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Colleen R LaRose alias Fatima LaRose, a 46-year-old Pennsylvania resident, was arrested in October last year and charged on four counts -- conspiracy to provide support to terrorists, attempting murder in a foreign country, indulging in identity thefts and making false statements. The five-minute hearing provided the first public glimpse of LaRose since she was accused of plotting to kill Swedish-cartoonist Lars Vilks for a blasphemous cartoon of Prophet. An al-Qaeda affiliated group has put a bounty of US $ 100,000 on Vilk's head for the caricatures.
LaRose, who wore a green jumpsuit and corn rows in her blond hair, did not speak and her face betrayed no emotion during the hearing. A May 3 trial date was set. Defence attorney Mark Wilson would not comment on LaRose's mental state but said none of her relatives or friends were in the courtroom, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"Of course she has," Wilson responded when asked if LaRose has reacted to the possibility of spending life in prison. He would not elaborate on her reaction, however. He said she has "some awareness" of the attention her case has drawn. The case of 'Jihad Jane' came into light months after a Pakistani-American national David Coleman Headley was charged with plotting terrorists attacks in India and Denmark.
"The case demonstrates that terrorists are looking for Americans to join them in their cause and it shatters any lingering thoughts that one can spot a terrorist on a appearance," US Attorney Michael Levy had said in the 11-page indictment against her. According to the indictment, LaRose travelled to Europe and tracked the intended target online in an effort to complete her task. She even asked for resident status in Sweden. If convicted of the charges, LaRose faces a potential sentence of life in prison and a USD 1 million fine