By — P. J. Tobia P. J. Tobia Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ex-jihadist-counterterrorism-analyst Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter How a former extremist became a counterterrorism analyst Nation Aug 29, 2016 11:00 AM EDT Watch a report on Jesse Curtis Morton’s transformation. Federal prosecutors once regarded Jesse Curtis Morton as a threat to national security. The FBI said the pro-jihadist website he helped found, RevolutionMuslim.com, inspired a number of terrorist plots. On that website, militant training videos, bomb-making instructions, praise for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and chat rooms for discussions among members created a multi-media stew of toxic content, they said. In 2012, Morton was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his role in running the site. Now, just four years later, Morton is free and has been hired as a terrorism analyst at a George Washington University-based think tank. In a broadcast-exclusive interview airing Monday, PBS NewsHour Weekend anchor Hari Sreenivasan talks with Morton about how this former extremist went from being wanted by the FBI to sought out by some of the top counterterrorism analysts in Washington. By — P. J. Tobia P. J. Tobia P.J. Tobia is a Foreign Affairs Producer at PBS NewsHour, covering the Middle East and North Africa. He is also the host and producer of the foreign affairs podcast "Shortwave." Prior to this Tobia spent two years in Afghanistan covering Afghan politics, life and the U.S.-led war. @PJTobia
Watch a report on Jesse Curtis Morton’s transformation. Federal prosecutors once regarded Jesse Curtis Morton as a threat to national security. The FBI said the pro-jihadist website he helped found, RevolutionMuslim.com, inspired a number of terrorist plots. On that website, militant training videos, bomb-making instructions, praise for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and chat rooms for discussions among members created a multi-media stew of toxic content, they said. In 2012, Morton was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for his role in running the site. Now, just four years later, Morton is free and has been hired as a terrorism analyst at a George Washington University-based think tank. In a broadcast-exclusive interview airing Monday, PBS NewsHour Weekend anchor Hari Sreenivasan talks with Morton about how this former extremist went from being wanted by the FBI to sought out by some of the top counterterrorism analysts in Washington.