Arizona Woman Who Attempted To Help Al-Qaeda In Operation Against Americans Arrested At Airport

A woman from Arizona was arrested Wednesday, July 22, for attempting to provide material support to the terrorist organization, al-Qaeda.

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the woman, identified as 35-year-old Jill Marie Jones, was communicating with two FBI undercover agents, assuming that one of them was a member of the terrorist organization.

"During her conversations with the purported al-Qaeda member, Jones agreed to send the employee money to purchase scopes for rifles that would be used by al-Qaeda to kill American soldiers. In May 2020, Jones gave the purported al-Qaeda member $500 using a prepaid gift card," the press release stated.

The investigation also revealed that the accused wanted to travel overseas to assist the organization.

"Thereafter, Jones purchased tickets to fly overseas to join al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, but due to airport closures, she changed her flights to go to Turkey instead. Jones planned to then travel on to Syria. On July 22, 2020, Jones traveled to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in Arizona to board a flight to begin her travel to join al-Qaeda. FBI agents arrested Jones after she checked in for her flight at the airport," the press release stated.

The criminal complaint stated that the woman wanted to help the terrorist organization from Arizona for an operation against American soldiers.

"I had at one time thought of acting here, I have a base near me. But my power is limited here. My resources and its reach," Jones told the investigators, AZ Family reported.

Speaking about the case Michael Bailey, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, said, "She did try to send money, send $500, to support Islamic terrorism abroad. She specifically referenced the fact that she was sending that money for the purpose of killing Americans."

She now faces one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

"According to the allegations in the complaint, she did not express an intention to actually take part in the fighting. Although she expressed a very clear intention to provide support to those fighting Americans," ABC 15 quoted Bailey, as saying.

The investigation was ongoing and the official charges levied against the woman were not known.

Al Qaeda is a militant Islamist organization founded in the late 1980s by Osama bin Laden. It eventually merged with several other Islamist organizations and on several occasions, declared war against the United States. They were also responsible for the September 11 attacks that killed close to 3,000 people in New York.