The DOJ claims Christian Sturdivant ‘self-radicalized,’ but records show the 18-year-old was communicating with undercover FBI agents who he believed were ISIS, raising serious questions about another federal entrapment case.

The FBI recently announced the successful prevention of a supposed terrorist attack, but a deeper examination of 18-year-old Christian Sturdivant’s case suggests a troubling trend of federal entrapment rather than a straightforward law enforcement triumph. The Department of Justice reported Sturdivant’s arrest, alleging he planned to attack a grocery store on New Year’s Eve using knives and hammers. Official statements portray him as a self-radicalized supporter of ISIS.

However, the Department of Justice’s narrative of Sturdivant’s self-radicalization is contradicted by their own legal documents. The records reveal he was actually communicating with two undercover FBI agents masquerading as ISIS affiliates. The affidavit details how Sturdivant began interacting with an undercover FBI employee on December 12th, to whom he pledged allegiance to ISIS. He also discussed his plans with this agent, indicating that the plot unfolded under the direction of the very agents who later claimed to have thwarted it.

This scenario illustrates not a case of self-radicalization but rather direct manipulation and grooming by federal operatives. The FBI did not merely observe; they were actively involved, guiding the plot, which undermines the official storyline.

Manufacturing a ‘Terrorist’

It appears the FBI exploited a vulnerable and impressionable young man, shaping him into the “terrorist” they purportedly needed. Sturdivant’s scheme to attack a grocery store with knives and hammers resembles the fantasy of a troubled youth more than a genuine terrorist threat. His family, aware of his state, even hid potential weapons from him in concern for his mental health.

Rather than seeking psychological help for Sturdivant, the FBI saw an opportunity to validate and encourage his dangerous fantasies until they could accuse him of providing “material support for terrorism.” This case echoes previous FBI entrapment operations, where the agency identifies susceptible individuals, facilitates their radicalization, and then claims success in averting a threat they essentially manufactured.

The Charge vs. The Crime

Sturdivant faces charges of ‘attempting to provide material support to ISIS,’ a charge that carries a 20-year maximum sentence. This severe penalty applies to what amounts to online chats with FBI agents and a handwritten note. He never acquired a firearm. His ‘weapons’ were household tools his family tried to keep from him. The ‘material support’ was a pledge of loyalty sent to an FBI inbox.

The entire case rests on the idea that talking to FBI agents who are pretending to be ISIS is the same as aiding a foreign terrorist organization. The severe charge serves as a tool to legitimize the entrapment operation. It creates the illusion of a serious national security threat, when in reality, it was a manufactured crime with a manufactured villain, designed to produce headlines and justify the FBI’s counter-terrorism budget.

The Christian Sturdivant case is not a story of a terror plot foiled, but of a troubled young man targeted and groomed by the FBI.

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