FBI says 'Australian' online jihadist actually young Florida man
Joshua Goldberg has allegedly been exposed as the man who posed as Australian jihadist 'Australi Witness'.
A 20-year-old Florida man has been charged over posing online as the Perth-based Islamic State jihadist called “Australi Witness” and instructing people on bombs and weapons of mass destruction.
Joshua Ryne Goldberg, a Jewish man who lives at his parents’ Jacksonville home, allegedly attempted to organise terror attacks in Melbourne and the US, according to authorities.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Mr Goldberg shared his plans online with an FBI source who was pretending to be a terrorist, which are now detailed in a criminal complaint filed in the US District Court.
He allegedly encouraged the FBI source to make a pressure cooker bomb and set it off at a Kansas City 9/11 memorial service this weekend.
He instructed the source to use nails and metal dipped in rat poison “because it increases the chances of killing those impacted”, the FBI allege.
The FBI said that Mr Goldberg seemed fixated on Australia, despite living on the other side of the world.
During an online conversation, the FBI source allegedly asked Goldberg: “Why Australia bro? Just curious. Are they as bad as the US?”
“And yes, Australia is bad as the US,” Goldberg allegedly replied.
Goldberg allegedly told the FBI source he was trying to organise a terrorist attack in Melbourne in July.
“Right now, I'm trying to get a mujahid in Melbourne to carry out jihad, but he keeps delaying it,” he allegedly wrote.
“He has a gun already, but he insists on making a video message to the kuffar with a black shahada flag… I am afraid he’ll get caught before he can do it.”
In August, Mr Goldberg allegedly told the FBI source he feared the Melbourne man had been arrested.
He told the source that he felt responsible for the arrest because he had posted about his Melbourne man on a “muhajideem” – or guerrilla fighters – discussion board.
He also allegedly claimed that he encouraged two gunmen to attack a Mohammed drawing contest in Texas in May, which resulted in the pair being shot dead.
He spoke to the source online between July and September, the FBI allege.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed it assisted the FBI to make the Joint Terrorism Task Force arrest, after determining that a person who “provided information over the internet to in an attempt to facilitate and encourage terrorist acts in Australia” was likely based in the US.
“Investigations… established no initial threat to the Australian community,” the AFP advised.
The AFP’s Acting Deputy Commissioner for National Security, Neil Gaughan said Mr Goldberg mistakenly thought that he could remain anonymous online.
Mr Gaughan said the alleged assailant had presumed he was safe.
“This operation again highlights how law enforcement can investigate people in the online space and use our long-established partnerships to work with overseas agencies to bring people to account for their actions,” Mr Gaughan said.
With AAP.
Anyone with information about people threatening terrorist acts online should phone the National Security Hotline on 1300 123 400.
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