AKRON, OH – Terrence J. McNeil, 24, of Akron, Ohio, has confessed to a chilling plot to incite the murder of members of the U.S. military. McNeil pleaded guilty to five counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and five counts of making threatening interstate communications, admitting he actively sought to have American service members killed.
The case, a joint effort by the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, and the FBI’s Cleveland Division, reveals a disturbing pattern of online radicalization and direct calls for violence. According to authorities, McNeil wasn’t just spouting rhetoric; he was actively distributing information intended to facilitate attacks on soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.
“Terrence McNeil pleaded guilty to soliciting the murder of members of our military,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord. “He disseminated ISIL’s violent rhetoric, circulated U.S. military personnel information, and explicitly called for the killing of American service members in their homes and communities. Now, he will be held accountable.” McCord emphasized the National Security Division’s commitment to disrupting such threats, particularly those leveraging social media.
The investigation uncovered that in September 2015, McNeil used a Tumblr account to reblog a file titled “Islamic State Hacking Division,” specifically targeting U.S. military personnel. This file, a looping .gif, contained the names, addresses, and military branches of approximately 100 service members, accompanied by explicit instructions and incitements to murder. The text within the file urged “brothers in America” to engage in “jihad” against “crusaders,” framing the conflict as a war against Islam itself and explicitly calling for beheadings and stabbings.
“While we aggressively defend First Amendment rights, the individual arrested went far beyond free speech by reposting names and addresses of 100 U.S. service members, all with the intent to have them killed,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division. McNeil continued to post similar “kill lists” throughout late 2015, repeatedly urging others to locate and murder U.S. servicemen and women. Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja added, “This case demonstrates the challenges faced by law enforcement in confronting global terrorism…The message should be clear that individuals who engage in this behavior will be aggressively prosecuted.”
McNeil is scheduled to be sentenced on August 2nd. Under the terms of the plea agreement, he faces a potential prison sentence of between 15 and 20 years. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Cleveland conducted the investigation, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christos Georgalis and Michelle Baeppler, and assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division. This case serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threat of online radicalization and the ongoing efforts to protect those who serve in the U.S. military.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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