combat, and acquired military gear and combat apparel. Prosecutors noted that the 11 men convicted in the Virginia Jihad Network had also used paintball training to simulate small-unit tactical operations. Officials noted that five Muslims later convicted of a plot to kill American soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey had also done paintball training. Alessa and Almonte were followers of the Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), a radical Islamist group based in New York that often holds joint events with Revolution Muslim. Both groups are offshoots of Al Muhajiroun, a pro-al Qaeda British Islamist extremist group. CNN posted a photo of the two men as part of a protest in New York City, a week before their arrests, which was organized by the Islamic Thinkers Society. During an ITS protest against the Israeli Day Parade in New York in May 2010, Alessa led an anti-Jewish chant. Alessa also attended ITS and RM rallies in Washington, D.C. in March 2010. He was recorded in videos standing next to Zachary Chesser. Chesser has since been arrested and charged for trying to join Al Shabaab in Somalia. Regarding the U.S. soldiers overseas, Almonte reportedly said: "I just want the troops to come back home safely and cozily." "In body bags – in caskets," Alessa said. "In caskets," Almonte agreed. "Sliced up in a thousand pieces, cozy in the grave, in hell," added Alessa. Possible influences Authorities said the two New Jersey men had been followers of the American-born cleric, Anwar Al-Awlaki, known for increasing radicalism after 2006. The men were known to have watched video and audio recordings promoting violent jihad, including lectures by al-Awlaki, who is suspected of inciting Muslims to violence. Almonte reportedly kept an audio recording of al-Awlaki on his cell phone, in which al-Awlaki lectured about jihad and different types of martyrs, watched a jihadist video in which al-Awlaki justified the killing of civilians in jihad, and shared with others a pamphlet on jihad by al-Awlaki. Al-Awlaki has praised the group, al-Shabab. Authorities said the two men were among a number of U.S. terrorism suspects inspired by al-Awlaki. He is believed to have helped inspire the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, the failed 2009 Christmas Day bombing, the failed 2010 Times Square bombing, and those convicted in the 2007 Fort Dix plot. Charges and plea negotiations The suspects were charged with conspiring to kill, maim, and kidnap people outside the U.S.