HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Nineteen-year-old Jalil Aziz was arrested Thursday on charges of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIL.
The Pennsylvania director of Homeland Security said the Joint Terrorism Task Force had been looking into Aziz for some time. He said with the recent terrorist attacks, people need to be aware of others in their community.
Marcus Brown, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security, said, ""I think after San Bernardino, all communities across the country need to remain vigilant."
The director said it appears Aziz was radicalized through the internet. He said the department saw the progression of his statements on Aziz's social media accounts.
Brown said, "He went from obviously just complaining about the country, complaining about government to much more serious statements made by him. Where he's making threats against the White House, threats against this country."
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey said it's important for the government to invest in the FBI and in homeland security so they can protect the country from terrorist threats. He said with the help of technology, the challenge to finding these threats is more substantial.
Casey said, "Now because of technology, you don't need to come from outside the country. You can be living within the United States. In this case living within The city of Harrisburg, and get enough information and be able to transmit information because of the Internet, because of social media."
The senator said it's a different world after 9/11, and the country has to be aware of that.
"We have to be part of the solution. We can't just point the finger at the president and point the finger at some other person in our government. Each of us, to use an older expression, has to examine our conscience to make sure we're doing enough."
Brown said the Department of Homeland Security will be investing the people Aziz contacted through social media.