‘Jihad Jane’ codefendant pleads guilty to terrorism charge

Reporting from Philadelphia —  A Colorado woman who traveled to Ireland and married a suspected terrorist after conspiring with the Pennsylvania woman who called herself “Jihad Jane” pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge in federal court.

Jamie Paulin-Ramirez, 32, of Leadville, Colo., was indicted in April with Colleen LaRose of Pennsburg, Pa., on a single count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists planning to “knock down” individuals who were harming Islam.

Among the people LaRose and others targeted was a Swedish cartoonist, Lars Vilks, who offended Muslims by depicting the prophet Muhammad as a dog.

Paulin-Ramirez traveled to Ireland in September 2009 with her minor son and married a suspected terrorist identified in court documents only as co-conspirator No. 2. Her attorney, Jeremy Ibrahim, said he wasn’t sure whether his client was still married to the man.

Paulin-Ramirez appeared before U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker in Philadelphia wearing a Muslim head scarf and green prison fatigues and spoke softly when she answered the judge’s questions. By pleading guilty, Paulin-Ramirez avoids a trial but faces a sentence of as long as 15 years in prison.

In the brief hearing, Tucker ordered a psychological evaluation as part of the government’s pre-sentence investigation. Ibrahim said an assessment was appropriate under the circumstances.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Jennifer Arbittier Williams, describing the government’s case against Paulin-Ramirez, said the defendant conspired with LaRose and others to provide support to terrorists.

In August 2009, LaRose sent a message to Paulin-Ramirez telling her that she was moving to Europe and that she would send for Paulin-Ramirez when she arrived. They were going to live in a military-style camp to train for attacks on targets in Europe, Williams said.

LaRose, 47, pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to four counts, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.

Although court papers don’t link LaRose with a terrorist group, they state she posted a message on the video-sharing website YouTube in June 2008 that she was desperate to do something to help the suffering Muslim people.

peter.hall@mcall.com