A Porterville resident is accused of discussing plans to help ISIS, according to federal authorities.
On June 5, FBI agents arrested three men, including Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, charging them with conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The others arrested were Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California.
The complaint, filed in the District of Kansas, alleged the men provided more than $2,000 to a person they believed to be a member of ISIS. According to the complaint, Ghafoor said it would be “sick” if his name was written on the drone used to attack Americans, and said he wanted to behead a female soldier.
“I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans,” he allegedly said, while Dzayee wanted drones to target U.S. Special Forces.
The defendants used Discord chats, voice calls, other messaging platforms, and social media posts to pledge allegiance to ISIS and its leader, according to the complaint.
Shamsaldeen allegedly provided the finances to purchase drones to attack and kill U.S. servicemembers overseas.
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks — anywhere.”
The defendants and others allegedly discussed traveling outside the United States to fight for ISIS, even expressing a willingness to die for ISIS.
“These subjects allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS, plotted multiple attacks, and even targeted U.S. service members — but this FBI stopped them cold,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The success of this op shows once again this FBI’s continued record of stopping terrorist attacks before they happen, simply the best way to defend the homeland — and shows we’ll stop at nothing to defend Americans from those who seek to do us harm.”
The District of Kansas and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section will be prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of California and the Southern District of California.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: FBI arrests Porterville resident accused of providing support to ISIS
Reporting by Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Steve Pastis, Visalia Times-Delta | USA TODAY Network
