are there because they were too dumb to get into college and didn't have any other options.

While I don't agree with what you say, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

Another Republican hero in the making!

Look for the black armbands and weeping from the GOP when he gets blown away by a drone or some shiat.

/approves of headline

This guy was trained in "intelligence"?

I wonder what color he is.

7wolf: This guy was trained in "intelligence"?

Code making/breaking Crypto spookery. ELint or SIGint most likely.

If he'd tried to join Sha-Na-Na, this never would've happened.

7wolf: This guy was trained in "intelligence"?

Well...military intelligence, which is an oxymoron if I've ever heard one.

'He also said al-Shabab's practice of beating people seen on the street during what is supposed to be prayer time was "awesome."'

That's what the world needs. More beatings.

/GMAFB

FTA: "He also said al-Shabab's practice of beating people seen on the street during what is supposed to be prayer time was "awesome."

Excuse me, I have to be at the mosque in 26 minutes.

Taxmaster: While I don't agree with what you say, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

You mean you'll let some young poor person defend it to their death?

xl5150: Are we supposed to be surprised? This is the kind of worker you get when your entire employee pool is comprised of people who are there because they were too dumb to get into college and didn't have any other options.

A former U.S. soldier trained in cryptology and intelligence was charged Monday with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization after he flew to Africa in an unsuccessful bid to join al-Shabab, a group with links to al-Qaeda, authorities said.

Somehow I don't think he's the highschool drop out you imagine him to be.

And people don't become terrorists because they are broke and have nothing else going on.

Grosseteste: 'He also said al-Shabab's practice of beating people seen on the street during what is supposed to be prayer time was "awesome."'

That's what the world needs. More beatings.

/GMAFB

If they're beating people who aren't praying, shouldn't they beat themselves? Or does Islam have some sort of pray-while-you-beat deal?

Tiberius Gracchus: Taxmaster: While I don't agree with what you say, I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

You mean you'll let some young poor person defend it to their death?

I did my time. I used to be in the Army, then I took an arrow in the knee.

orezona: FTA: "He also said al-Shabab's practice of beating people seen on the street during what is supposed to be prayer time was "awesome."

Excuse me, I have to be at the mosque in 26 minutes.

I'd like to thank the guy for selecting himself out of US citizenship. We could do with a little less of the my-religion's-the-only-right-one attitude.

/in other news, Rick Santorum is still running for President

watson.t.hamster: A former U.S. soldier trained in cryptology and intelligence was charged Monday with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization after he flew to Africa in an unsuccessful bid to join al-Shabab, a group with links to al-Qaeda, authorities said.

Somehow I don't think he's the highschool drop out you imagine him to be.


Big deal. Being impressed with a military "education" in cryptology and intelligence is the same thing as being impressed with the extensive medical background of the doctor's assistant who takes your blood pressure.

Hang em, hang em high.

/Go all al-Qaeda on em!
//It works, I tell ya.

Zombie Eater: If he'd tried to join Sha-Na-Na, this never would've happened.

I'll save them for you...

This guy sounds like a real moron.

xl5150:
Big deal. Being impressed with a military "education" in cryptology and intelligence is the same thing as being impressed with the extensive medical background of the doctor's assistant who takes your blood pressure.

you have got to be the most boring transparent troll on fark. easily.

seriously, step it up a notch man, we've got standards around here. then again, I get the feeling you've been failing to meet standards all your life.

I_Am_Weasel: GI Joe should really just content himself with swimming on the water.

But then he runs the risk of getting stuck in some kid's asshole. I think he's safer on land.

FTA In an interview with FBI agents outlined in the complaint, Baxam admitted a willingness to commit violence, though mostly in defending al-Shabab's Somali territories from potential invaders. He told the agents that he was specifically seeking al-Shabab - not al-Qaeda - and that he felt offensive jihad was questionable.

I've heard plenty of fundy Christian vets saying the same thing about defending their way of life here in Homeland. They wouldn't go off crusading, but by golly, if someone comes into America and tries to crush The Jesus, they'll gladly fight to the death defending Him.

Subby you should have added "according to the complaint" at the end of your headline

This submission made me realize there's a shortage of Hendrix lyrics references on Fark. So, well done subby.

/it's just like cross town traffic, so hard to get through to you

sniderman: PORK CHOP SANDWICHES

fark, my bet was on this post coming in 7th

/slipping, etc...

Jake Havechek: Another Republican hero in the making!

Look for the black armbands and weeping from the GOP when he gets blown away by a drone or some shiat.

That damn Republican Obama!

So, the guy committed absolutely no crime in America, and sought only to leave the country to join a religious group that he admired, and nobody can prove that he even had any intent to do anything illegal or violent....

How is any of that a crime, especially since he did nothing illegal in America?

Oh, yeah, our "leaders" have decided that they get to say what the "law" is at whim, and to whom it applies and when, without any accountability, and the constitution and personal freedom be damned! And somehow they have claimed the right to do this ALL OVER THE WORLD. And if you dare show any sympathy for anyone our government (or our corporations) has chosen to illegitimately rule over, you're a TURRIST!


The guy's a dumbass, and I have no real sympathies for the group he wanted to join, but damn...am I the only one who's getting sick of my government acting as if it owns the entire world and everything and everyone in it?

Lets see you have a contract employee that you spend a small fortune training to do something very special to the job. He leaves after contract is up and signs up with the opposition. In the corporate world only a big deal to the companies that risk and could thousands to millions of dollars. Take that to the military world where thousands of lives could be at stake. Military world is life and death to all withen range of weapons, including us. He is a traitor to the people he was protecting. Traitors should rightly face death as per the laws of those he turned on.

Canned Tamales: So, the guy committed absolutely no crime in America, and sought only to leave the country to join a religious group that he admired, and nobody can prove that he even had any intent to do anything illegal or violent....

How is any of that a crime, especially since he did nothing illegal in America?

Oh, yeah, our "leaders" have decided that they get to say what the "law" is at whim, and to whom it applies and when, without any accountability, and the constitution and personal freedom be damned! And somehow they have claimed the right to do this ALL OVER THE WORLD. And if you dare show any sympathy for anyone our government (or our corporations) has chosen to illegitimately rule over, you're a TURRIST!


The guy's a dumbass, and I have no real sympathies for the group he wanted to join, but damn...am I the only one who's getting sick of my government acting as if it owns the entire world and everything and everyone in it?

He was also arrested by Kenyan police on "suspicion of trying to go to Somalia". Apparently that is a crime now?

One of these things: former U.S. soldier trained in cryptology and intelligence

Is not like the other: Baxam's plan to reach al-Shabab, though, was something less than ironclad. He set out with only a Koran and some other religious texts, a prayer mat, towel and razors

Maybe he's a commie but he must be some kind of retard or something.

Canned Tamales: So, the guy committed absolutely no crime in America, and sought only to leave the country to join a religious group that he admired, and nobody can prove that he even had any intent to do anything illegal or violent....

How is any of that a crime, especially since he did nothing illegal in America?

Oh, yeah, our "leaders" have decided that they get to say what the "law" is at whim, and to whom it applies and when, without any accountability, and the constitution and personal freedom be damned! And somehow they have claimed the right to do this ALL OVER THE WORLD. And if you dare show any sympathy for anyone our government (or our corporations) has chosen to illegitimately rule over, you're a TURRIST!


The guy's a dumbass, and I have no real sympathies for the group he wanted to join, but damn...am I the only one who's getting sick of my government acting as if it owns the entire world and everything and everyone in it?

Interesting point. I read the article are wrote him off as a jack-arse but didn't gasp the implication.

What would have happened if this was 1980's and this guy went to join the Nicaraguan Democratic Force? Does the State department ultimately decide who you can or can't support? Could he have gone and provided support to AMISOM? These are all rhetorical questions but the implication being "agree with the State Dept. or else".

xl5150: Are we supposed to be surprised? This is the kind of worker you get when your entire employee pool is comprised of people who are there because they were too dumb to get into college and didn't have any other options.

Can we just shoot this person now? Anyone this stupid should not be allowed to consume valuable oxygen.

/I will defend your right to say that
//I may shoot you, though
///just a flesh wound

I would bet that he violated his nda and future employment disclosure. They are no joke.

croesius: Canned Tamales: So, the guy committed absolutely no crime in America, and sought only to leave the country to join a religious group that he admired, and nobody can prove that he even had any intent to do anything illegal or violent....

How is any of that a crime, especially since he did nothing illegal in America?

Oh, yeah, our "leaders" have decided that they get to say what the "law" is at whim, and to whom it applies and when, without any accountability, and the constitution and personal freedom be damned! And somehow they have claimed the right to do this ALL OVER THE WORLD. And if you dare show any sympathy for anyone our government (or our corporations) has chosen to illegitimately rule over, you're a TURRIST!


The guy's a dumbass, and I have no real sympathies for the group he wanted to join, but damn...am I the only one who's getting sick of my government acting as if it owns the entire world and everything and everyone in it?

He was also arrested by Kenyan police on "suspicion of trying to go to Somalia". Apparently that is a crime now?

Hm...maybe because anyone who would do so voluntarily is (a) possibly insane (b) possibly a criminal or (c) possibly criminally insane and should be locked up for their own protection and that of others?

meh

I wonder if he is going to get a trial.

I wonder, if he had renounced his citizenship prior to his travelling, would the government still be able to arrest and extradite him?

Lolwut. Of course. We don't give a fark about rights.

chairborne: xl5150:
Big deal. Being impressed with a military "education" in cryptology and intelligence is the same thing as being impressed with the extensive medical background of the doctor's assistant who takes your blood pressure.

you have got to be the most boring transparent troll on fark. easily.

seriously, step it up a notch man, we've got standards around here. then again, I get the feeling you've been failing to meet standards all your life.

He's right, actually. I've met guys with the "Cryptological linguist" MOS who had never heard of "public key encryption". If you have that MOS you generally sit around with earphones all day listening to conversations in Russian/Arabic/whatever. Zero mathematical training. The army likes to throw the word cryptological in there, but if you're an enlisted dude you're probably not lying in bed wondering how the Chinese Remainder Theorem can be used to attack RSA.