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]
She recounted her story in a 2007 article titled "My Cyber Counter-jihad" in Middle East Quarterly. [10] As of July 2007, a publicist was seeking a book or movie deal based on Rossmiller's story, [11] and in 2011 she published a book entitled The Unexpected Patriot. [12]
In November 2020, Shannen died from complications related to Graves' disease. [13]
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]
She recounted her story in a 2007 article titled "My Cyber Counter-jihad" in Middle East Quarterly. [10] As of July 2007, a publicist was seeking a book or movie deal based on Rossmiller's story, [11] and in 2011 she published a book entitled The Unexpected Patriot. [12]
In November 2020, Shannen died from complications related to Graves' disease. [13]