Emerson Begolly, a 21-year-old Penn State student who allegedly expressed pro-jihad and anti-Semitic sentiments, was arrested in the parking lot of a Burger King in Pennsylvania last week after he allegedly went for a gun in his pocket and then bit two FBI agents when they tried to question him about his online activities.But a closer look at Begolly’s case and his personal background suggests that the pro-jihad and anti-Semitic remarks which brought him to the attention of law enforcement may be the product of a troubled past. And while his personal political beliefs appear to have been radicalized following what his mother described as a “breakdown” last month, his lawyer argued that there’s no indication he had the intent — or the means — to wage any sort of attack.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=116232