Ex-jihadist warns of predatory recruitment after ISIS-inspired bomb plot in New York City

A former jihadist turned counterterrorism operative warns that a lethal ideology is turning American teenagers into ISIS-inspired "superheroes."

"He's a zero in real life and he goes online and suddenly he's Abu Jihad, a superhero. He's from zero to hero overnight," he added.

Shaikh explained that ideology combined with grievances is what stirs young people to act. He described purpose and identity as a product being sold by jihadist recruiters.

Shaikh noted the United States has fought other countries in the past, including Vietnam and Japan, yet there is no generation of young people "out to kill Americans."

Shaikh added that young people can quickly be radicalized online, far from the Middle East. He recalled his counterterrorism work against the "Toronto 18" in Canada, noting those young people had been fueled by what they saw online.

"They had been watching all these jihadi videos online of these guys training. And so now it's life imitating art because now you're seeing those videos, now I want to replicate those videos," he added.