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A 'lone wolf' attack on the Capitol: Ohio ISIS supporter arrested by FBI for allegedly planning an intense terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol

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20-year-old Christopher Lee Cornell aligned himself with ISIS and planned to bomb the U.S. Capitol.

The U.S. Capitol was shaken up Wednesday after reports of an alleged lone wolf terrorist attack on the building was suspected. Unemployed Ohio man, Christopher Lee Cornell, 20, has been on the FBI's radar for several months, and for good reason.

Highlights

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Cornell, using alias Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, previously took to Twitter posting his support for violent jihad, according to CNN. As time progressed, Cornell's threats became more serious; he started expressing details about his future terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol.

With the help from a hired informant, the FBI unleashed an undercover operation. The person was to infiltrate the mind of Cornell, and notify the FBI of any threats.

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Allegedly, Cornell told the FBI informant he had been in contact with people overseas and had aligned himself with ISIS.

"He explained to me, you know, that Islam wasn't a terrorist group. It was a way of life," Cornell's father, John Cornell told CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront.

Although Cornell did not think he would ever get "specific authorization to conduct a terrorist attack in the United States, but stated that he wanted to go forward with violent jihad and opined that this would be their way of supporting ISIL," according to the complaint.

Cornell wrote, "I believe that we should just wage jihad under our own orders and plan attacks and everything ... I believe we should meet up and make our own group in alliance with the Islamic State here and plan operations ourselves."

He set into motion his plans to build and set off pipe bombs in the U.S. Capitol and then shoot down the fleeing people. Cornell researched the buildings and how to construct pipe bombs; he saved money for weapons and ammunition.

According to CNN, immediately after the FBI was informed that Cornell had purchased the weapons, they made their move to obtain Cornell.

"He had $1,287 saved up. These guns cost over $1,700," John Cornell said. According to Cornell's father, John, this is the FBI's fault. He believes someone else had to make up the difference in costs, and that his son was pushed into carrying out the terrorist plans.

"He's a big mama's boy, you know. His best friend is his kitty cat," John Cornell told CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. "There's no way he could have carried out any kind of terrorist plot. I think Chris was coerced into a lot of this."

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A law enforcement officer told CNN despite the threat, there was never any real danger posed to those in the Capitol. They had working knowledge regarding Cornell's plans and had tags on him the whole time.

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Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

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