Virginia-born Zachary Chesser is a homegrown extremist and would-be foreign fighter who attempted to travel to Somalia to fight alongside al-Shabaab. Chesser is known—alongside U.S. citizen Jesse Curtis Morton—for urging U.S.-based extremists to attack the writers of the television show South Park. The show’s writers had produced an episode in which the Islamic prophet Muhammad was depicted wearing a bear costume.“Wife of Zachary Chesser Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement,” FBI, November 8, 2010, https://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2010/wfo110810b.htm;
“Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism,” United States Senate, February 2012, 12, http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/download/zachary-chesser-a-case-study-in-online-radicalization-.

In April 2010, Chesser and Morton issued a threat to South Park’s writers on their website revolutionmuslim.com. The pair warned that the writers might share the fate of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who was murdered in 2004 for a film he directed criticizing misogyny in Islam.Edecio Martinez, “Zachary Chesser Threatened “South Park” Creators Over Muhammad, Now Charged in Terror Case,” CBS News, July 23, 2010, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zachary-chesser-threatened-south-park-creators-over-muhammad-now-charged-in-terror-case/;
Joshua Rhett Miller, “Road to Radicalism: The Man Behind the ‘South Park’ Threats,” Fox News, April 23, 2010, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/23/road-radicalism-man-south-park-threats/. In May 2010, Chesser and Morton used revolutionmuslim.com to call for the murder of an artist tied to “Everybody Draw Mohammad Day,” an event in support of artists who had been threatened for drawing the Islamic prophet. “Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism.

Chesser converted to Islam in the summer of 2008 while playing on a soccer team organized by a member of the transnational Islamist organization Hizb ut-Tahrir.“Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism,” United States Senate, February 2012, 5, http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/download/zachary-chesser-a-case-study-in-online-radicalization-. His writing soon appeared on the blog belonging to Anwar al-Awlaki—an American-Yemeni terrorist who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in 2011. Chesser later admitted to corresponding with al-Awlaki via email.“Zachary Chesser Timeline,” Washington Post, accessed September 21, 2015, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/zac-chesser/.

In December 2009, Chesser created the blog “themujahidblog.com” to “[spread] knowledge regarding Jihad and the Mujahideen.” In June 2010, he posted his nearly 7,000-word manifesto titled “Raising Al Qaa’ida” to several jihadist websites.“Wife of Zachary Chesser Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement,” FBI, November 8, 2010, https://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2010/wfo110810b.htm;
“Zachary Chesser: A Case Study in Online Islamist Radicalization and Its Meaning for the Threat of Homegrown Terrorism,” United States Senate, February 2012, 12, http://www.hsgac.senate.gov/download/zachary-chesser-a-case-study-in-online-radicalization-.

Excerpt #1 from Zachary Chesser’s 7,000-word manifesto titled “Raising Al Qaa’ida”
(Source: Washington Post)

Excerpt #2 from Zachary Chesser’s 7,000-word manifesto titled “Raising Al Qaa’ida”
(Source: Washington Post)

Approximately two weeks later, Chesser was stopped from boarding a flight with his infant son to Uganda, where he planned to continue onto Somalia to join al-Shabaab. He was arrested approximately 20 days later and pled guilty in October 2010 to charges of “communicating threats against the writers of the South Park television show, soliciting violent jihadists to desensitize law enforcement, and attempting to provide material support to al Shabaab,” according to the FBI.“Wife of Zachary Chesser Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement,” FBI, November 8, 2010, https://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2010/wfo110810b.htm. Four days following Chesser’s arrest, Morton fled to Morocco. He was arrested there on U.S. charges in May 2011.“Leader of Revolution Muslim Pleads Guilty to Using Internet to Solicit Murder and Encourage Violent Extremism,” FBI, February 9, 2012, https://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2012/leader-of-revolution-muslim-pleads-guilty-to-using-internet-to-solicit-murder-and-encourage-violent-extremism.

Chesser’s wife, Ugandan national Proscovia Kampire Nzabanita, had reportedly planned to meet Chesser in Somalia. In November 2010, Nzabanita pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a special agent investigating her husband. She also admitted that in 2009, she and her husband attempted to travel to Somalia so that Chesser could join al-Shabaab. Nzabanita later faced deportation and reportedly fled to Jordan.Associated Press, “‘South Park’ Terror Convict Zachary Chesser: My Mother And The FBI Violated My Rights,” Huffington Post, March 25, 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/25/zachary-chesser_n_6943196.html.

In June 2014, Chesser was transferred from prison in Illinois to a Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, after he repeatedly organized unauthorized meetings with Muslim inmates.Meg Wagner, “Convict who threatened 'South Park' creators sues prison, claims it's difficult to practice Islam behind bars,” New York Daily News, January 9, 2015, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/south-park-terrorist-sues-prison-hindering-faith-article-1.2071959. He was later transferred to United States Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia. Chesser is due to be released in January 2032.“Zachary Adam Chesser,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Abdifatah Aden was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia who went to Syria to fight for the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria. He died in battle in June 2014 at the age of 27.Kathy Lynn Gray, “Documents reveal details about Columbus man accused of helping terrorists,” Columbus Dispatch, April 21, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/21/terrorism_search_warrants.html.

Aden lived in Columbus, Ohio, from 2005 to 2013 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006.Kathy Lynn Gray, “Documents reveal details about Columbus man accused of helping terrorists,” Columbus Dispatch, April 21, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/21/terrorism_search_warrants.html. On Facebook, he was known as “Abdifateh SeekTruth Aden,” and posted propaganda videos in support of violent jihadist ideology. In October 2012, Aden posted videos and quotes by Islamic extremist lecturer Anwar al-Awlaki.Kathy Lynn Gray, “Documents reveal details about Columbus man accused of helping terrorists,” Columbus Dispatch, April 21, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/21/terrorism_search_warrants.html.

Aden left for Saudi Arabia in 2013 and then decided to fight for the Nusra Front. He asked his half-brother Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud for money to cover his living expenses in Syria.Kathy Lynn Gray, “Documents reveal details about Columbus man accused of helping terrorists,” Columbus Dispatch, April 21, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/21/terrorism_search_warrants.html. In September 2013, the two brothers communicated about Mohamud’s plans to join Aden in Syria and Mohamud’s desire to “join you in the high ranks as a Mujahid.”Kevin Landers, “Columbus Man Pleads Not Guilty to Plotting Military Base Attack,” 10TV, April 17, 2015, http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2015/04/17/columbus-ohio-columbus-man-to-be-arraigned-on-ffederal-terrorism-charges.html. Upon news of Aden’s death, Mohamud said he was happy and that he “was next and would join Aden soon.”Kevin Landers, “Columbus Man Pleads Not Guilty to Plotting Military Base Attack,” 10TV, April 17, 2015, http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2015/04/17/columbus-ohio-columbus-man-to-be-arraigned-on-ffederal-terrorism-charges.html.

After Aden’s death, a “martyrdom photo” showing him lying in bed with a bandaged head began to circulate on Facebook. Mohamud requested that the photo be taken down and later took down his Facebook account as well.Kathy Lynn Gray, “Documents reveal details about Columbus man accused of helping terrorists,” Columbus Dispatch, April 21, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/21/terrorism_search_warrants.html.

Mohamud traveled to Syria in April 2014 and returned to the United States two months later, allegedly planning to carry out an attack on U.S. soil.John Bacon, “Ohio man accused of planning U.S. terror strike,” USA Today, April 16, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/16/ohio-indicted-islamic-state-terrorism/25879443/. He was arrested in February 2015 and has pled not guilty to charges of supporting terrorism.John Bacon, “Ohio man accused of planning U.S. terror strike,” USA Today, April 16, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/16/ohio-indicted-islamic-state-terrorism/25879443/. On January 22, 2018, Mohamud was sentenced to 22 years in prison, but he requested to be deported instead of serving his sentence. The local Homeland Security Investigations office has said it will look into stripping him of his citizenship and deporting him to his native Somalia.Andrew Welsh-Huggins “Man accused in terror plot asked for deportation over prison,” Fox News, January 28, 2018, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/28/man-accused-in-terror-plot-asked-for-deportation-over-prison.html.

Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen, an American foreign fighter for al-Qaeda, was arrested by the FBI while attempting to travel to Syria for his second time. He was later sentenced for a variety of terrorism charges.Douglas Ernst, “Man who tried to join al Qaeda through Facebook, assist terror group gets 13-year sentence,” Washington Times, July 1, 2014, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/1/man-who-tried-find-al-qaeda-faceook-assist-terror-/.

According to his family, Nguyen was raised Catholic and faith-driven. As he sought an understanding of God, Nguyen began to study the Quran along with the Bible and started to attend mosques.“‘I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html;
Adolfo Flores and Anh Do, “Family paints different picture of terrorist suspect,” Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/14/local/la-me-1015-al-qaeda-figure-20131015. Nguyen converted to Islam in 2011 and changed his name to Hasan Abu Omar Ghannoum.“‘I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html. After his conversion, Nguyen became self-radicalized and traveled to Syria with intentions to fight alongside the al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front against the Bashar al-Assad regime.“Enemies Among Us: What We Know About Homegrown Terrorists,” RAND Corporation, February 26, 2015, http://www.rand.org/blog/rand-review/2015/02/enemies-among-us-what-we-know-about-homegrown-terrorists.html;
“California man admits to using Facebook, Internet to connect with Al Qaeda,” New York Daily News, December 27, 2013, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-admits-facebook-connect-al-qaeda-article-1.1559775;
Evan Kohlmann and Laith Alkhouri, “Profiles of Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq,” CTC Sentinel 7, no. 9 (2014). https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/profiles-of-foreign-fighters-in-syria-and-iraq.

In December 2012, Nguyen traveled to Lebanon with a passport under the name Hasan Abu Omar Ghannoum. He then crossed the Lebanese border into Syria and spent five months fighting alongside the Nusra Front.“‘I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html;
Evan Kohlmann and Laith Alkhouri, “Profiles of Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq,” CTC Sentinel 7, no. 9 (2014). https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/profiles-of-foreign-fighters-in-syria-and-iraq. His family was under the impression that he had traveled to Lebanon and Syria in order to expand his knowledge of Islam and study the Quran.“‘I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html

Using a Facebook account under his Islamic name, Hasan Abu Omar Ghannoum, he documented his trip through various posts. In December 2012, Nguyen described traveling across difficult terrain, preparing to “fight against Assad and his minions.” He narrowly avoided snipers while attempting to get to a Syrian village.Adolfo Flores and Anh Do, “Family paints different picture of terrorist suspect,” Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/14/local/la-me-1015-al-qaeda-figure-20131015. He also reached out to family and friends in a January 2013 posting, “I’m doing well in Syria…having a blast here, and I mean literally.”“‘I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html By February 2013, Nguyen bragged about his first kill with al-Qaeda. “I got my first confirmed kill about two weeks ago. So pumped to get more.”Adolfo Flores and Anh Do, “Family paints different picture of terrorist suspect,” Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/14/local/la-me-1015-al-qaeda-figure-20131015.

After he returned home, Nguyen used the same social media account to post his promise to return to Syria. “It has ben more than 3 months [since] I have been back. After I left my brother’s country, I have so many regrets of leaving my brothers and sisters who are still suffering over there. I’ll be back there.”Adolfo Flores and Anh Do, “Family paints different picture of terrorist suspect,” Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/14/local/la-me-1015-al-qaeda-figure-20131015. His Facebook accounts were shut down soon after his arrest.Adolfo Flores and Anh Do, “Family paints different picture of terrorist suspect,” Los Angeles Times, October 14, 2013, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/14/local/la-me-1015-al-qaeda-figure-20131015.

In August 2013, Nguyen connected with an undercover FBI agent on Facebook who he thought was an al-Qaeda recruiter.Douglas Ernst, “Man who tried to join al Qaeda through Facebook, assist terror group gets 13-year sentence,” Washington Times, July 1, 2014, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/1/man-who-tried-find-al-qaeda-faceook-assist-terror-/. Between August 3 and October 11, he met with the undercover agent, telling him what he had previously done in Syria and saying that he wanted to return to jihad.California man admits to using Facebook, Internet to connect with Al Qaeda,” New York Daily News, December 27, 2013, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-admits-facebook-connect-al-qaeda-article-1.1559775. Nguyen purchased a ticket from Mexico to Pakistan, but as he was about to board the bus that would take him from California to the Mexican airport, FBI agents made their arrest.“California man admits to using Facebook, Internet to connect with Al Qaeda,” New York Daily News, December 27, 2013, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-admits-facebook-connect-al-qaeda-article-1.1559775. Nguyen was discovered in possession of a false passport and a hard drive containing almost 200 weapons training videos.Douglas Ernst, “Man who tried to join al Qaeda through Facebook, assist terror group gets 13-year sentence,” Washington Times, July 1, 2014, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/1/man-who-tried-find-al-qaeda-faceook-assist-terror-/.

Nguyen pled guilty and is now serving 13 years in federal prison and an additional 10 years of supervised release for attempting to assist a terrorist organization and lying on a U.S. passport application to aid international terrorism.Douglas Ernst, “Man who tried to join al Qaeda through Facebook, assist terror group gets 13-year sentence,” Washington Times, July 1, 2014, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/1/man-who-tried-find-al-qaeda-faceook-assist-terror-/;
“’I’m literally having a blast’: What Californian Muslim convert posted on Facebook from Syria before being arrested for aiding Al-Qaeda,” Daily Mail (London), October 12, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2457191/Im-literally-having-blast-What-Californian-Muslim-convert-posted-Facebook-Syria-arrested-aiding-Al-Qaeda.html.

Abdella Ahmad Tounisi is an American who was arrested for attempting to travel to Syria to fight alongside al-Nusra Front.Jason Meisner, “Aurora man pleads guilty to plotting to join al-Qaida in Syria in 2013,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2015, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-aurora-man-guilty-terrorism-met-20150811-story.html. Tounisi had unknowingly confessed his plan to an undercover FBI agent posing as a terrorist recruiter.“Aurora Man Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charge,” CBS Chicago, August 11, 2015, http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/08/11/aurora-man-pleads-guilty-to-terrorism-charge/.

Tounisi had been bullied as a child and learned to seek asylum in his religion. He educated himself on the Syrian civil war and became outraged by the actions taken by the Syrian government. Mick Dumke, “Accused terrorists from Chicago were lured by extremists-and the U.S. government,” Chicago Reader, July 9, 2015, http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/terrorism-sami-hassoun-adel-daoud-wrigley-field-abdella-ahmad-tounisi/Content?oid=18243769. Tounisi confided in his friend, Adel Daoud, whom he met at his mosque, and told him he wanted to become a foreign fighter.Mick Dumke, “Accused terrorists from Chicago were lured by extremists-and the U.S. government,” Chicago Reader, July 9, 2015, http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/terrorism-sami-hassoun-adel-daoud-wrigley-field-abdella-ahmad-tounisi/Content?oid=18243769. The pair shared an interest in violent jihad, a topic about which they often talked and exchanged emails, phone calls, text messages, and videos.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf.

Daoud was arrested on September 14, 2012, after attempting to detonate a bomb outside a bar in downtown Chicago.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. In July of that year, he met a purported operational terrorist who was in fact an FBI undercover agent.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. Daoud disclosed to him his desire to conduct an attack on the United States. He believed the country was unjustly killing Muslims in the Middle East conflict and sought retribution.Mick Dumke, “Accused terrorists from Chicago were lured by extremists-and the U.S. government,” Chicago Reader, July 9, 2015, http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/terrorism-sami-hassoun-adel-daoud-wrigley-field-abdella-ahmad-tounisi/Content?oid=18243769. The undercover agent met with Daoud on several occasions to research and select possible targets to attack, as well as conduct surveillance of those areas.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf.

In August 2012, Daoud shared his terror attack plan with Tounisi and asked for assistance. Tounisi provided input on attack techniques and researched several of Daoud’s targeted locations to determine which would be the most feasible.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. However, after several weeks, Tounisi decided against participating in the attack. He was skeptical about the supposed terrorist Daoud was working with and believed the man was “a spy” who worked in law enforcement.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf;
Jason Meisner, “Aurora man pleads guilty to plotting to join al-Qaida in Syria in 2013,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2015, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-aurora-man-guilty-terrorism-met-20150811-story.html.

Daoud continued his plot with the undercover agent. He was provided with a false bomb to “detonate” inside a car parked next to a bar in downtown Chicago.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. Daoud was arrested after attempting to detonate the fake device.Mick Dumke, “Accused terrorists from Chicago were lured by extremists-and the U.S. government,” Chicago Reader, July 9, 2015, http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/terrorism-sami-hassoun-adel-daoud-wrigley-field-abdella-ahmad-tounisi/Content?oid=18243769. FBI agents interviewed Tounisi and he admitted to assisting Daoud the target selection. However, he was not charged for his actions.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf;
Jason Meisner, “Aurora man pleads guilty to plotting to join al-Qaida in Syria in 2013,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2015, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-aurora-man-guilty-terrorism-met-20150811-story.html.

Although his friend had been arrested, Tounisi continued to show an interest in violent jihad.Jason Meisner, “Aurora man pleads guilty to plotting to join al-Qaida in Syria in 2013,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2015, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-aurora-man-guilty-terrorism-met-20150811-story.html. From January 2013 to April 2013, Tounisi performed extensive online searches related to traveling overseas and the terrorist group the Nusra Front. He also applied for an expedited passport, which he received.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf.

On March 28, 2013, Tounisi went to a website that claimed to recruit for al-Nusra Front.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. He reached out to an email address on the site that connected him with an individual whom he believed to be a recruiter for al-Nusra Front. Unaware that this particular website was circulated by the FBI to catch individuals attempting to become foreign fighters, Tounisi followed instructions of an undercover agent, posing as a recruiter for the al-Qaeda affiliated group.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf.

Tounisi told the undercover agent how he planned to get to Syria by traveling to Istanbul, Turkey, and later to Gaziantep, a Turkish city bordering Syria.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. He also expressed his willingness to fight and die for the cause.Jason Meisner, “Aurora man pleads guilty to plotting to join al-Qaida in Syria in 2013,” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2015, http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-aurora-man-guilty-terrorism-met-20150811-story.html.

By April 10, 2013, Tounisi had purchased an airline ticket to fly from Chicago to Turkey and the undercover agent had sent him a bus ticket to get from Istanbul to Gaziantep, where Tounisi was to supposedly meet an al-Nusra Front guide to take him across the border.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf.

On April 19, he traveled to O’Hare International Airport.“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. After proceeding through airport security, he was arrested by FBI agents as he was waiting to board his flight.Chuck Goudie, “Aurora teen, Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, talking plea deal with federal prosecutors,” ABC 7 Chicago, January 8, 2015, http://abc7chicago.com/news/aurora-teen-abdella-tounisi-talking-plea-deal-with-feds/466816/;
“United States v. ABDELLA AHMAD TOUNISI,” U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division, April 20, 2013, http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/usao-ndil/legacy/2015/06/11/pr0422_01a.pdf. Tounisi was charged and later pleaded guilty for attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.“Aurora Man Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charge,” CBS Chicago, August 11, 2015, http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/08/11/aurora-man-pleads-guilty-to-terrorism-charge/. Prosecutors argued that Tounisi was a “significant threat” and requested he be imprisoned for fifteen years.Chuck Goudie and Barb Markoff, “Government Wants Long Sentence for Suburban Teen Terrorist,” ABC7 Chicago, October 9, 2017, https://abc7chicago.com/abdella-ahmad-tounisi-aurora-terrorist-teen-sentence/2513354/. On October 9, 2017, federal district judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan concurred with prosecutors’ recommendations and sentenced him to 15 years in federal prison. Judge Der-Yeghiayan stated that Tounisi “chose to become a villain” by trading “the opportunity to attend college for a terrorist training camp.” The judge further stated that the prison sentence would be even longer if the statutory maximum did not exist.Chuck Goudie and Ross Weidner, “Aspiring Chicago Terrorist Called ‘Villain’ By Judge; Gets 15 Year Sentence,” ABC7 Chicago, October 19, 2017, https://abc7chicago.com/abdella-ahmad-tounisi-syria-terrorist-chicago/2551727/.

Tounisi is currently incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institute Terra Haute, with a tentative release date of January 29, 2026.“Abdella Ahmad Tounisi,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed January 11, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Abdirahmaan Muhumed was a Somali-American fighting with ISIS. In 2013, Muhumed left his home in Minnesota to join the terrorist group in Syria. It is believed that Muhumed died in an ISIS battle in August 2014, reportedly the same battle that killed fellow U.S. citizen and ISIS extremist Douglas McCain.Michael Zenine, “Somali-American who died fighting for ISIS cleaned planes for Delta Airlines at Minneapolis airport before he joined terrorist group,” Daily Mail (London), September 3, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2742206/Somali-American-died-fighting-ISIS-cleaned-planes-Delta-Airlines-Minneapolis-airport-joined-terrorist-group.html.

Before moving to Syria, Muhumed worked cleaning jetliners for Delta Airlines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.Michael Zenine, “Somali-American who died fighting for ISIS cleaned planes for Delta Airlines at Minneapolis airport before he joined terrorist group,” Daily Mail (London), September 3, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2742206/Somali-American-died-fighting-ISIS-cleaned-planes-Delta-Airlines-Minneapolis-airport-joined-terrorist-group.html. While with ISIS, Muhumed posted a series of extremist messages to Facebook, including a photo of himself carrying the Qu’ran in one hand and a rifle in the other alongside the caption “Shaam,” the Islamic term for greater Syria.Laura Collins, “‘Jihad Cool’: The young Americans lured to fight for ISIS militants with rap videos, adventurism and first hand accounts of the ‘fun’ of guerrilla war,” Daily Mail (London), June 19, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2661727/Jihad-Cool-The-young-Americans-lured-fight-ISIS-militants-rap-videos-adventurism-hand-accounts-fun-guerrilla-war.html. In one particularly gruesome image from May 2013, the head of a dead man could be seen held up to the camera with his mouth slightly open.Laura Collins, “‘Jihad Cool’: The young Americans lured to fight for ISIS militants with rap videos, adventurism and first hand accounts of the ‘fun’ of guerrilla war,” Daily Mail (London), June 19, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2661727/Jihad-Cool-The-young-Americans-lured-fight-ISIS-militants-rap-videos-adventurism-hand-accounts-fun-guerrilla-war.html.

Muhumed was 29-years-old by the time of his reported death.Michael Zenine, “Somali-American who died fighting for ISIS cleaned planes for Delta Airlines at Minneapolis airport before he joined terrorist group,” Daily Mail (London), September 3, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2742206/Somali-American-died-fighting-ISIS-cleaned-planes-Delta-Airlines-Minneapolis-airport-joined-terrorist-group.html. He left behind nine children in Minnesota.

Picture of Muhumed fighting with ISIS. While in Syria, Muhumed was interviewed by MPR News reporter Mukhtar Ibrahim.

Basit Javed Sheikh is a U.S. legal permanent resident who was arrested in November 2013 while trying to board a plane to Lebanon with the intention of joining al-Nusra Front in Syria.U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina, “Individual Charged with Attempt to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” FBI, November 12, 2013, https://www.fbi.gov/charlotte/press-releases/2013/individual-charged-with-attempt-to-provide-material-support-to-a-foreign-terrorist-organization. According to the FBI, Sheikh spent five months in 2013 posting messages and videos on Facebook in support of jihadist forces fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country’s civil war.Associated Press, “Basit Javed Sheikh, North Carolina Man, Attempted To Join Al-Qaida: Feds,” Huffington Post, November 12, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/12/basit-javed-sheikh-north-carolina-al-qaida_n_4259493.html.

In August 2013, Sheikh began communicating online with an undercover FBI agent.Associated Press, “Basit Javed Sheikh, North Carolina Man, Attempted To Join Al-Qaida: Feds,” Huffington Post, November 12, 2013, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/12/basit-javed-sheikh-north-carolina-al-qaida_n_4259493.html. Sheikh reportedly met the undercover agent through a Facebook page created by the FBI to find Americans seeking to join militant groups.Anne Blythe, “Judge orders involuntary commitment of Cary man awaiting trial on terror-related charges,” News & Observer, January 7, 2015, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article10214600.html. Sheikh reportedly told the undercover agent he wanted to help al-Nusra Front with “logistics, media, fight too, God willing.”Anne Blythe, “Judge orders involuntary commitment of Cary man awaiting trial on terror-related charges,” News & Observer, January 7, 2015, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article10214600.html. Sheikh allegedly also told the agent that he was ready to be a martyr.U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina, “Individual Charged with Attempt to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” FBI, November 12, 2013, https://www.fbi.gov/charlotte/press-releases/2013/individual-charged-with-attempt-to-provide-material-support-to-a-foreign-terrorist-organization.

A court-ordered psychiatric evaluation diagnosed Sheikh as schizophrenic.Anne Blythe, “Judge orders involuntary commitment of Cary man awaiting trial on terror-related charges,” News & Observer, January 7, 2015, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article10214600.html. His mother argued that he suffers from anxiety and depression, and Sheikh spent most of his time before his arrest at the computer. In early January 2015, a federal judge ordered Sheikh to be committed for 120 days of psychiatric treatment after Sheikh argued in court that the United States should pay “100 camels worth of monetary compensation” for war deaths in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the Middle East. Sheikh reportedly interrupted the judge repeatedly, saying, “I have a right to travel the world. I was leaving this country. What’s your moral rationale for holding me?” He also said he wanted to help “his brothers” in the Middle East.Anne Blythe, “Judge orders involuntary commitment of Cary man awaiting trial on terror-related charges,” News & Observer, January 7, 2015, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article10214600.html.

In June 2015, the same judge ordered Sheikh to receive involuntary medication. Sheikh believed he was in a “fake jail,” the staff was “radiating” him, and the tap water had been altered to make him sick. He also believed people were following him. According to the court report, Sheikh argued, “I am going home and your government is going to apologize to me.” He also said the U.S. government is illegally detaining him because it is “racist against Muslims.”Anne Blythe, “Judge orders involuntary commitment of Cary man awaiting trial on terror-related charges,” News & Observer, January 7, 2015, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article10214600.html.

In October 2015, a federal judge ordered Sheikh to be forcibly injected with anti-psychotic medication in order to be fit to stand trial.Emery P. Dalesio, “Judge orders mentally ill man medicated in terrorism case,” Associated Press, October 14, 2015, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/052c9d99e06840b1a04ad0ff2edf35be/judge-orders-mentally-ill-man-medicated-terrorism-case. Sheikh faced up to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release, as well as a $250,000 fine if convicted.U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina, “Individual Charged with Attempt to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” FBI, November 12, 2013, https://www.fbi.gov/charlotte/press-releases/2013/individual-charged-with-attempt-to-provide-material-support-to-a-foreign-terrorist-organization.

On August 22, 2018, Sheikh pleaded guilty in federal court to “attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization.”“North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of North Carolina, August 22, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/north-carolina-man-pleads-guilty-providing-material-support-foreign-terrorist. On November 29, 2018, he was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, with credit for the five years he already spent in jail. His sentence includes a lifetime of post-release supervision with mandatory mental health treatment.“Cary man gets prison time for plan to aid terrorists in Syrian civil war,” WRAL Raleigh, November 29, 2018, https://www.wral.com/cary-man-gets-prison-time-for-plan-to-aid-terrorists-in-syrian-civil-war/18028158/. Sheikh was released from prison on November 15, 2019.“Basit Javed Sheikh,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed January 13, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Nicole Mansfield was killed on May 29, 2013, during a confrontation in Idlib, Syria. Mansfield allegedly threw a grenade at Syrian government forces who began shooting at her car, killing all three passengers inside. Mansfield was 33 years old at the time and became the first American woman to be killed in Syria.Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html.

According to conversations she had with family members, Mansfield traveled first to Tunisia and then Turkey before entering Syria.Niraj Warikoo, “From Michigan to a violent death in Syria,” USA Today, June 30, 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/30/syria-michigan-woman-killed/2477393/. Activists in the Idlib province said they believed she was working as a lookout or “media coordinator” for a Syrian rebel group.Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html. It is unclear exactly which rebel group Mansfield was associated with, however a Syrian government television station reported she was part of the Nusra Front while another Sunni Islamist group, Ahrar Al-Sham, claimed she was fighting for them.Niraj Warikoo, “From Michigan to a violent death in Syria,” USA Today, June 30, 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/30/syria-michigan-woman-killed/2477393/.

Mansfield was brought up as a Baptist in Flint, Michigan.Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html. She became pregnant at the age of 15, dropped out of high school, and earned her GED before attending Mott Community College.Niraj Warikoo, “From Michigan to a violent death in Syria,” USA Today, June 30, 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/30/syria-michigan-woman-killed/2477393/. In 2007, Mansfield and her roommate Janice Wilson were working as home health aides when they converted to Islam.Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html. Then 18-year-old Triana Manfield said of her mother, “My mother struggled to make ends meet and we often moved around. I never stayed in one place for long because my mother could never keep up with the bills.”Niraj Warikoo, “From Michigan to a violent death in Syria,” USA Today, June 30, 2013, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/30/syria-michigan-woman-killed/2477393/. Mansfield married an Arab immigrant in 2008, but they divorced soon after. Wilson also revealed that Mansfield had traveled to Dubai for a short period of time. She was living with a Muslim family in Detroit before she left for Syria.Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html.

Triana Mansfield posted on her Facebook page, “My mother was NOT a terrorist. She went there for a reason that is unknown.”Jennifer Preston, “Michigan Woman Killed in Syria War, Reports Say,” New York Times, May 31, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/us/syria-fighting-touches-a-family-in-michigan.html. However, Nicole Mansfield’s grandmother Carole Mansfield said that although her granddaughter possessed a “heart of gold,” she was “weak-minded.” Carole Mansfield claimed, “I think [Nicole] could have been brainwashed.”Matt Williams, “Nicole Mansfield ‘just a regular American’, says daughter,” Guardian (London), May 31, 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/31/nicole-lynn-mansfield-syria-killed-brainwashed.

Hanad Abdullahi Mohallim was an American foreign fighter for ISIS who is believed to have died fighting for the terror group in late 2014.Andrea Huncar, “3 ISIS recruits from Edmonton believed killed,” CBC News, January 14, 2015, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/3-isis-recruits-from-edmonton-believed-killed-1.2901146; Laura Yuen, Mukhtar Ibrahim, and Sasha Aslanian, “Called to fight: Minnesota's ISIS recruits,” MPR News, March 25, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/25/minnesota-isis#hmohallim. In March 2014, then-18-year-old Mohallim flew from Minessota to Turkey, making his way into Syria later that month. In late March, Mohallim confirmed to his family that he was a “border guard” in Syria. He told his family he believed he would be jailed if he returned to the United States.Laura Yuen, Mukhtar Ibrahim, and Sasha Aslanian, “From MN suburbs, they set out to join ISIS,” MPR News, March 25, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/25/minnesota-teens-isis.

A San Diego, California native, Mohallim lived in St. Louis, Minnesota before traveling to Syria. He attended numerous high schools, but never graduated.Laura Yuen, Mukhtar Ibrahim, and Sasha Aslanian, “From MN suburbs, they set out to join ISIS,” MPR News, March 25, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/25/minnesota-teens-isis. He reportedly attended Burnsville High School with Hamza Naj Ahmed, a fellow Minnesotan who attempted to fly to Syria in November 2014 but was apprehended by law enforcement. Ahmed was indicted in February 2015 for conspiring to materially support a foreign terrorist organization.“Hamza Naj Ahmed Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,” FBI, February 19, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/minneapolis/press-releases/2015/hamza-naj-ahmed-indicted-for-conspiring-to-provide-material-support-to-the-islamic-state-of-iraq-and-the-levant.

Mohallim grew increasingly radical on Twitter in the months leading up to his departure. His Twitter photo at one point depicted a young man sporting an Islamic-style headscarf and holding up his pointer finger, a gesture associated with ISIS.Laura Yuen, Mukhtar Ibrahim, and Sasha Aslanian, “Called to fight: Minnesota's ISIS recruits,” MPR News, March 25, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/25/minnesota-isis#hmohallim.

Moner Mohammad Abusalha was the first U.S. citizen to carry out a suicide attack in Syria when he carried out a “martyrdom operation” in late May 2014. He had traveled to the war-torn region in January 2013 to join al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate the Nusra Front.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html.

Abusalha was allegedly associated with Omar Mateen, the perpetrator of the June 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. The two men were believed to attend the same mosque in Fort Pierce, Florida. The FBI interviewed Mateen in 2014 over possible connections to Abusalha, but the case was ultimately closed. According to FBI Director James Comey, “the investigation turned up no ties of any consequence between the two of them.”Associated Press, “FBI: Orlando Gunman Had Strong Indications of Radicalization,” ABC, June 13, 2016, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/fbi-orlando-gunman-strong-indications-radicalization-39820558;
Cassandra Vinograd, “Omar Mateen, U.S. Suicide Bomber Tied to Fort Pierce, Florida,” NBC, June 13, 2016, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/omar-mateen-u-s-suicide-bomber-tied-fort-pierce-florida-n590846.

Abusalha grew up in Vero Beach, Florida, with his Palestinian father and American mother. He reportedly enjoyed playing basketball as well as spending time at the local Islamic center.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. A former basketball teammate said, “He was a nice kid, never anything weird. Everyone got along with him. He was just a normal kid.”Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. Abusalha dropped out of Sebastian River High School to enroll in St. James Academy—which allows students to complete coursework at home—and graduated in March 2009. Abusalha then attended a series of different college programs for a brief period of time before moving to Jordan where his father had lined up work for him. He never earned a college degree.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html.

Friends have said they believe he was recruited after he left Florida.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. Leader of the Islamic community center Taher Husainy said, “He all of a sudden disappeared. Then he appeared in Jordan and said he was working at a hospital (as a nurse). After two months or so he disappeared again. Then after six months or something, he sent an email to the parents saying, ‘I’m OK, I’m happy.’”Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. Then-22-year-old Abusalha reportedly spent two months in a training camp and took on the name Abu Huraira al-Amriki before joining the Nusra Front.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. Investigators later discovered he returned to the United States for several months in 2013 before flying back to Syria for a second time.Cynthia McFadden, Pete Williams, and Robert Windrem, “Suicide Bomber From Florida Tried to Recruit Hometown Friends,” NBC News, July 31, 2014, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/suicide-bomber-florida-tried-recruit-hometown-friends-n169881.

On May 25, 2014, Abusalha drove a truck laden with sixteen tons of explosives to a mountaintop restaurant where government forces often gathered.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. A statement posted online by the Nusra Front said Abusalha was one of four suicide bombers sent to carry out an assault on government forces near the city of Ariha in northern Syria.Frances Robles and Emma G. Fitzsimmons, “Before Syrian Suicide Blast, a Quiet Life in the Suburbs,” New York Times, May 31, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/01/us/Moner-Mohammad-Abusalha-Vero-Beach-Florida-Syria.html. The Nusra Front released a video he had recorded before his death entitled “The Story of the American Muhajir,” in which he is shown tearing, biting, and burning his American passport.Michael S. Schmidt and Mark Mazzetti, “Suicide Bomber from U.S. Came Home Before Attack,” New York Times, July 30, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/us/suicide-bomber-from-us-came-home-before-attack.html.

H.M. is a Minnesotan man who traveled to Turkey and entered Syria in March 2014. When in Syria, he reported to his family that he was serving as a border guard. While it is unknown which organization he joined, H.M.’s associates in the United States intended to join ISIS. H.M. has not lawfully reentered the U.S. since leaving for Turkey and is believed to still be fighting in Syria. The FBI has only released his initials.“United States of America v. Abdullah Yusuf and Abdi Nur,” District Court of the United States for the District of Minnesota, November 24, 2014, 19-20, http://www.justice.gov/file/179486/download.

Prior to his departure, H.M.’s intentions to travel to Syria were unknown to his family, but three of H.M.’s cousins had traveled to Syria in the past. Later investigation revealed he met with all three before they left the United States.“United States of America v. Abdullah Yusuf and Abdi Nur,” District Court of the United States for the District of Minnesota, November 24, 2014, 19-20, http://www.justice.gov/file/179486/download.

Beyond his relatives, H.M. was connected to a network of foreign fighters within the United States. Investigations of fighters apprehended after H.M.’s departure revealed extensive communication between H.M. and other Somali-American fighters intending to fight in Syria. Additionally, the debit card H.M. used to purchase his tickets to Turkey was also used to purchase tickets for an unnamed Somali-American foreign fighter. In a pattern consistent with the cases of other foreign fighters, money for the tickets was deposited into the bank account associated with card only in the days before the tickets were purchased.“United States of America v. Abdullah Yusuf and Abdi Nur,” District Court of the United States for the District of Minnesota, November 24, 2014, 19-20, http://www.justice.gov/file/179486/download.