Ex-jihadist warns of predatory recruitment after ISIS-inspired bomb plot in New York City

A former jihadist turned counterterrorism operative warns that a lethal ideology is turning American teenagers into ISIS-inspired "superheroes."

Mubin Shaikh was radicalized at age 20 but was later de-radicalized and became a counterterrorism operative in Canada. Following the latest terror attack in New York City, he explained the predatory nature of extremist recruiters.

"It's like drug dealing. You give them something that they're [going to] get high off of. A kid who's looking for a sense of meaning, belonging, purpose, identity," Shaikh said on "Saturday in America."

"He's a zero in real life and he goes online and suddenly he's Abu Jihad, a superhero. He's from zero to hero overnight," he added.

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On March 7, two teenagers attempted to use improvised explosive devices at a demonstration outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani's home, Gracie Mansion. 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi traveled from Pennsylvania to Manhattan to hurl explosive devices into a crowd, according to the Justice Department. 

The incident is being investigated as "ISIS-inspired terrorism" after one of the suspects reportedly wrote and signed a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State, according to federal prosecutors.

Shaikh explained that ideology combined with grievances is what stirs young people to act. He described purpose and identity as a product being sold by jihadist recruiters.

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Shaikh noted the United States has fought other countries in the past, including Vietnam and Japan, yet there is no generation of young people "out to kill Americans."

"They don't have an ideology that tells them, 'Hey, these attacks are occurring because you're Muslim. This is the reason why. And they hate you because of your identity and your religion. And that's why you got to lash out and attack them back,'" he said.

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Shaikh added that young people can quickly be radicalized online, far from the Middle East. He recalled his counterterrorism work against the "Toronto 18" in Canada, noting those young people had been fueled by what they saw online.

"They had been watching all these jihadi videos online of these guys training. And so now it's life imitating art because now you're seeing those videos, now I want to replicate those videos," he added.

According to New York prosecutors, Balat told investigators he wanted to carry out an attack "bigger" than the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which resulted in the deaths of three people and hundreds of injuries. Both suspects face up to life in prison.