Amal is a Twitter personality and propagandist for ISIS. Her accounts are continually suspended by Twitter, but she is able to resurface after a few hours under another iteration of her “@BintRose” handle. With each new profile’s first tweet, Amal includes a screenshot of her previous suspension notice and a photo of ISIS-logo accessories.

She regularly derides kuffar (nonbelievers), and particularly British society:

Amal has tweeted complaints about “mass suspensions” of her and her Twitter counterparts,Amal, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10. and has taunted Twitter admins, asking, “when do you finally get that we always come back, no matter how often you suspend our acc?!”Amal, Twitter post, August 31, 2015, 12:51 p.m., https://twitter.com/BintRosie33_/status/638393792538804224.

She frequently promotes the accounts of fellow jihadist Twitter propagandists. Most of her tweets avidly support ISIS, often advocating jihad and defending the actions of the terror group. She has claimed that “Allah” is responsible for the terror group’s success.Amal, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10.

Amal has shared photos of ISIS’s actions, such as the extreme Quranic practice of cutting off a thief’s hand:

She has denounced “coconuts,” a derogatory term used by Islamists to describe moderate Muslims.

Amal does not disclose her place of residence on her Twitter profile.BintRose10, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10. However, a follower once tweeted to her and implied that she lived in Austria, to which Amal tweeted a response, urging to keep such information private.BintRose10, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10. Her first tweet on @bintrose10 contained a picture of her suspension notice, which was written in German.BintRose10, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10. Nevertheless, the majority of her tweets are written in English.BintRose10, Twitter, accessed June 23, 2015, https://twitter.com/BintRose10.

Amal writes poorly of her country, highlighting what she perceives to be its rejection of haqq (“truth” in Arabic).

“Umm Radwa” is an Islamist propagandist on Twitter who is a “believer in pure Islam.”Umm Radwa, Twitter account, accessed July 21, 2015, https://twitter.com/ummradwa3. She regularly promotes the accounts of Amal (Bint Rose),Umm Radwa, Twitter post, July 22, 2015, 6:56 a.m., https://twitter.com/ummradwa3/status/623854206466654208. @UmmAysha11__,Umm Radwa, Twitter post, July 22, 2015, 5:37 a.m., https://twitter.com/ummradwa3/status/623834325809639429. and other ISIS propagandists.

Her first post on July 20, 2015 under her @ummradwa3 account announced she was “back again after suspension!”Umm Radwa, Twitter post, July 20, 2015, 6:07 p.m., https://twitter.com/ummradwa3/status/623252955559387136. The number of times Radwa has been suspended is unclear, though the “3” in her username may suggest this is her third account. A Twitter search reveals messages directed to the accounts @ummradwa and @ummradwa2, although the accounts have been suspended.

In her Twitter profile, Radwa calls herself a “Believer of pure Islam.”Umm Radwa, Twitter account, accessed July 21, 2015, https://twitter.com/ummradwa3. She calls for her followers to block “kuff,” an abbreviation of kuffar (nonbelievers) she uses for Twitter users who disagree with her.

Radwa questioned why the West fears sharia (Islamic law) in a July 23, 2015 post.Umm Radwa, Twitter post, July 23, 2015, 6:16 a.m., https://twitter.com/ummradwa3/status/624206540497498112. In follow-up replies, Radwa agrees with another Twitter user that one day the West “will love it inshallah.”Umm Radwa, Twitter post, July 23, 2015, 6:16 a.m., https://twitter.com/ummradwa3/status/624206540497498112.

Mad Mullah is a Twitter propagandist for ISIS and lists his location as “Islamic State, Libya.Mad Mullah, Twitter, accessed July 21, 2015, https://twitter.com/Majertiz. Mullah regularly tweets praise for the self-proclaimed “caliphate” and derides kuffar (nonbelievers).

Twitter continues to suspend Mullah’s account, but he quickly resurfaces under a new handle. Mullah frequently tweets about current ISIS news and urges new fighters to “make hijrah” (migration), especially to ISIS-controlled territory other than “Sham” (greater Syria).Mad Mullah, Twitter post, June 23, 2015, 1:32 p.m., https://twitter.com/majertenyy/status/613414438641762304. Mad Mullah encouraged others to engage in violent jihad in many of his tweets, emphasizing that it would benefit them in their next “true lives,” which “begin after their death.”Mad Mullah, Twitter post, June 20, 2015, 7:11 a.m., https://twitter.com/majertenyy/status/612231297373732864.

He glorified the ISIS attack in Tunisia on June 26, 2015 that killed 39 and injured 36, most of them foreign tourists. Mad Mullah tweeted enthusiastically about the many causalities.Mad Mullah, Twitter, accessed June 29, 2015, https://twitter.com/majertenyy.

According to one of his tweets, Mad Mullah allegedly left his mother to join ISIS in Libya in May 2015, without her consent.Mad Mullah, Twitter post, June 26, 2015, 10:06 p.m., https://twitter.com/majertenyy/status/614630904728846336. He claimed that she still does not know where he is.Mad Mullah, Twitter, accessed June 29, 2015, https://twitter.com/majertenyy. His original place of birth and residence remain unknown.Mad Mullah, Twitter, accessed June 29, 2015, https://twitter.com/majertenyy.

Khoder Soueid is a Melbourne-based sheikh, purported Islamic extremist, and supporter of ISIS.Khoder Soueid, Twitter, accessed July 16, 2015, https://twitter.com/KhoderSoueid5. He is active on Twitter, using the online platform to espouse his radical ideology and propagandize for the terror group.Michael Bachelard and David Wroe, “Islamic State recruiter makes contact with popular Melbourne sheikh,” Sydney Morning Herald, May 15, 2015, http://www.smh.com.au/national/islamic-state-recruiter-makes-contact-with-popular-melbourne-sheikh-20150515-gh1xo9.html. On a previous account, Soueid reportedly followed Neil Prakash, Australia’s top recruiter for ISIS.Michael Bachelard and David Wroe, “Islamic State recruiter makes contact with popular Melbourne sheikh,” Sydney Morning Herald, May 15, 2015, http://www.smh.com.au/national/islamic-state-recruiter-makes-contact-with-popular-melbourne-sheikh-20150515-gh1xo9.html. Soueid has tweeted against western air strikes in Syria and Iraq, describing the actions of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS as “cowardly.”

The purported ISIS-supporter reportedly lectures at the Hume Islamic Youth Centre located in a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, and has a large following of young men.Michael Bachelard and David Wroe, “Islamic State recruiter makes contact with popular Melbourne sheikh,” Sydney Morning Herald, May 15, 2015, http://www.smh.com.au/national/islamic-state-recruiter-makes-contact-with-popular-melbourne-sheikh-20150515-gh1xo9.html. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, he has referred to deceased ISIS recruiter Sheikh Abu Malik al-Nashwan as a “martyr.”Michael Bachelard and David Wroe, “Islamic State recruiter makes contact with popular Melbourne sheikh,” Sydney Morning Herald, May 15, 2015, http://www.smh.com.au/national/islamic-state-recruiter-makes-contact-with-popular-melbourne-sheikh-20150515-gh1xo9.html. On his suspected Twitter account, Soueid claims to be a graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia.Khoder Soueid, Twitter, accessed July 15, 2015, https://twitter.com/KhoderSoueid5.

Twitter has purportedly suspended numerous iterations of Soueid’s previous accounts. According to Soueid, one of his accounts only existed for five hours before it was suspended.Khoder Soueid, Twitter post, July 11, 2015, 4:48 a.m., https://twitter.com/KhoderSoueid5/status/619835666986172416.

Soueid is able to quickly resurface under a different account. His account under the handle @KhoderSoueid5 gained approximately 500 followers in less than two weeks.Khoder Soueid, Twitter, accessed July 21, 2015, https://twitter.com/KhoderSoueid5. CEP suspects that Soueid creates new accounts on iterations of the @KhoderSoueid handle, adding the number 2, 3, 4, etc. at the end of the handle with each new account.

Twitter personality “ISSyria” is a propagandist for ISIS.ISSyria, Twitter post, July 22, 2015, 8:27 a.m., https://twitter.com/ISSyria15/status/623877067722113024. ISSyria uses Twitter as a platform to garner financial support for the terror group by directing followers to donate to the group via Bitcoin, a crypto-currency that allows for financial transactions to be conducted anonymously. On August 1, 2015, ISSyria tweeted that donations would go toward enabling a “massive DDOS [distributed denial of service] attack” on ISIS’s enemies.ISSyria, Twitter post, July 22, 2015, 10:13 a.m., https://twitter.com/ISSyria15/status/623903689737175040.

CEP suspects ISSyria has been operating out of Syria since July 2015 based on tweets referencing Raqqah, ISIS’s de-facto headquarters. On July 22, 2015, ISSyria tweeted, “All the best to my brothers and sisters. Arrived in Raqqah!!!.”ISSyria, Twitter post, July 22, 2015, 9:11 a.m., https://twitter.com/ISSyria15/status/623888147030650880.

ISSyria’s Twitter bio includes a link to the website “Khilafah Archives” which shares ISIS propaganda in French.ISSyria, Twitter accessed, August 12, 2015, https://twitter.com/issyria15. In support of ISIS, s/he also often calls for others to fight against kuffar (nonbelievers) and become martyrs.ISSyria, Twitter post, August 1, 2015, 4:01 p.m., https://twitter.com/ISSyria15/status/627615071284236289.

“Abu Bakr Al-Iraqi” is an ISIS propagandist on Twitter. He posts updates on ISIS activities and links to YouTube clips highlighting ISIS advances.Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 10, 2015, 10:08 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619508459873116160.

On March 22, 2016, al-Iraqi posted praise on Twitter and Telegram for the attacks in Brussels’s airport and subway that killed at least 34 people that day. He also posted quotations from the late Muslim Brotherhood ideologue and Islamist inspiration Sayyid Qutb to his Tumblr account.Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Tumblr post, March 22, 2016, http://abu-bakr-alansari.tumblr.com/post/141482915601/and-fight-against-the-disbelievers-collectively.

Whether al-Iraqi continues to reside in Brussels or if he was connected to the attacks beyond merely providing praise is unknown. On the day of the attacks, another Twitter propagandist, EPIC, posted a tweet asking for prayers for Milk Sheikh and referencing a tweet that has since been removed.EPIC, Twitter, March 22, 2016, 6:27 a.m., https://twitter.com/EPlC24/status/712224203714342913.

Al-Iraqi also frequently posted about the sanctity of marriage, and lamented high divorce rates. He calls divorce “the most hated halal [permissible] action in the sight of Allah.”Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 10, 2015, 7:52 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619474267818700800. Among the other ISIS propagandists al-Iraqi retweets, he has reposted several tweets from Abu al-Qacem Sfaxian, a Twitter user who claims to be in Tunisia and on his 44th account.Abu al-QacemSfaxian, Twitter, accessed July 14, 2015, https://twitter.com/Qacem_Tbarqa_44. The retweets include links to and analysis of Dabiq, ISIS’s English-language magazine.

On July 11, 2015, he tweeted “blood will follow and revenge is compulsory” against all who make war against ISIS.Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 9, 2015, 10:51 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619881687107915776. A day after the July 10, 2015, bombing outside the Italian embassy in Cairo that killed at least one person,“Bomb outside Italian embassy in Cairo leaves at least one dead,” Guardian (London), July 11, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/11/huge-car-bomb-outside-italian-embassy-in-cairo. al-Iraqi called the explosion “a blessed operation.”Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 11, 2015, 12:16 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619903197356912640. Al-Iraqi also believes the growing oppression of Egyptian President Abdel Fata el-Sisi provides ISIS with “fertile ground” to “expand and win hearts & minds.”Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 11, 2015, 12:46 p.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619903197356912640. Al-Iraqi tweeted that Turkey’s decision to join the fight against ISIS will result in the destruction of its economy and elimination of its leaders.Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 9, 2015, 10:52 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619882022308327424. ISIS will “drain Turkey’s economy,” according to a July 11 tweet blaming Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for leading his country to “economic doom.”Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 11, 2015, 10:49 a.m., entry to the war against IS will destroy its economy &eliminate its leaders by the permission Allah.” https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619881235029061632.

Al-Iraqi refers to moderate Muslims by the derogatory term “coconuts,” and he considers them closed off to knowledge.Abu Bakr al-Iraqi, Twitter post, July 11, 2015, 10:16 a.m., https://twitter.com/PachaAbuirhabi/status/619872797138001920.He also refers to them as “Munafiqeen,” an Arabic term for hypocrites who outwardly practice Islam but internally question it. He blames the “Munafiqeen” for acting against Islamic interests.

It appears al-Iraqi considers any Muslim not actively siding with ISIS to be part of the munafiqeen, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which he casts as apostates.

Twitter personality “abdulrahman TN” calls for an “Ummah of Tawheed,” or a community of Muslims bound by oneness of God.Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, August 1, 2015, 2:08 a.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/627405634779090944. He is also a propagandist for ISIS and often tweets and rewteets news regarding attacks by and against the terror group.Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, June 10, 2015, 2:31 p.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/608748460892893185. On July 9, 2015, he tweeted, “The blood of our martyrs is dear to us anything else in this dunya [world].”

Many of abdulrahman TN’s tweets deride the U.S., British, Chinese, French, and Israeli governments.Abdulrahman TN, Twitter, accessed August 4, 2015, https://twitter.com/tawheednetwrk. Abdulrahman frequently ridicules the policies of British Prime Minister David CameronAbdulrahman TN, Twitter post, July 20, 2015, 6:58 a.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/623129756519780352. and regularly refers to America as a nation of terror.

Abdulrahman TN’s tweets also call for the release of individuals imprisoned for supporting terror groups.Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, July 19, 2015, 12:09 p.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/619221837441036288. Imprisoned individuals mentioned in abdulrahman’s tweets include Anjem Choudary and Mizanur Rahman, among others.Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, August 5, 2015, 1:46 p.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/629030777318191104.

Abdulrahman displays contempt for non-Sunni Muslims, describing them as animals:Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, September 17, 2015, 08.04 p.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/644663223812255745.

He is also openly anti-democratic and anti-secular:Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, September 15, 2015, 11:35 a.m. and 06:35 a.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/643810338958393344 and https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/643734880115892224.

On September 25, 2015, Abdulrahman TN tweeted a photo of a young smiling girl, dressed in a chador and holding an ISIS flag. He added the caption “Adorable :)”Abdulrahman TN, Twitter post, September 25, 2015, 3:40 p.m., https://twitter.com/TawheedNetwrk/status/647495892455587840.

New York resident Arafat Nagi was indicted by a grand jury in August 2015 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS.“Arafat Nagi Indicted by Grand Jury,” Channel 2 WGRZ News, August 15, 2015, http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/crime/2015/08/12/arafat-nagi-indicted--grand-jury/31559001/. The FBI alleges Nagi traveled to Turkey in October 2012 and July 2014 hoping to meet with ISIS members in Syria.“United States of America against Arafat Nagi,” United States District Court, Western District of New York, July 28, 2015, http://download.gannett.edgesuite.net/wgrz/news/nagi.pdf. He pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS in January 2018,“United States of America v. Arafat Nagi – Plea Agreement,” United States District Court for the Western District of New York, January 22, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Arafat%20Nagi%20Plea%20Agreement.pdf, 1. and in June 2018, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision.“Lackawanna Man Sentenced For Attempting To Provide Support To ISIS,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of New York, June 11, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/lackawanna-man-sentenced-attempting-provide-support-isis.

An acquaintance of Nagi alerted FBI agents in Buffalo, New York, of Nagi’s pro-jihadist statements within the Lackawanna community. The tipster allegedly stated that Nagi “was angry about the killing of rebels in Yemen, which he blamed on the United States; pledged an oath to ISIL leaders; expressed agreement with ISIL tactics, including the killing of innocent men, women and children,” using another acronym for the terror group.“United States of America against Arafat Nagi,” United States District Court, Western District of New York, July 28, 2015, http://download.gannett.edgesuite.net/wgrz/news/nagi.pdf.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records confirm Nagi’s travels in 2012 and 2014 to Yemen via Turkey. On his return to the Detroit Airport on September 19, 2014, Nagi denied having any interest in Islamist groups in a CBP interview. Nagi stated that he went on a two-month long vacation “to get away from his family.” He told CBP personnel that he first spent 10 days in Istanbul and then proceeded to Yemen, where he visited Sana’a and then continued on to Nadra to visit an uncle, before returning to the U.S.

Nagi explicitly told the CBP he did not support AQAP, ISIS, or al-Qaeda central. The FBI agent’s statements added that Nagi’s denials were inconsistent with his social media and Internet statements.“United States of America against Arafat Nagi,” United States District Court, Western District of New York, July 28, 2015, http://download.gannett.edgesuite.net/wgrz/news/nagi.pdf.

Nagi used Twitter to pledge his allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and regularly tweeted about his goal to fight with ISIS in Syria.Mark Belcher, “Tweets, texts, more helped FBI build case against alleged ISIL terrorist,” WIVB News 4, July 29, 2015, http://wivb.com/2015/07/29/tweets-texts-more-helped-fbi-build-case-against-alleged-isil-terrorist/. The FBI reviewed more than 7,000 tweets from Nagi’s own accounts and retweets of Nagi’s statements from 278 different Twitter users. The FBI believed that approximately half of Nagi’s followers were connected to ISIS either as sympathizers or members of the terror group.Mark Belcher, “Tweets, texts, more helped FBI build case against alleged ISIL terrorist,” WIVB News 4, July 29, 2015, http://wivb.com/2015/07/29/tweets-texts-more-helped-fbi-build-case-against-alleged-isil-terrorist/.

The FBI also reviewed Nagi’s profile on Tango, an app which provides free calls and messaging. The messaging provided access to conversations Nagi had with friends while travelling. The FBI alleges that in one Tango message from Nagi in 2014, he admitted he was not in Turkey for vacation.Mark Belcher, “Tweets, texts, more helped FBI build case against alleged ISIL terrorist,” WIVB News 4, July 29, 2015, http://wivb.com/2015/07/29/tweets-texts-more-helped-fbi-build-case-against-alleged-isil-terrorist/.

In 2013, Lackawanna Police arrested Nagi for threatening to behead his daughter. Mark Belcher, “Tweets, texts, more helped FBI build case against alleged ISIL terrorist,” WIVB News 4, July 29, 2015, http://wivb.com/2015/07/29/tweets-texts-more-helped-fbi-build-case-against-alleged-isil-terrorist/.

On January 22, 2018, Nagi pleaded guilty in federal court to “attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.”“United States of America v. Arafat Nagi – Plea Agreement,” United States District Court for the Western District of New York, January 22, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Arafat%20Nagi%20Plea%20Agreement.pdf, 1. On June 11, 2018, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 15 years of post-release supervision.“Lackawanna Man Sentenced For Attempting To Provide Support To ISIS,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of New York, June 11, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/lackawanna-man-sentenced-attempting-provide-support-isis. He is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute in Terra Haute, Indiana, with an expected release date of May 9, 2028.“ARAFAT M NAGI,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 17, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal of Avondale, Arizona, is an Egyptian immigrant, naturalized U.S. citizen, and convicted Islamic extremist. He was charged in August 2015 with providing and conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, as well as aiding and abetting the receipt of military training from ISIS.“United States of America v. Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal,” accessed January 30, 2017, 1-8, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/764556/download/. According to authorities, Gammal facilitated the travel of Samy El-Goarany, a 24-year-old New York college student, to Syria to “obtain military training from [ISIS].”“Arizona Man Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, August 27, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/arizona-man-charged-providing-material-support-isil. Prosecutors have said that by allegedly facilitating Goarany’s travel to Syria, Gammal delivered “human ammunition” to the terror group.Victoria Bekiempis, “Arizona man helped Baruch College student join and fight for ISIS, prosecutors allege,” New York Daily News, January 25, 2017, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/arizona-man-helped-baruch-college-student-join-isis-prosecutors-article-1.2955501/. Gammal pled not guilty to the charges, but was convicted in late January 2017. Upon finding him guilty, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara referred to Gammal as an “ambassador” for ISIS.Larry Neumeister, “NY student killed fighting for IS group defends man in video,” Associated Press, October 18, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b03ed502a1514e2a819e12b21100c6f4/ny-students-group-death-will-likely-be-evidence-trial;
Niraj Chokshi, “Arizona Man Is Convicted of Helping New York City College Student to Join ISIS,” New York Times, January 30, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/us/samy-el-goarany-isis.html?_r=0. In December 2018, he was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.“Arizona Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Federal Prison For Providing Support To ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice – Southern District of New York, December 18, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/arizona-man-sentenced-12-years-federal-prison-providing-support-isis.

Goarany reportedly messaged Gammal via Facebook in August 2014 after seeing that he had posted pro-ISIS content online. The two communicated over social media in the following months. In one message, Gammal told Goarany that he would rather live “in a tent in an Islamic State” rather than in luxury in a secular nation, according to prosecutors.Katie Zavadski, “Mom and Dad Hid a Terrible ISIS Secret,” January 17, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/17/mom-and-dad-hid-a-terrible-isis-secret.html. Gammal flew to New York that October for two days to meet Goarany, and allegedly put the student in touch with his friend Atteia Aboualala, an Egyptian exile in Turkey who would help Goarany cross the border into Syria. Goarany traveled to Syria via Istanbul in January 2015.“Arizona Man Charged with Providing Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice, August 27, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/arizona-man-charged-providing-material-support-isil;
“NYC college student died fighting for ISIS in Syria last year,” Victoria Bekiempis, “NYC college student died fighting for ISIS in Syria last year,” New York Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-college-student-died-fighting-isis-syria-year-article-1.2835483;
“NYC College Student Died Fighting with ISIS in Syria,” ABC 7, October 18, 2016, http://abc7ny.com/news/nyc-college-student-died-fighting-with-isis-in-syria/1560911/;
“United States of America v. Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal,” accessed January 30, 2017, 4, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/764556/download/;
Katie Zavadski, “Mom and Dad Hid a Terrible ISIS Secret,” Daily Beast, January 17, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/17/mom-and-dad-hid-a-terrible-isis-secret.html;
Katie Zavadski, “Mom and Dad Hid a Terrible ISIS Secret,” January 17, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/17/mom-and-dad-hid-a-terrible-isis-secret.html. At some point thereafter, Goarany sent a text message to Gammal saying, “…everything is going according to plan,” according to authorities.“NYC College Student Died Fighting with ISIS in Syria,” ABC 7, October 18, 2016, http://abc7ny.com/news/nyc-college-student-died-fighting-with-isis-in-syria/1560911/;
“United States of America v. Ahmed Mohammed el Gammal,” accessed January 30, 2017, 4, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/764556/download/.

Goarany died fighting in Syria in November 2015.Katie Zavadski, “Mom and Dad Hid a Terrible ISIS Secret,” January 17, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/17/mom-and-dad-hid-a-terrible-isis-secret.html;
Suman Varandani, “Who Is Ahmed Mohammed El-Gammal? Arizona Man Accused Of Helping NYC Student Join ISIS Faces Trial,” International Business Times, January 11, 2017, http://www.ibtimes.com/who-ahmed-mohammed-el-gammal-arizona-man-accused-helping-nyc-student-join-isis-faces-2473728. Before his death, Goarany filmed a video in which he stated that he had traveled to Syria of his own will, saying “…nobody helped me along the way to get here—including Ahmed Mohammed El Gammal, in America.”Katie Zavadski, “Dead ISIS Terrorist Tries to Clear His Pal on Trial,” Daily Beast, January 18, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/18/dead-isis-terrorist-tries-to-clear-his-pal-on-trial.html.

Gammal’s defense attorneys have described him as a fully Americanized citizen, saying that he smokes Marlboro cigarettes and is a fan of Jimmy Carter.Victoria Bekiempis, “NYC college student who died fighting for ISIS got help from Arizona man: feds,” New York Daily News, January 10, 2017, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-student-died-isis-arizona-man-feds-article-1.2943040. However, according to his attorneys, Gammal is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist organization that held power in Egypt between June 2012 and July 2013.Katie Zavadski, “Mom and Dad Hid a Terrible ISIS Secret,” Daily Beast, January 17, 2017, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/17/mom-and-dad-hid-a-terrible-isis-secret.html. He was convicted in January 2017 on one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist group [ISIS]; one count of conspiring to provide material support to such a group; one count of receiving military-type training from such a group; and one count of conspiring to receive military-type training from such a group.Larry Neumeister, “NY student killed fighting for IS group defends man in video,” Associated Press, October 18, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b03ed502a1514e2a819e12b21100c6f4/ny-students-group-death-will-likely-be-evidence-trial;
Niraj Chokshi, “Arizona Man Is Convicted of Helping New York City College Student to Join ISIS,” New York Times, January 30, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/us/samy-el-goarany-isis.html?_r=0.

On December 18, 2018, Gammal was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and three years of post-release supervision.“Arizona Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Federal Prison For Providing Support To ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice – Southern District of New York, December 18, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/arizona-man-sentenced-12-years-federal-prison-providing-support-isis. At sentencing, he called himself a “proud American” and asked for “forgiveness and mercy.” The judge said that Gammal was not the typical “true believer,” but noted that Gammal’s actions led to tragic consequences, including Goarany’s likely death while fighting for ISIS.Associated Press, “Man Sentenced for Helping Goshen High Grad Join ISIS,” Times Herald-Record, December 19, 2018, https://www.recordonline.com/news/20181219/man-sentenced-for-helping-goshen-high-grad-join-isis.

John T. Booker is a U.S. citizen, convert to Islam, and attempted domestic terrorist who pleaded guilty to plotting an ISIS-inspired suicide bombing at the U.S. Army base in Fort Riley, Kansas. He was arrested in April 2015 after a year-long FBI investigation, and charged with one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive, and one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.Reuters, “A 20-year-old US man was arrested for plotting a suicide bombing at a Kansas Army base,” Business Insider, April 10, 2015, http://www.businessinsider.com/a-20-year-old-us-man-was-arrested-for-plotting-a-suicide-bombing-at-a-kansas-army-base-2015-4. Booker pleaded guilty on February 3, 2016, to attempting to destroy government property with an explosive device,“Kansas man pleads guilty in ISIS plot to bomb Army post,” CBS News, February 3, 2016, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kansas-man-pleads-guilty-in-plot-to-bomb-army-post/. and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.“Kansas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Plot To Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Kansas, July 24, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/kansas-man-sentenced-30-years-plot-explode-car-bomb-fort-riley.

Booker reportedly converted to Islam during his senior year of high school.M.L. Nestel and Ryan Walsh, “What We Know About John Booker, the Man the FBI Thought Might be a Jihadi,” Vocativ, April 2, 2014, http://www.vocativ.com/usa/military/know-john-booker-man-fbi-thought-might-jihadi/. Soon after, he attended a local mosque where he engaged in arguments with fellow mosque-goers and reportedly expressed support for al-Qaeda. According to the mosque’s imam, Booker had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.John Hayward, “Kansas Man Arrested for Planning Car Bomb Jihad Attack on Ft. Riley,” Breibart News, April 12, 2015, http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/04/12/kansas-man-arrested-for-planning-car-bomb-jihad-attack-on-ft-riley/.

The FBI began tracking Booker in March 2014 after he published Facebook posts about jihad.Reuters, “John T. Booker, Jr., Kansas Man, Arrested In Plot To Suicide Bomb Fort Riley For ISIS,” Huffington Post, last modified June 10, 2015, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/10/us-man-arrested-bomb-fort-riley_n_7041960.html. In numerous meetings with undercover FBI informants, Booker allegedly expressed his desire to build and detonate a suicide bomb, targeting American armed personnel. According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Booker expressed that “detonating a suicide bomb is his number one aspiration because he couldn’t be captured, all evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target.”“United States v. Alexander E. Blair,” United States District Court for the District of Kansas, U.S. Department of Justice, April 10, 2015, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Blair%20Criminal%20Complaint.pdf.

On February 3, 2016, Booker pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, and one count of attempted destruction of government property by fire or explosion.“Kansas Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley in Manhattan, Kansas,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, February 3, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/kansas-man-pleads-guilty-plot-explode-car-bomb-fort-riley-manhattan-kansas. On July 24, 2017, he was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.“Kansas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Plot To Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Kansas, July 24, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/kansas-man-sentenced-30-years-plot-explode-car-bomb-fort-riley.

Booker is currently incarcerated at Oxford Federal Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, with a scheduled release date of October 31, 2040.“JOHN T BOOKER,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed April 11, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.