The Department of Justice has charged a 45-year-old far-left extremist from Portland, Oregon — John Paul Cupp, also known by the aliases “Walid” and “Abu Nusaybah al-Amriki” — for issuing graphic and violent threats against federal law-enforcement officers and their families.
Federal prosecutors say Cupp, a convert to Islam and longtime radical agitator, made the threats on October 14 outside the Portland ICE facility — a frequent target of far-left demonstrations. According to charging documents, Cupp threatened to murder federal agents, assault their wives, and harm their children. He later escalated those threats in online videos released on November 3 and November 13.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford condemned the behavior and emphasized the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance toward threats against law enforcement.
“Threats of violence against the brave members of law enforcement and their families will not be tolerated,” Bradford said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding accountable those who threaten and intimidate the people who protect our communities.”
An FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force special agent detailed in an affidavit that Cupp has been producing extremist content online for years, frequently advocating violence and pushing anti-government rhetoric. Investigators say Cupp promoted the idea of “lone wolf” attacks on federal targets, specifically encouraging individuals or small armed groups to strike what he called “low-hanging fruit” — including ICE facilities and other government buildings in the region.
Cupp’s writings and videos reportedly blended far-left revolutionary ideology with violent jihadist themes — a mixture federal investigators say is becoming more common among certain fringe groups.
Court records also show Cupp has a history of instability. In April 2025, a restraining order was issued against him after his wife accused him of making threats toward her, their children, and the community. She also told authorities he suffers from bipolar disorder.
The court order barred Cupp from any contact with his family — restrictions he allegedly ignored as he intensified his online threats. Cupp was ordered held in federal custody following his initial appearance before a judge.
Cupp’s case highlights a broader problem: Portland has become a hotbed for fringe political extremists, particularly those on the far left who have a long history of attacking federal buildings, intimidating law enforcement, and using radicalized rhetoric to encourage violence. While national media often focuses on threats from the right, cases like Cupp’s underscore the continuing danger of far-left extremism — an issue that federal officials and local residents say has been downplayed for years.
The DOJ’s charges send a clear message: political extremism and threats of violence against government personnel — whether from the far left, far right, or any ideological fringe — will be met with swift prosecution.
Cupp now faces serious federal charges, and if convicted, he could spend years behind bars.
[READ MORE: Tennessee Democrat Aftyn Behn Caught in Audio Saying: “I Don’t Want Children. I Want Power!”]
