CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A Pennsylvania man is in custody after federal authorities believe he was plotting an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack.
What we know:
Jonathan Kramer, 21, was arrested after FBI agents intercepted him as he returned to a Cranberry Township hotel holding three 30-round rifle magazines and five boxes of rifle ammunition. Agents then executed search warrants and seized a semiautomatic rifle, ammunition, and other items from his hotel room, according to federal officials.
Court filings state Kramer had been under investigation since an earlier 2023 case, in which, as a minor, he was charged and adjudicated delinquent in Pennsylvania for involvement in a mass casualty plot and for possessing child sexual abuse material.
Authorities allege Kramer used the online name “Hamza Al Rashid,” claimed association with ISIS, shared explosive manuals, and expressed intent to prepare for a “mission.”
Timeline:
On March 19, following Kramer’s release from a juvenile detention facility, the FBI received an anonymous online tip reporting troubling behavior, including ordering “mysterious” packages and a return to old contacts.
On Sept. 12, the FBI observed Kramer leave his home, purchase a disposable phone, acquire a long black bag in a parking lot, and check in to a hotel in Cranberry Township, paying in cash. He later visited a sporting goods store.
Agents approached Kramer in the hotel parking lot as he returned with bags from the store, and he agreed to speak with them. Additional items seized included a rifle bipod, a scope, magazines, 190 rounds of ammunition, a prayer rug, pepper spray, about 30 knives, an entrenchment tool, and a handwritten note.
What they’re saying:
FBI Director Kash Patel said Kramer “was allegedly plotting a violent attack in support of ISIS.”
“The subject in this case was allegedly plotting a violent attack in support of ISIS — engaging with ISIS propaganda online, building attack concepts, and repeatedly expressing extremist rhetoric — all while acquiring weapons believed to be in preparation of the attack,” Patel said.
“As Americans observed the 25th anniversary of 9/11, our law enforcement partners were working to protect our country from the continued threat of terrorism… Their outstanding work thwarted this alleged attack before innocent lives could be lost,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
What’s next:
Kramer made his initial court appearance on Sept. 14. Federal authorities have requested that he be detained without bond before trial, claiming he is a danger to the community.
What we don’t know:
Authorities have not detailed the specific location or target of the alleged planned attack, and the exact timing of the “mission” has not been released.
The Source: Information in this article provided by a press release from the Department of Justice.
