Shannen Rossmiller

Shannen Rossmiller, (born May 31, 1970),[1] is 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.

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. 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.
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