Ohio Muslim convert Christopher Lee Cornell, 20, arrested for plotting ISIS-inspired pipe-bomb attack on the US Capitol

The FBI today arrested a 20-year-old radicalized Muslim convert from Ohio for allegedly plotting to carry out a terrorist attack on the US Capitol.

Christopher Lee Coell, of Green Township, was taken into custody by federal agents on charges of attempting to kill a govement official and possession of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint.

Govement documents filed in the case indicate that the 20-year-old Coell, who also goes by the name Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, allegedly planned to detonate pipe bombs in the Capitol and then open fire on people fleeing the building in the aftermath of the blasts.

Plot foiled: Christopher Lee Coell, a 20-year-old Ohio man, has been charged with plotting to carry out a terrorist attack on the US Capitol in Washington DC. This image shows what appears to be Coell's arrest Wednesday 

Coell first showed up on the FBI's radar several months ago after he sent out a tweet in support of violent 'jihad', according to govement documents.

An investigation into Coell's activities has revealed videos and other online statements backing the deadly extremist organization ISIS, also known as ISIL or Islamic State. 

According to the FBI, the 20-year-old also exchanged messages with an undercover federal informant about his desire to launch Islamic State-style attacks on US soil.

'I believe that we should just wage jihad under our own orders and plan attacks and everything,' Coell allegedly wrote in August. 'I believe we should meet up and make our own group in alliance with the Islamic State here and plan operations ourselves.' 

In instant messages to the undercover informant, Coell indicated that while he did not have support to conduct an attack on behalf of any group, 'we already got a thumbs up from the Brothers over there and Anwar al Awlaki before his martyrdom and many others.' 

Awlaki, an American-bo radical imam, was killed in a US drone strike in Yemen in 2011. 

The Islamic State militant organization, which broke with the al-Qaeda network and took control of large parts of Iraq and Syria, has drawn jihadi fighters from across the Muslim world and Europe. 

It has been blamed for violence such as the beheadings of foreign captives including a former U.S. soldier tued aid worker and two American joualists. 

Govement officials say Coell’s suspected terror plot was in the early stages of development; he planned to carry out an attack in December 2015.

The FBI says the public was never in danger and he never made it to Washington. 

Coell's arrest early Wednesday moing came at the Point Blank store where he allegedly purchased a pair of M-15 semi-automatic rifles.

Early this evening, the Cincinnati station WKRC shared a photo depicting what is believed to be the moment of Coell's arrest at the gun store. 

Targeted: Coell allegedly planned to blow up pipe bombs in the Capitol and open fire on fleeing govement employees sometime in December 2015

Caught red-handed: Coell was arrested Wednesday moing at the Point Blank gun store in Cincinnati after purchasing a pair of semi-automatic rifles 

‘The alleged activities of Coell highlight the continued interest of U.S.-based violent extremists to support designated foreign terrorist organizations overseas, such as ISIL, by committing terrorist acts in the United States,’ stated a bulletin issued by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security within hours of Coell's arrest.

‘Terrorist group members and supporters will almost certainly continue to use social media platforms to disseminate English language violent extremist messages.’

A yearbook photo obtained by WKRC shows Coell in 2012 as a senior at Oak Hills High School.

Speaking to the station following his son's arrest, Coell's father, John Coell, called the 20-year-old 'Mama's boy' and a 'homebody' who spent much of his time alone.

According to Mr Coell, his son took up interest in Islam only about two months ago - a timeline that contradicts the FBI's narrative. 

Role model: Coell allegedly told the informant that radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki had been in favor of terrorist attack before his 'martyrdom'

Govement documents indicate that Coell allegedly planned to detonate pipe bombs in the Capitol and then open fire on people fleeing the building in the aftermath of the blasts

The criminal complaint alleges that the FBI informant began supplying agents with information about Coell last year in retu for favorable treatment in an unrelated criminal case.

According to the informant's legal testimony, Coell researched the construction of pipe bombs, saved up money to purchase semi-automatic rifles and 600 rounds of ammunition and made plans to travel to Washington on a reconnaissance mission. 

In a meeting with the informant in November - one of four the two had last fall - Coell said he considered members of Congress to be his enemies, according to the documents.  

Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, praised the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for their work 'to thwart this potential terrorist act. It is an important reminder of the very real threat that radical Islam continues to pose to the homeland.'