A 17-year-old from McKinney, Texas, is in federal custody after authorities accused him of plotting to kill Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) at an event on Oct. 17 and carry out a terrorist attack in North Texas on behalf of ISIS.
WFAA, the ABC News affiliate in Dallas, reported that the suspect was arrested on October 5 after he had acquired a firearm. Sources told the station the teen had recently become radicalized and was being monitored by federal agents.
While authorities have not publicly identified the suspect or a specific motive for targeting Self, the congressman suggested his political positions could have played a role.
“If it’s ISIS-related, you kind of have to believe that. I can’t prove that. I don’t know that for sure. But you have to follow the [old saying] if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck,” he said when asked whether his political positions led to him being a target.
Self introduced a resolution denouncing Sharia last month and co-founded the “Sharia-Free America Caucus” with fellow Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy. The caucus states its mission is “to oppose the influence of Sharia law in the United States and assert its incompatibility with the U.S. Constitution and Western values.”
Self thanked law enforcement for their efforts and said the alleged plot only strengthened his resolve.
“Preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam means accepting the costs that come with it—name-calling, threats, and worse,” he said. “Our Founders believed this country was worth the sacrifice. I served 25 years in the military because defending freedom was worth the sacrifice. This only strengthens my resolve. I will not back down.”
Evan Hunt, the Democrat challenging Self in November, condemned the alleged plot.
“There is no place for violence in our politics,” Hunt said. “No political disagreement ever justifies threatening someone’s life. Every elected official, their family and their staff deserve to be safe, regardless of party.”
Hunt added, “I appreciate the FBI and the law enforcement officers working to keep our communities and public servants safe. We must settle our differences through debate and at the ballot box. Political violence must be condemned without hesitation or excuses, no matter who is targeted.”
Self is running for his third term in Congress this November.
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