This Just In

Police report: 'Jihad Jane' attempted suicide in 2005

Colleen LaRose - the Pennsylvania woman indicted for allegedly conspiring to support terrorists and kill a person in a foreign country - attempted to commit suicide in 2005, according to a police report filed at the time.

LaRose, who authorities say called herself "Jihad Jane," was depressed about the death of her father, the report from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, police officer Michael Devlin states.

LaRose told Devlin she swallowed as many as 10 pills of cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxant. The pills were mixed with alcohol.

"Colleen was highly intoxicated and having difficulty maintaining her balance," Devlin wrote. I "questioned LaRose about harming herself, at which point she stated she does not want to die."

Devlin was dispatched to check on LaRose in response to a 911 call made by LaRose's sister in Texas, who was worried LaRose might try to kill herself.

LaRose was arrested on the terrorism charges in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 15, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office said Tuesday. She is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Among other things, LaRose has also been charged with making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft. If convicted, she faces a possible life prison sentence and a $1 million fine.

Last year, LaRose agreed to kill a resident of Sweden, an indictment says, and a U.S. government official familiar with the case identified the target as Lars Vilks, a cartoonist who outraged some by drawing the Muslim prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog in 2007. That cartoon prompted al Qaeda to offer a reward to anyone who killed Vilks.

LaRose worked with at least five co-conspirators, the indictment says. Authorities did not identify them, but police in Ireland took into custody seven people Tuesday in arrests that the U.S. official said were directly related to the plot involving LaRose.

–CNN's Susan Candiotti, Carol Cratty and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.

Read full CNN.com story

Post by:
Filed under: Latest news
soundoff (No Responses)

Post a comment


 

CNN welcomes a lively and courteous discussion as long as you follow the Rules of Conduct set forth in our Terms of Service. Comments are not pre-screened before they post. You agree that anything you post may be used, along with your name and profile picture, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the license you have granted pursuant to our Terms of Service.