FBI: Man planned to bomb US Capitol, kill officials

World Today

This photo made available by the Butler County Jail shows Christopher Lee Cornell. Cornell plotted to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington and kill government officials inside it and spoke of his desire to support the Islamic State militant group, the FBI said on Wednesday. Photo: AP

A 20-year-old man’s Twitter posts sympathizing with Islamic terrorists led to an undercover FBI operation and his arrest on charges that he plotted to blow up the U.S. Capitol and kill government officials.

Christopher Lee Cornell, also known as Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, told an FBI informant they should “wage jihad,” and showed his plans for bombing the Capitol and shooting people, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Ohio Wednesday. The FBI said Cornell expressed his support for the Islamic State.

Cornell’s arrest came only days after a grand jury indictment charged another Cincinnati-area resident with threatening to murder House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner.

“Once again, the entire Congress owes a debt of gratitude to the FBI and all those who keep us safe,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in a statement Wednesday.

The complaint against Cornell charges him with attempting to kill officers and employees of the United States. He was arrested Wednesday after buying two semi-automatic rifles and about 600 rounds of ammunition, authorities said.

This story is compiled with The Associated Press.