Terrorist, Troll or Vigilante: Mainstream media characterizations of Joshua Ryne Goldberg

• In Event: Violence and Terrorism in the News

Abstract

In September 2015, Joshua Ryne Goldberg was charged with “distribution of material related to explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction.” The complaint linked the suspect to a plot to place a bomb at a 9/11 memorial event in Kansas City MO. He communicated with a Confidential Human Source (CHS) whom he believed was a Midwestern jihadist. He also claimed that he had inspired “the attacks in Garland Texas (May 2015) and was “attempting to get an individual in Melbourne Australia to carry out a terrorist attack.” Further, the complaint noted that he created a Twitter account linked to artist Ben Garrison and used that account to post false and discrediting messages. The indictment clearly presents evidence of direct involvement in terrorist activity. However, Mr. Goldberg himself claimed that he was acting as a vigilante. Further complicating the situation, others quickly identified Mr. Goldberg as a ‘troll” who had assumed a number of on line identities and espoused a wide rang of views. This research examines the ways in which the international press dealt with these competing characterizations.

Author

• Robert T. Cadigan, Boston University