A Chicago man accused of threatening to “slaughter” doctors, patients and visitors at an abortion clinic has been arrested, authorities said Monday.
Farhan Sheikh, 19, is set to appear in federal court Tuesday on charges of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.
According to court documents, Sheikh posted messages on social media about plans to “slaughter and murder any doctor, patient, or visitor I see” at a clinic in Chicago on Aug. 23.
The name of the clinic was redacted in court documents.
“To all the fbi agents in this app, I am NOT a satirical account,” he allegedly posted, according to the documents. “I post what I mean i WILL carry out what I post.”
Prosecutors said that Sheikh posted the threats on “iFunny,” the same social media platform that 18-year-old Justin Olsen allegedly used to threaten the federal government and Planned Parenthood under the handle “ArmyOfChrist.” Olsen was arrested earlier this month, and authorities said they found 15 rifles, 10 semi-automatic pistols and 10,000 rounds of ammunition in the Ohio home where Olsen was living.
Officials said that Sheikh discussed Olsen’s arrest online, writing that authorities arrested “armyofchrist” for “no reason except surpressing us and our freedoms.”
While conducting a search of Sheikh’s home, FBI agents asked him why he thought they were there.
“He believed it was due to a ‘joke’ that he posted on iFunny,” the documents say.
Sheikh allegedly told the agents that he wrote the posts and chose a date and clinic at random.
His court-appointed defender did not immediately return requests for comment Monday.