American Colleen LaRose Called Herself Jihad Jane

March 9, 2010 — -- A suburban Pennsylvania woman known by the alias "Jihad Jane" has been arrested and charged with trying to recruit Islamic fighters and for plotting to assassinate a Swedish cartoonist who made fun of the Prophet Mohammed, according to a federal indictment unsealed today.

Colleen R. LaRose, 46, of Montgomery, Pa., described by neighbors as an average "housewife," is better known to federal authorities as "Fatima Rose" or "Jihad Jane."

The indictment, obtained by ABC News, charges LaRose with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to kill in a foreign country.

She is also accused of making false statements to a government official and of attempted identity theft, a passport she allegedly stole with the intention of giving to an Islamic fighter.The court papers claim that LaRose reached out through the Internet to jihadist groups saying she was "desperate to do something to help" suffering Muslim people, and that she desired to become a martyr.

She stated in her e-mails "that her physical appearance would allow her to 'blend in with many people' which 'may be a way to achieve what is in my heart,'" the indictment states.

In her e-mails with five unindicted co-conspirators in South Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, LaRose allegedly agreed to recruit men -- and to recruit women -- for jihad, to raise money for Islamic fighters, and agreed on the Internet to one jihadist's request to "marry me to get me inside Europe."

In March 2009, the indictment states, she allegedly received a directive to "got to sweden... find location of [Resident of Sweden]... and kill him... this is what i say to u."

Federal officials identified the target as Lars Vilks, who had drawn Prophet Muhammed with the body of a dog.

LaRose replied, "I will make this my goal till I achieve it or die trying," according to court documents.

She traveled, according to the indictment, on or around Aug. 29, 2009 to Europe "with the intent to live and train with jihadists" and to "find and kill" Vilks. In September, she joined an online community hosted by Vilks and eventually moved into Vilks' artist enclave in Sweden.