Federal authorities arrested a 17-year-old McKinney Islamist on Oct. 5 for allegedly plotting to murder Rep. Keith Self and carry out a terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS, according to local reports citing federal sources.
The unidentified individual had been on the FBI’s radar for some time after allegedly radicalizing online through ISIS material. Agents moved in after he acquired a firearm. Investigators believe he planned to target Self last Saturday at a chili cookoff at a VFW post in McKinney that the congressman was scheduled to judge. They also suspected a separate ISIS-inspired attack in North Texas. The teen remains in federal custody. Prosecutors are seeking to try him as an adult. “I am grateful to the FBI and law enforcement for stopping this threat. My family and I are safe, and I remain focused on serving the people of Texas’ 3rd District,” Self said in a statement.
“Preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam means accepting the costs that come with it—name-calling, threats, and worse. Our Founders believed this country was worth the sacrifice. I served 25 years in the military because defending freedom was worth the sacrifice. This only strengthens my resolve. I will not back down,” he added.
Self is a founding member and co-chair of the Sharia-Free America Caucus, which he launched with Rep. Chip Roy. The caucus says its mission is “to oppose the influence of Sharia law in the United States and assert its incompatibility with the U.S. Constitution and Western values.” It has grown to 70 members from 25 states. Self has said he suspects his work on the issue is connected to the alleged plot, though he cannot prove it.
“If it’s ISIS related, you kind of have to believe that. I can’t prove that. I don’t know that for sure. But you have to follow the walks like a duck and quacks like a duck. It’s probably a duck,” he told WFAA on Wednesday night.
The FBI has declined public comment on the case. Self represents Texas’ 3rd Congressional District and is seeking a third term.