nationalsecuritylaw United States v. LaRose (E.D. Pa. Feb. 1, 2011) (guilty plea in

* United States v. LaRose (E.D. Pa. Feb. 1, 2011)

From the government’s press release (see also the attached plea memo):

WASHINGTON – Colleen R. LaRose, aka “Jihad Jane,” 47, pleaded guilty today to all counts of a superseding indictment charging her with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements and attempted identity theft. LaRose faces maximum potential sentence of life in prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced.

…

LaRose, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Montgomery County, Pa., was first charged by indictment in March 2010. A superseding indictment was filed in April 2010, adding co-defendant Jamie Paulin Ramirez, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Colorado. Ramirez is awaiting trial, which is scheduled to begin May 2, 2011.

According to documents filed with the court, LaRose and her co-conspirators recruited men on the Internet to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe, and recruited women on the Internet who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad.

LaRose and her co-conspirators used the Internet to establish relationships with one another and to communicate regarding their plans, which included martyring themselves, soliciting funds for terrorists, soliciting passports and avoiding travel restrictions (through the collection of passports and through marriage) in order to wage violent jihad. LaRose also stole another individual’s U.S. passport and transferred it in an effort to facilitate an act of international terrorism.

In addition, LaRose received a direct order to kill a citizen and resident of Sweden, and to do so in a way that would frighten “the whole Kufar [non-believer] world.” LaRose agreed to carry out her murder assignment and she and her co-conspirators discussed that her appearance and American citizenship would help her blend in while carrying out her plans. LaRose later traveled to Europe and tracked the intended target online in an effort to complete her task.

Plea Memo – LaRose.pdf

By Robert M. Chesney

Robert M. Chesney is Charles I. Francis Professor in Law at UT-Austin School of Law. Chesney is a national security law specialist, with a particular interest in problems associated with terrorism. Professor Chesney recently served in the Justice Department in connection with the Detainee Policy Task Force created by Executive Order 13493. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Law and National Security, a senior editor for the Journal of National Security Law & Policy, an associate member of the Intelligence Science Board, a non-resident senior fellow of the Brookings Institution, a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the American Law Institute. Professor Chesney has published extensively on topics ranging from detention and prosecution in the counterterrorism context to the states secrets privilege. He served previously as chair of the Section on National Security Law of the Association of American Law Schools and as editor of the National Security Law Report (published by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Law and National Security). His upcoming projects include two books under contract with Oxford University Press, one concerning the evolution of detention law and policy and the other examining the judicial role in national security affairs.

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