Ex-jihadist warns of predatory recruitment after ISIS-inspired bomb plot in New York City
Counterterrorism expert reveals how recruiters use 'drug dealer' tactics to attract young people
Madison Colombo By Madison Colombo Fox News
Published March 14, 2026 3:54pm EDT
Deradicalized jihadist reacts to recent string of terror attacks in US
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 deradicalized and became a counterterrorism operative in Canada. After the recent 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."
https://www.foxnews.com/media/ex-jihadist-warns-predatory-recruitment-after-isis-inspired-bomb-plot-new-york-city
