By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

An FBI agent and Boston police officer were justified in using deadly force against a man suspected in a terror plot.

Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force shot Usaamah Rahim, 26, on June 2, 2015, after they say he lunged at them with a knife, NBC4 reports.

The task force approached him about recorded phone conversations when he tried to attack the members.

“The evidence proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rahim was armed with a large, military-style knife and posed the threat of death or serious bodily injury to the task force officers,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said at a Wednesday afternoon media briefing. “Their use of deadly force was a lawful exercise of self defense and defense of others.”

Rahim was accused of plotting to behead conservative blogger Pamela Geller for organizing a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas. But investigators said he and co-conspirators chose instead to plot an attack on police officers.

Amy Hess/fbi photo

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Amy Hess, a 26-year veteran of the FBI, will be the new special agent in charge of the Louisville office beginning in October.

The Lexington Herald Leader reports she will be replacing the current head of the office, Howard S. Marshall, who is headed to FBI headquarters to become deputy assistant director of the Cyber Division.

Hess’ most recent assignment was executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch of the FBI. She has worked with the bureau since 1991.

Hess is originally from Jeffersonville, Indiana.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A former DEA agent who was accused of posing as an FBI agent in a fraud scheme no longer faces charges.

The Daily Breeze reports that federal prosecutors dropped their case against David Garcia Herrera, 70, this week.

The decision comes after U.S. District Court Judge Jesus Bernal said he would inform jurors that the U.S. Attorney’s Office had used bad evidence in the case.

Herrera and his alleged conspirator, Jerome Arthur Whittington, are accused of convincing a victim that they would help him recover money he lost in investment schemes if he paid about $290,000.

In another scheme, Herrera and Whittington are accused of convincing another victim to pay them about $8,500 to help with his wife’s immigration case.

Other Stories of Interest

• Warrant Reveals Focus of FBI’s ‘Johnny Doc’ Investigation
• FBI Says China Pushed U.S. Experts for Nuclear Secrets
• Can Apple, Microsoft Give FBI ‘Golden Key’ to Computers?
• Smuggler Who Bit Border Patrol Agent Has Been Arrested
• ATF Joins Local Probe into Chicago Fire That Killed 4

ISIS flag

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A Mississippi man thanked the FBI for saving his life as he was sentenced to eight years in prison Wednesday for trying to join ISIS.

Muhammad Dakhlalla told a federal judge that he didn’t know at the time what ISIS represented, the Associated Press reports. 

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty in March to one count of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Dakhlalla said he watched Internet videos with his former fiancee, Jaelyn Young, and videos depicted ISIS members helping people in Syria and Iraq. While jailed, he said he learned about ISIS’ violence after watching TV news coverage of the terrorist organization.

“I was completely wrong about what ISIS was,” Dakhlalla told U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock. “I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re really sick and twisted. They twist Islam for their own agenda. I denounce them. I condemn them.”

His former fiancee, Young, was sentenced to 12 years in prison earlier this month.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The FBI is investigating the hacking of actress and comedian Leslie Jones.

TMZ reports the FBI is trying to track down the person or people who hacked her iCloud and cell phone for photos and personal information. 

Nude photos and personal information was added to her website, causing a big embarassment for the star.

It’s unclear whether agents are investigating on the West Coast or East Coast because Jones lives in both.

Jones was a co-star on the new Ghostbusters movie and has been taunted by racists on Twitter.