Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has reported a sting operation on a young Muslim who posted messages in support of Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.

The FBI used a Muslim informant to offer Christopher Cornell weapons to attack Congress and federal officers. Officials said the 20-year-old Cornell purchased two semi-automatic weapons and 600 rounds of ammunition in Ohio in 2014.

“He considered the members of Congress as enemies and that he intended to conduct on attack on the US Capitol,” an FBI affadavit said.

Cornell, arrested on Jan. 14, was the latest target of FBI sting operations against would-be Islamic insurgents and Middle East spies. Civil rights groups and security analysts have asserted that the sting operations focused on mentally unstable people tempted by offers to become jihadist fighters.

In 2014, Cornell opened a Twitter account under the name of Raheel Ubaydah and posted messages in support of ISIL. At a certain point, another Muslim, suspected of unspecified crimes, told the FBI of Ubaydah and offered to work as an informant.

“I believe that we should just wage jihad under our own orders and plan attacks and everything,” the FBI quoted Cornell as saying.

Cornell was said to have planned to assemble improvised explosive devices and detonate them near Congress. The FBI said Cornell, who did not have accomplices, then told the informant he would storm the Capitol building and kill as many people as he could.

The Justice Department said the sting operation and sale of weapons to Cornell did endanger Americans. The department did not mention Cornell’s support of ISIL.

The U.S. intelligence community has warned of ISIL penetration and the prospect of an attack. So far, however, the FBI has failed to uncover ISIL operatives.

“These terrorists are intent on attacking our country and are attempting to convince Americans at home to radicalize, embrace their perverse world view and commit acts of violence,” House Homeland Security Committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul said.

  FBI ran sting operation on young Muslim backing ISIL on Twitter, WorldTribune.com