Saudi national with ‘Jihad’ journals saying ‘F*ck you privileged whitey’ admits to stealing NJ school bus, driving it to PA

According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Bader Alzahrani, 24, of Saudi Arabia, pled guilty earlier this week to stealing a New Jersey school bus and driving it across state lines to Pennsylvania. The press release stated, "On Jan. 17, 2023, the Livingston, New Jersey Board of Education reported that a school bus was stolen from a parking lot" that was across from an "unoccupied residential home where [a] break-in was reported" two days earlier.

Alzahrani was later located in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and taken into custody. During the investigation of the house that was broken into on January 15, 2023, police found and searched a backpack in the home that contained a passport for Alzahrani along with journals that had writings concerning "Jihad." Alzahrani had apparently broken into the house with a fire extinguisher and left his backpack with the journals.

The journals were translated from Arabic and were included in the complaint about the stolen bus. The complaint says that Arabic translators looked over the journals and translated some of the excerpts, including:

“Why didn’t you slaughter the police officer who threw the Quran?”

“This is a war, and there will be losses, and collateral losses.”

“It is a war and y’all [sic] started, feel the rage.”

“Destruction of the new world and the earth will be destroyed from all sides.”

“God I am ready for your orders. I want to live the rest of my life to serve you and the religion.”

“Blood, blood, destruction, destruction. Allah”

“Jews control everything.”

“F*ck each and every Jewish person.”

“F*ck you privileged whitey.”

The complaint added, "The journals also included entries concerning “Jihad” and how Alzahrani did not intend to return to Saudi Arabia."

Alzahrani was in the US on a student visa, per the complaint, but it adds, "In or around October 2022, Alzahrani left the university in which he was enrolled and was reported missing." Alzahrani's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2024. The count of possession of a stolen vehicle holds the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.