he connected with people like ahmed, who would soon move back to pakistan, and another who was front and center of protests in new york city staged by the radical islamic thinkers society, a radical islamist group. federal investigators believe this is about when bryant s odyssey turned to ideas about jihad. about wanting to fight the u.s. see this flag here? reporter: they re almost bug lights for a spiral jihadist. they ve got an anti-western, anti-democratic, anti-u.s., pro-al qaeda message. reporter: but the group is entirely legal. as much as the islamic thinkers society might put out an extremist message, they go right up to the line with the first amendment. reporter: now in his early 20s, bryant is spending time with his radical new friends.