On February 15th, a suspect painted ISIS graffiti on a local high school, cut up the US flag hanging on the flagpole in front of the school, and replaced it with an ISIS flag. After investigating the flag, the FBI determined that there were no ties to the incident and the Islamic State. Now, we find out the high school student who was responsible for the graffiti and ISIS flag brought a bomb to school and was planning to detonate it in a common area of the high school.

This story probably won’t get much coverage, however, because no guns were involved.

Last week, a teenage student in southern Utah brought an explosive device to school. Thankfully, it failed to explode and the student was arrested. The student was then tied to a recent Islamic State-inspired act of vandalism at a nearby school.

A teenage student at Pine View High School in St. George, Utah, placed an explosive device within a backpack in a common area of the school. Another student noticed smoke coming from the backpack and informed teachers, prompting an evacuation. Police confirmed that while the device failed to explode, it “had the potential to cause significant injury or death.” Police also tied the student to a vandalism case at another nearby school where he had painted ISIS graffiti, put up an ISIS flag on the school flagpole, and cut up the U.S. flag.

Employees at Hurricane High School in southwest Utah discovered the US flag had been torn to shreds and replaced with an ISIS flag. Someone had also spray painted ‘ISIS IS COMI’ on a wall (Is it possible the suspect was painting “ISIS IS COMING” but had to stop for some reason?). The Hurricane Police Department sent images of the flag to the FBI for analysis. The FBI dismissed a connection with ISIS, stating: “Based on information we received from the FBI we do not believe this act was perpetrated by someone linked to the Islamic State.”

WATCH:

 

This plot was the 102nd Islamist plot or attack against the U.S. homeland since 9/11. It serves as an important reminder that though ISIS is largely defeated in Syria and Iraq, it still inspires people in other countries to engage in terrorism.

Authorities have yet to identify the would-be bomber, but the details surrounding the plot are clear enough to label this as an Islamist terror plot.

The terrorist left an explosive device within a backpack in a common area of the school. A student then noticed smoke coming from the backpack and informed teachers, prompting an evacuation. Police confirmed that while the device failed to explode, it “had the potential to cause significant injury or death.”

Police arrested the terrorist in class later that day and searched his home, where they uncovered bomb-making materials and ISIS propaganda. Police then tied him to a vandalism case at another nearby school, where he had painted ISIS graffiti, put up an ISIS flag on the school flagpole, and cut up the U.S. flag.

The terrorist has been charged with the manufacture, possession, sale, and use or attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

This was only the fourth time that a terror plot has been foiled by an explosive device failing to go off. It is also the fourth time a school has been targeted by an Islamist terrorist. Other details on the terrorist and the plot will likely be forthcoming. –Daily Signal