{"id":287857,"date":"2026-09-17T04:02:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T04:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/287857\/"},"modified":"2026-09-17T04:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-17T04:02:32","slug":"pennsylvania-man-charged-in-alleged-isis-inspired-attack-plot-arrested-day-after-9-11-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/287857\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania man charged in alleged ISIS-inspired attack plot arrested day after 9\/11"},"content":{"rendered":"

BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. (WOLF\/TNND) \u2014 A 21-year-old man from Valencia, Pennsylvania, has been charged federally<\/a> after investigators alleged he obtained a rifle and ammunition while preparing for an ISIS-inspired attack.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Hunter Kramer of Butler County was arrested after FBI agents approached him outside a hotel in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 12, according to a criminal complaint<\/a> filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is charged with receiving a firearm and ammunition while knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, it would be used to commit a felony or a federal terrorism crime.<\/p>\n

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,\u201d said Attorney General Todd Blanche. \u201cTheir outstanding work thwarted this alleged attack before innocent lives could be lost. The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to terrorize the American people and bring them to justice.”<\/p>\n

Investigators said Kramer had returned to the hotel carrying three 30-round rifle magazines and five boxes of rifle ammunition. The FBI later searched Kramer, his hotel room and his residence, authorities said.<\/p>\n

Kramer AffidavitPDF previewPreview PDF<\/p>\n

View PDF<\/a><\/p>\n

Agents seized a semiautomatic rifle, five rifle magazines, 190 rounds of ammunition, a scope and bipod, pepper spray and about 30 knives, according to the complaint.<\/p>\n

The FBI said it began investigating Kramer again in March after receiving an online tip that he had resumed concerning behavior following his release from a Pennsylvania juvenile detention facility. Authorities alleged he used the online name \u201cHamza Al Rashid,\u201d claimed affiliation with ISIS, discussed explosive manuals and said he was preparing for a \u201cmission\u201d but lacked a weapon.<\/p>\n

Kramer was taken into custody just as he appeared to be preparing for a mass shooting that could have taken many lives, having already secured a rifle and approximately 190 rounds of ammunition for what he called his \u2018mission,\u2019\u201d said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg. \u201cHis apparent ISIS inspiration and escalation toward violence show how close this country came to a devastating attack. This arrest prevented what could have been a horrific tragedy.”<\/p>\n

Kramer had previously been adjudicated delinquent as a minor in Pennsylvania in connection with an alleged mass-casualty plot and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n

On Sept. 12, FBI surveillance observed Kramer leave his home, buy a disposable phone, meet someone in a parking lot and obtain a long black bag from a vehicle, the complaint said. He then checked into the Cranberry Township hotel, paid in cash and later went to a sporting goods store, investigators said.<\/p>\n

This FBI continues to move more effectively than we ever have stopping terrorists before they harm the American people,\u201d said FBI Director Kash Patel. \u201cThe subject in this case was allegedly plotting a violent attack in support of ISIS \u2014 engaging with ISIS propaganda online, building attack concepts, and repeatedly expressing extremist rhetoric \u2014 all while acquiring weapons believed to be in preparation of the attack.”<\/p>\n

Kramer made his initial court appearance on Monday. Prosecutors have asked that he remain detained without bond while the case proceeds, saying he poses a danger to the community.<\/p>\n

A criminal complaint is an accusation, and Kramer is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. (WOLF\/TNND) \u2014 A 21-year-old man from Valencia, Pennsylvania, has been charged federally after investigators alleged…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":287858,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-287857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287857"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287857\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/287858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}