Jihad Jane linked to plot to kill cartoonist
Colleen R LaRose, or Jihad Jane as she calls herself, travelled to south of Ireland last autumn and is suspected of attempting to recruit people for the murder plot.
The self-styled jihadist was arrested and charged in the US in October while authorities there raised the alarm with gardaí about an alleged al Qaida-linked plot here to kill the controversial Swedish artist.
An al Qaida group had offered $100,000 (€74,000) to kill Lars Vilks, 63, over a 2007 drawing depicting the Prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog. Islamic tradition prohibits depictions of Mohammed, the founder of Islam.
Five people held in connection with then alleged plot to kill the cartoonist have had their period of detention extended by 72 hours.
The three Algerians, one Libyan and one Palestinian were brought before a special sitting of Waterford District Court last evening.
Two other people are still being held for questioning and are due to be brought to court this morning when gardaí will also seek to extend their periods of detention. The four men and three women were arrested on Tuesday in Waterford and Cork in connection with a conspiracy to murder an individual in another jurisdiction.
A trawl through computers, phones and documents seized is being carried out.
Garda sources believe Pennsylvania woman LaRose travelled here last year to recruit people to join the plot to kill Mr Vilks.
LaRose was arrested in October, but her incarceration was kept secret until her indictment in the US was unsealed on Tuesday.
US authorities say LaRose called herself Jihad Jane in a YouTube video in June 2008, in which she said she was “desperate to do something somehow to help” ease the suffering of Muslims. LaRose is accused of travelling to Europe in August 2009, tracking online her intended murder target, of trying to raise money over the internet, of luring others to her cause and lying to FBI investigators.
The garda operation here is part of an international investigation involving police and security services in the US, including the FBI, and other European countries.
Of those in custody, two males and a female are from Algeria, another male is from Croatia and another from Palestine, while the other two females are from Libya the US.
All seven, aged in their 20s to 40s, are being held at Garda stations in counties Waterford and Kilkenny.
One male from Algeria, who has been resident in Ireland for 10 years, is at the centre of garda investigations.
Muslim leaders in Ireland have reacted differently to the arrests. One Imam said the arrests were no surprise considering the type of ‘circles’ some Muslims were mixing in. Another Islamic theologian said proof was needed of the plot before conclusions could be drawn.
Gardaí say those in custody posed no threat to anyone on Irish soil and are not known terrorists.
No weapons were found during the raids.
Mr Vilks has been quoted as saying he was unfazed by the arrests, which he said he thought could be linked to two death threats he received by telephone in January.
