Shannen Rossmiller (May 31, 1970 - November 9, 2020)[1] was an American lecturer and instructor in cyber counter-intelligence forensics and a former Montana municipal court judge[2] who has had a controversial role as a vigilante online terrorist-hunter, and who was once part of the 7Seas group.[3]

A former high school cheerleader, paralegal, and a mother of three, Rossmiller posed online as militant anti-American Muslim radicals to attract the eye of those with similar mindsets.[3] While still a member of 7-Seas group, she provided evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of Ryan G. Anderson, a National Guardsman who was about to deploy from the U.S. to Iraq.[4] Ryan is now serving a life sentence for seeking to aid the enemy during a time of war and attempted espionage.[5]

In 2005, while posing online as an Al Qaeda financier, Rossmiller offered the transient Michael Reynolds $40,000 to purchase fuel trucks to attack American pipelines. Reynolds was arrested when he attempted to pick up the money. In 2007, he was convicted by a jury of attempting to provide material support to Al Qaeda and related charges, and sentenced to 30 years in jail.[6]

Rossmiller appeared in the 2005 BBC documentary entitled The New al-Qaeda.[7] She, along with other internet cyber sleuths, has been criticized for her work.[8][9]

As of July 2007, a publicist was seeking a book or movie deal based on Rossmiller's story,[10] and in 2011 she published a book entitled The Unexpected Patriot.

In November 2020, Shannen died from complications related to Graves' disease.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Shannen Rossmiller "Biographical information", "KXMB.com", July 19, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Hon. Shannen L. Rossmiller (Ret.), Cyber Operative and Co-founder, AC-CIO, LLC", January 6, 2009
  3. 1 2 Carter, Mike."It's 4 a.m. in Montana, and a cyberspy is at work", The Seattle Times, June 14, 2004.
  4. ↑ Mitchel, Melanthia."Net sleuth tells court of hunt that snared Guardsman", May 13, 2004.
  5. ↑ Sanders, Eli. "Guardsman Given Life in Prison for Trying to Help Al Qaeda", The New York Times, September 4, 2004.
  6. ↑ McGinn, George."American Convicted Of Attempting To Aid Al-Qaida Sentenced To 30 Years" Archived 2007-12-09 at the Wayback Machine, "AllHeadlineNews.com", November 8, 2007.
  7. ↑ BBC Programmes."The New Al-Qaeda jihad.com","News.BBC.com", July 20, 2005.
  8. ↑ Lettice, John."Internet has 'given Al Qaeda wings' claims BBC potboiler shock discovery - terrorists use computers too", "UK Register", July 27, 2005.
  9. ↑ Tremonti, Anna Maria. "CBC The Current", June 15, 2006.
  10. ↑ Dempsey, John."Biz zeroes in on real-life terrorist hunter: Rossmiller story makes Hollywood rounds", Variety, July 20, 2007.
  11. ↑ "Obituary - Shannen McCracken Rossmiller". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
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