Justin Nojan Sullivan, 19, of Morganton, N.C. was charged by the Department of Justice with seven different counts of attempting to help the Islamic State, and was also charged by a local grand jury for the murder of his 74-year-old neighbor.
Photo by Burke County Sheriff's Department
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A North Carolina teen was indicted for the murder of his neighbor on the same day he was charged with trying to help the Islamic State
Justin Nojan Sullivan, 19, of Morganton, N.C. was indicted on seven charges in federal court of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, receipt of a silencer in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm; concealment and storage of a stolen firearm, use of interstate facilities in the attempted commission of a murder-for-hire, and two counts of making false statements to FBI agents.
A grand jury also charged Sullivan with the 2014 murder of his 74-year-old neighbor, John Clark.
Sullivan, a self-professed Islamic convert, was originally arrested by the FBI in June for trying to help the Islamic State. Officials said a 22-caliber rifle found inside Sullivan's home is linked to Clark's murder.
But the Department of Justice said Sullivan planned even more murders.
"Justin Sullivan had elaborate plans to kill hundreds of innocent people to show his support for the terrorist organization, [the Islamic State]," said Special Agent in Charge John Strong
Sullivan discussed plans with an undercover FBI agent to launch an attack at a concert, club or bar, attempting to kill as many as 1,000 people with an assault rifle and silencer.
"During the course of our investigation, evidence was uncovered linking Sullivan to John Bailey Clark's murder six months earlier," Strong said.
