Terrence J. McNeill posted multiple kill lists to social media, urging others to kill U.S. military members. (Photo: Tumblr)
An Ohio man and self-proclaimed supporter of ISIS was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday for soliciting the murder of U.S. armed forces members.
According to a Justice Department news release, 24-year-old Terrence J. McNeil pleaded guilty earlier this year to five counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and five counts of making threatening interstate communications.
“With this sentence, McNeil is being held accountable for disseminating ISIS’s violent rhetoric, circulating U.S. military personnel information and explicitly calling for the killing of American service members in their homes and communities,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente. “The National Security Division will continue to investigate and prosecute those who use social media to threaten acts of violence against our military members and their families, on behalf of terrorist organizations.”
Court documents revealed that McNeil expressed support numerous times on social media for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
In September 2015, McNeil posted a gif file to Tumblr with the banner “Islamic State Hacking Division,” followed by “Target: United States Military” and “Leak: Addresses of 100 U.S. Military Personnel.” The image showed dozens of photos of U.S. military personnel with their names and addresses, as well as the following text:
O Brothers in America, know that the jihad against the crusaders is not limited to the lands of the Khilafah, it is a world-wide jihad and their war is not just a war against the Islamic State, it is a war against Islam…Know that it is wajib (translated to “necessary”) for you to kill these kuffar! and now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for? Kill them in their own lands, behead them in their own homes, stab them to death as they walk their streets thinking that they are safe…
The final image in the gif showed a handgun and knife and read, “…and kill them wherever you find them.”
McNeil posted several other kill lists in late 2015, urging people to murder U.S. military members. The ISIS supporter also researched firearms prices online and had detailed bomb-making instructions in his possession.
“It is reassuring knowing that Terrence McNeil will spend a significant amount of time behind bars for the crimes he committed,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said. “The FBI will continue to aggressively defend First Amendment rights, however in this case, McNeil went far beyond free speech by reposting names and addresses of 100 U.S. service members, all with the intent to have them killed.”
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