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It's been almost a decade since 9/11, but America is forever on the lookout for the Next Big Plot. Even though 45,000 people die every year thanks to not having health insurance, the sensationalized threat of "terrorism" always captures the headlines. (I ain't neva scared, though.) With the country embroiled in two seemingly endless wars, it's not surprising when threats arise from overseas. But it does raise an eyebrow when U.S. citizens get charged with plotting against the States—like this week, when a woman dubbed "Jihad Jane" was accused of being an archenemy of G.I. Joe. Like many of her counterparts, the reasons are a complicated web of political beliefs and religious extremism, sprinkled with some insanity. So to put her story in context, here's a rundown of the highest-profile cases of Americans accused of Jihad...
Colleen LaRose, 2010
The suburban Pennsylvanian is one of only a handful of U.S. women ever charged with terrorism. While allegedly posting in chat rooms under the name "Jihad Jane," the Michigan native threatened to kill Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks for his demeaning depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. Her threats were also apparently a way to show loyalty to her new boo, a South Asian extremist she met online. Thanks again, Internet!
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