Nicholas Teausant

Nicholas Teausant is a U.S. citizen and convicted Islamic extremist. In 2014, Teausant reportedly spoke of plans to bomb the Los Angeles subway system around New Year’s.Sharon Bernstein, “Would-be California militant is schizophrenic, lawyer says,” Reuters, December 3, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/03/us-usa-security-syria-idUSKCN0JH2NB20141203. Before his arrest, Teausant actively propagated extremist and violent ideology on social media, and maintained accounts on Facebook, Tumblr, Ask.fm, Google+, and Instagram.Adam Serwer, “Accused student terrorist was a social media oversharer,” MSNBC, March 25, 2014, http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/instagram-social-media-terrorism-teausant.

A convert to Islam, Teausant attended San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California, and later dropped out of the National Guard.Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html. In April 2013, Teausant began posting extremist content online.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi-area Islamic State supporter pleads guilty, faces 15 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, December 1, 2015, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article47317295.html;
Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html.
A paid FBI informant reached out to Teausant, who revealed his plan to bomb the Los Angeles subway system and join ISIS. Teausant later disregarded his plot to bomb the subway, suspecting the FBI would foil his plan.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html;
Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html.

On March 17, 2014, Teausant attempted to travel to Canada in order to fly to the Middle East to join ISIS. He was arrested at the Blaine, Washington, border station by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and FBI agents.Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html.

Defense lawyers argued Teausant suffers from mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. Following psychological evaluations, he was determined fit to stand trial.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html. On December 1, 2015, Teausant pled guilty to attempting to join ISIS. “California man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS,” CBS Sacramento, December 1, 2015, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-man-nicholas-teausant-pleads-guilty-to-attempting-to-join-isis/.

On June 7, 2016, Teausant was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to 25 years of supervised release.“California Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join ISIL,” Department of Justice, June 7, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-man-sentenced-12-years-prison-attempting-join-isil.

Also Known As

Extremist entity
ISIS
Type(s) of Organization:
Insurgent, territory-controlling, religious, terrorist, violent
Ideologies and Affiliations:
Islamist, jihadist, pan-Islamist, Salafist, takfiri
Position(s):
Foreign fighter, propagandist

ISIS is a violent jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria. The group has declared wilayas (provinces) in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the North Caucasus. ISIS has also waged attacks in Turkey, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Iraq, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia, and Kuwait.

  • Rhetoric
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Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.

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We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].

Abu Ali al-Askari, Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) Security Official Mar. 2023
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