19-year-old Farhan Sheikh was arrested in Chicago on Monday after making threats on social media to attack patients and doctors at an abortion clinic this coming Friday.
Sheikh posted the threats on iFunny, a meme sharing app that is becoming a hot spot for right-wing extremists and white supremacists. He was taken into custody by the FBI and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, for which he could serve up to five years if convicted. He faces a detention hearing on Tuesday.
“I am done with my state and thier bullshit abortion laws and allowing innocrnt kids to be slaughtered for the so called ‘womans right’ bullshit,” he said in his post. “Ive seen nothing but whores go out of the way to get an abortion, but no more.”
Sheikh told agents that the threats posted online were jokes, even though he had insisted otherwise on the app. “To all the fbi agents in this app, I am NOT a satirical account. I post what I mean, and I WILL carry out what I post.”
Sheikh followed user ArmyOfChrist, the handle used by Justin Olsen who was recently arrested in Ohio for threatening an agent. Regarding Olsen’s arrest he posted, “They arrested armyofchrist for no reason except suppressing us and our freedoms.” Olsen previously posted on iFunny espousing support for mass shootings and attacks on Planned Parenthood. Olsen had been under investigation since February and was found with a stockpile of ammunition and guns. Agents decided to take him in after the recent shootings in Dayton and El Paso.
Sources: Huffington Post 8/20/19; Buzzfeed News 8/19/19; Buzzfeed News 8/15/19