Texas congressman says he and family are safe after threat

A 17-year-old from McKinney, Texas, has been apprehended on charges of plotting to assassinate Republican Congressman Keith Self, allegedly in the name of ISIS. Congressman Self, a strong advocate for President Donald Trump and a vocal opponent of radical Islam, was the intended victim. Dallas news outlet WFAA reported, citing law enforcement sources, that the suspect was taken into custody on October 5 following the acquisition of a firearm.

The teenager had reportedly been recently radicalized. In a post on X, Congressman Self expressed gratitude to the FBI and law enforcement, stating that preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam entails accepting the costs involved, such as name-calling, threats, and worse. He emphasized that his resolve remains unshaken and that he will not back down.

The suspect's identity has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear how he came to the attention of law enforcement and for how long he had been under surveillance. The FBI declined to provide further comment. Congressman Self has been at the forefront of a Republican push to counter the alleged spread of radical Islam in the US.

Along with Texas representative Chip Roy, he established the Sharia-Free America Caucus this year. "If we do not fight back, Sharia will dominate our culture and America will no longer be America," he stated at the time. Critics argue that the heightened scrutiny of the Muslim community by him and others is Islamophobic and part of a strategy to rally the Republican base ahead of major elections.

There has been an increase in political violence in the US since President Trump's return to office last year. He has been the target of at least two previous assassination attempts. Democratic Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed last year.