Death Toll Revised Down to 24 After Monstrous Oklahoma Tornado…100+ Injured…Children Among the Dead…Stunning Pictures…Woman Finds Dog During Interview!

WATCH on TheBlaze TV: Latest Updates on Tornado Aftermath, Including Updates From Glenn Beck in Oklahoma

Government

Here’s How a High School Dropout From California Reportedly Became a U.S. Spy Who ‘Hunted’ Terrorists

Mar. 19, 2013 11:59pm Erica Ritz

High School Dropout Fernando Jara Becomes U.S. Spy in Afghanistan, Yemen

(Photo: Facebook via the U.K. Daily Mail)

Fernando Jara was a high school dropout from California attending classes at the local community college when he shot an email to the Central Intelligence Agency offering his services in the war on terror shortly after 9/11, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Jara had converted to Islam roughly four years prior and said he was the perfect candidate: he spoke some Arabic, had already established his bona fides within the community, and knew where the more radical clerics preached. He could make their acquaintance relatively easily and pretend to follow in the footsteps of American terrorist John Walker Lindh, who was captured in Afghanistan as an enemy combatant shortly after the U.S. invasion.

Much to his surprise, the federal government accepted his offer.

The Los Angeles Times elaborates:

Jara’s email landed at the right moment. An FBI agent and a CIA officer drove to his home and enlisted the eager 26-year-old as a contract employee.

He was trained in California, Virginia and Washington, D.C., by Arabic language teachers, firearms experts, counterterrorism agents and retired Cold War intelligence officers, he said.

David Manning, 56, a law enforcement firearms instructor and founder of Tacfire in Ventura, said he began working with Jara in 2002 after the FBI called with a special request.

[...]

In four weeks, Manning taught Jara how to fight with knives and guns.

On a recent weekend, Jara and Manning met for the first time in a decade. “You saved my life, Dave,” Jara said. “You turned me into a one-man army.”

Soon it became time to start the actual operation. Jara worked his contacts and, playing the part of an increasingly anti-American Islamic extremist, was able to get to both Yemen and Afghanistan.

The L.A. Times, which claims it has verified most of Jara’s story, continues:

In Yemen, he gained the confidence of imams and community leaders by playing the role of an ultra-conservative Muslim convert. He kept track of everything he learned along the way — such as the personal habits of imams and the intricacies of their mosques — and forwarded the information to his handlers in the Middle East and United States.

Jara also infiltrated the school Lindh had attended, the Yemen Language Center in Sana. He also penetrated Al-Imam University, founded by Sheik Abdul Majeed Zindani, a cleric believed to have issued a decree leading to the 2000 attack on the U.S. destroyer Cole that killed 17 sailors. “It led me to a one-on-one relationship with Al-Zindani, who introduced me to the inner circle of mujahedin recruiters,” Jara said.

In Afghanistan, he found routes that foreign fighters used to make their way into battle zones, and he tracked Americans who had joined with terrorists overseas.

“I hunted Westerners,” he said.

(Photo: CAFWD)

Jara spent years on that path, he said, before he became burnt out and had his cover blown. He was ordered to return home, given roughly $12,000 in severance pay, and cordially dismissed. He soon found himself struggling with alcoholism, showing signs of PTSD, and was sleeping in his car at the Cal State parking lot where he had landed a security job and was taking a number of classes.

“I was left alone,” Jara remarked.

But there, international history professor Mark Baker took the former spy under his wing, invited him to live in the guest bedroom of his family home, and got him back on his feet.

“Baker’s family unconditionally loved me back to life,” Jara told the L.A. Times.

He is now working towards his Master’s degree, runs a rehabilitation program called Rockhill Farm, and has married a Kern County public defender who, in November, became the first Latina elected as a county supervisor in the Central Valley.

Jara is reportedly breaking a confidentiality agreement with the government in speaking to the L.A. Times and isn’t sure how it will affect his future. He seems to be in good favor with the current administration, at least, having been invited to attend President Obama’s inauguration at the invitation of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

For now, he’s just working on recovering from all he witnessed as a spy, particularly the times when the intelligence he gathered indirectly led to civilian casualties during drone strikes.

“I’m ashamed of some of the things that happened over there,” he said. “I don’t hurt people anymore. My soul couldn’t take it.”

–

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (25)

glnwat
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 8:03pm
Here is what this stroy leaves out. This guy is from here in Bakersfield Ca. After taking Chicano Studies at Bakersfield College he became known for being an out spoken racist, directing his hate at white America as having stollen California from Mexico. After becoming an atheist, he later converted to Islam and began to spread antiAmerica propaganda. His wife just got elected to local office three months ago and now wants to run for an open seat in the California State Senate. Just today the powers that be in the state senat have come out supporting her run for office. Localy this story is thought to all be a bunch of BS, a cover to protect her run for office because being married to a muslim radiucal may not look too good to the people of Bakersfield, which is to California what Texas is to the United States. Here is the link to the local story.
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x365557622/Former-undercover-operative-healing-soul-injury?utm_source=widget_63&utm_medium=latest_entries_widget&utm_campaign=synapse

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
alinskythis
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:40pm
The alphabet agencies routinely dump their former “employees” just like Jara, don’t they?

http://www.chasebrandon.com/

Perhaps this guy’s NDA expired, enabling him to “tell all?”

As an aside, isn’t the premise of being “burned” that no agency or agent will talk to you?

(Anyone here watch Burn Notice?)

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Jacksureshot
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:31pm
  This is not Hollywood. His story is total B.S. Contractors are just that, contractors, they don’t get trained at the farm, are not at such high levels of operations, and they don’t spill their story less than a decade after retirement. blown cover my ass. so laughable. the intelligence community is looking for the super smart kids, not high school drop outs who cant even read English yet jump right into Arabic? its just all B.S. political cover for his literacy and religion.
  
  Report this comment
searching for the Truth
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:32am
That little Arab girl who got her back broke by her father took the birthday cake from me fellows. I hope some of the movie stars have read the story is all I can say.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
wkan
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:44am
I call BS on this entire story. First and I know of this well he would be restricted from discussing any of this as he would of signed a some form of national secrecy agreement. I know this as mine was for 25 years from the military and ex wifes was 30 years from the CIA. Third no one ever disusses training or methods. Even navy seals do not get into details about their training and tactics or the who what where and how of an operation. They are perhaps the most written about specops group and maybe 25% if that is ever discussed by them. Something else if this guy is real he pretty much needs to find a rock to hide under because someone now will be looking for him. The world is not that big anymore.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- woodyee
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 1:09pm
  He mentions his confidentiality agreement in the story. I just can’t believe the way the government just said goodbye and forgot about him, and how easily the DemonicRats recruited a patriot.
  
  Report this comment
- kenboo1
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 4:12pm
  i believe him… Why not? Some of the crap we do as a Government to our own people is a shame… Take the guy fired from the NSA for telling them the truth… That billions of dollars are being wasted and the Government is spying on Americans… We need to rein in this Government and shut some of these agencies down… Like the TSA, Parts of the NSA that is spying on us… http://www.repeal17.net
  
  Report this comment
jungle J
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:38am
Look at the comments and tell me the mentally ill are not increasing in numbers daily.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- gbo
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 1:46pm
  Sampling error.
  
  Report this comment
americansfightingforcommonsense
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 7:37am
Thank you for your service sir. I appreciate that you no longer wanted to be a part of that lifestyle, but we know it is a required necessity in this crazy world. Good luck with your future, and May God Bless You.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Frodo RinosBane
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:48am
Great story. “He” is a Latino, not a girl (latina).

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Landon410
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 9:19am
  its talking about his wife, but isn’t worded very well (at least I think)
  
  Report this comment
bikerdogred1
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:42am
It sounds to me like the boys should go out some night and take care of business.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
fedlibertarian
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 3:04am
He married the first latina in the world to be elected to bla bla bla bla, well how nice for him. This entire story is a joke. This man is a dunce used up and tossed away just like tens of thousands of other troops and fools who think they’re defending liberty but in fact are the lowest rung of the puppets, in the front lines of a FAKE war, perpetrated by our FAKE government, both sides funded by FAKE currency electronically created by our masters who decided they wanted a war. Fear sleep obey consume.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- HooterBro388
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 7:50am
  So the troops are stupid puppets used and thrown away by America? That’s exactly what you’ve said. This man has done wonderful things in the interest of freedom. Freedom of religion is likely what got him interested in helping. The truth of the wars is simple. To kill as many of the conservative/extremist islamic nut jobs as possible. It isn’t a religious war, they are wars that were, and are, fought to keep America safe from radical islam.
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 8:35am
  Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.
  
  Report this comment
SIXFRIGATES
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 1:15am
This story is stupid. He was a muslim who spoke the language. Case Closed. There is nothing special about him other than he most likely for FOR us, which is questionable… You can’t be a good muslim and support the United States. This is their doctrine. Look it up. Either he was a good American or a horrible muslim.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- SacredHonor1776
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 5:07am
  He became an alcoholic… Obviously a Jack-muslim.
  
  Report this comment
RIDEMODELS
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 12:31am
One Golf trip on air-force one could give this man 3 million and change for his future…..Yet we give billions to the enemy he helped us defeat(which we still have American deaths in Afghanistan)…..I don’t really know what to say here.

Why is it that a drug dealer buys a car with big rims and big music, while I have to spend my free Saturday painting his grandmas house, because God told me to…..I don’t know the answer….The world is a funny place.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
OlefromMN
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 12:26am
I will never fault a person with a focus. Too much emphasis is being placed on the $150,000.00 college degrees.

A great quote from a friend on another subject (yet fits if you think) was… “some people just don’t have the ability”.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 12:33am
  We need more doctors…..We need more doctors…..We need more……aw forget it, everyone wants to be a lawsuit lawyer.
  
  Report this comment
- Execmech
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 6:56am
  To many idiots blowing their parents financial nest egg in college. Parents fault though. They insist little Jonny needs a degree. Fools! College doesn’t mean what it used to
  
  Report this comment
- Mr. H.
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 1:35pm
  You can situate your self into the intelligence game in many ways and in many of its wide and various functions. I wrote math thesis while working for DoD, and several months later found myself working for one of the OGA’s. I also built a piece of electronics equipment for data collection, and was told to take it to distant places and collect data. I got 25 year no travel, no talking restriction, that was enforced by the OGA’s holding both my military and civilian passports. I was also told to keep a very low profile, but then the internet came along, and it’s not so much so anymore.
  
  This guy put his story and photo in the clear in the major media, with location info, not smart. He’s asking for serious trouble and it will find him.
  
  Report this comment
The-Monk
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 12:23am
The photo says it all… “The Grapes of Wrath”.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 12:36am
  Trillions and Billions spent on the military budget and this spy guy gets sent home with nothing……The math, its no good….We still give billions to the enemy.
  
  Tell Obama you made the USA a little safer for his daughters, you deserve a cut of their college fund…..see how that works for ya.
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.