Nicholas Teausant is a U.S. citizen and convicted Islamic extremist. In 2014, Teausant reportedly spoke of plans to bomb the Los Angeles subway system around New Year’s.Sharon Bernstein, “Would-be California militant is schizophrenic, lawyer says,” Reuters, December 3, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/03/us-usa-security-syria-idUSKCN0JH2NB20141203. Before his arrest, Teausant actively propagated extremist and violent ideology on social media, and maintained accounts on Facebook, Tumblr, Ask.fm, Google+, and Instagram.Adam Serwer, “Accused student terrorist was a social media oversharer,” MSNBC, March 25, 2014, http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/instagram-social-media-terrorism-teausant.

A convert to Islam, Teausant attended San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California, and later dropped out of the National Guard.Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html. In April 2013, Teausant began posting extremist content online.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi-area Islamic State supporter pleads guilty, faces 15 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, December 1, 2015, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article47317295.html;
Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html. A paid FBI informant reached out to Teausant, who revealed his plan to bomb the Los Angeles subway system and join ISIS. Teausant later disregarded his plot to bomb the subway, suspecting the FBI would foil his plan.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html;
Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html.

On March 17, 2014, Teausant attempted to travel to Canada in order to fly to the Middle East to join ISIS. He was arrested at the Blaine, Washington, border station by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and FBI agents.Veronica Rocha, “California man sentenced to 12 years for trying to join ISIS,” Los Angeles Times, June 7, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-man-sentenced-terrorism-20160607-snap-story.html.

Defense lawyers argued Teausant suffers from mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. Following psychological evaluations, he was determined fit to stand trial.Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh, “Lodi area man who tried to join the Islamic State sentenced to 12 years in prison,” Sacramento Bee, June 7, 2016, http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article82266127.html. On December 1, 2015, Teausant pled guilty to attempting to join ISIS. “California man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS,” CBS Sacramento, December 1, 2015, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-man-nicholas-teausant-pleads-guilty-to-attempting-to-join-isis/.

On June 7, 2016, Teausant was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to 25 years of supervised release.“California Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Attempting to Join ISIL,” Department of Justice, June 7, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/california-man-sentenced-12-years-prison-attempting-join-isil.

Asher Abid Khan is a U.S. citizen from Texas and an alleged would-be foreign fighter for ISIS.Kevin Johnson, “Texas man charged with supporting ISIL,” USA Today, May 26, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/05/26/texas-suspect-isil/27961367/. FBI agents arrested Khan on March 26, 2015.Lindsay Dunsmuir, “U.S. man charged with conspiracy to provide support to Islamic State,” Reuters, May 26, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/26/us-usa-security-islamicstate-idUSKBN0OB20220150526. Khan was charged with attempting to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization by assisting a friend’s travel to Syria and attempting to join the group himself.Kevin Johnson, “Texas man charged with supporting ISIL,” USA Today, May 26, 2015, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/05/26/texas-suspect-isil/27961367/.

In January and February of 2014, Khan and his friend, Sixto Ramiro Garcia allegedly planned to travel to Syria to join ISIS.“Criminal Complaint,” United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, May 25, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/441346/download. Mohamed Zuhbi, a Turkish-based Australian foreign fighter facilitator, allegedly assisted Khan and Sixto Ramiro Garcia with their logistics via Facebook.“Aust IS recruiter threat to US, court told,” 9News, April 16, 2016, http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/04/16/13/45/aust-is-recruiter-threat-to-us-court-told;
“Criminal Complaint,” United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, May 25, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/441346/download.

Khan was allegedly determined to reach Syria and fight for ISIS. According to the criminal complaint, he told an unnamed acquaintance, “I wanna die as a Shaheed [martyr].”“Criminal Complaint,” United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, May 25, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/441346/download. Although Khan reached Turkey, he allegedly immediately flew to the United States after receiving false information from his family that his mother had been hospitalized.Lindsay Dunsmuir, “U.S. man charged with conspiracy to provide support to Islamic State,” Reuters, May 26, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/26/us-usa-security-islamicstate-idUSKBN0OB20220150526. Zuhbi has since been charged with terrorism offences by the U.S., despite never setting foot in the country. His case is at the center of a constitutional battle as prosecutors argue his recruitment of Khan and Garcia, both U.S. citizens, poses a threat to the country. According to prosecutors, Zuhbi is believed to be living “somewhere along the border of Turkey and Syria.”“Aust IS recruiter threat to US, court told,” 9News, April 16, 2016, http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/04/16/13/45/aust-is-recruiter-threat-to-us-court-told. He pleaded guilty in December 2017, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.“United States of America v. Asher Abid Khan,” U.S. District Court – Southern District of Texas Houston Division, June 25, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Khan%20Sentencing%20Transcript.pdf, 39. Khan was released in November 2019.“ASHER ABID KHAN,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 17, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Asher Abid Khan was bailed out of jail in early October 2015 and was on strict release, a rigid form of house arrest. He was required to keep meticulous records of his comings and goings, had restricted access to the outside world, and was prohibited from using the internet or possessing a smart phone.Cindy George, “Spring man accused of terrorism on strict release,” Houston Chronicle, November 23, 2015, http://www.houstonchronicle.com/houston/article/Spring-man-accused-of-terrorism-on-strict-release-6651269.php.

On December 4, 2017, Khan pleaded guilty to providing material support to ISIS,“Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, December 4, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/texas-resident-pleads-guilty-providing-material-support-isis. and on June 25, 2018, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision.“United States of America v. Asher Abid Khan,” U.S. District Court – Southern District of Texas Houston Division, June 25, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Khan%20Sentencing%20Transcript.pdf, 39. At sentencing, the judge noted Khan’s prior naivete, his subsequent regret, and his efforts to make amends, and sentenced him to less than the prosecutors’ recommendation of 20 years in prison and a lifetime of post release supervision.“United States of America v. Asher Abid Khan,” U.S. District Court – Southern District of Texas Houston Division, June 25, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Khan%20Sentencing%20Transcript.pdf, 39; Gabrielle Banks, “UH Engineering Student Who Tried to Join ISIS in Syria Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison,” Houston Chronicle,  June 25, 2018, https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/UH-engineering-student-who-tried-to-join-ISIS-in-13023885.php. Khan was released from prison on November 26, 2019.“ASHER ABID KHAN,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 17, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Michael Todd Wolfe is an American convert to Islam who attempted to travel to Syria to join ISISScott Shane,” From Minneapolis to ISIS: an American’s path to jihad,” New York Times, March 21, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/world/middleeast/from-minneapolis-to-isis-an-americans-path-to-jihad.html.. Wolfe planned to travel to Denmark via Icelandair, and then to Turkey, from where he would cross over to Syria.Ben Brumfield, “Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS’ jihad in Syria” CNN, June 28, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/28/justice/texas-terror-arrests/. Wolfe intended to bring his wife and two children with him on the trip.U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, “United States of America v. Michael Todd Wolfe, aka ‘Faruq,’” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2014, http://documents.latimes.com/michael-wolfe-complaint/.

Wolfe was arrested at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on June 17, 2015, as he attempted to board the plane to Toronto, the first stop on his would-be journey to Syria.Ben Brumfield, “Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS’ jihad in Syria” CNN, June 28, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/28/justice/texas-terror-arrests/. In the same month, he pled guilty to “attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization,” in federal court in the Western district of Texas.Ben Brumfield, “Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS’ jihad in Syria” CNN, June 28, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/28/justice/texas-terror-arrests/. Wolfe appeared in court again on June 5, 2015, and was sentenced to 82 months in prison.“Texas man sentenced to 82 months in prison for attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 5, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/sanantonio/press-releases/2015/texas-man-sentenced-to-82-months-in-prison-for-attempting-to-travel-to-syria-to-join-isil.

The Wolfes planned their trip alongside two undercover FBI agents who they believed shared their intention to reach Syria.Ben Brumfield, “Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS’ jihad in Syria” CNN, June 28, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/28/justice/texas-terror-arrests/. Wolfe’s wife told an undercover FBI agent that she supported her husband’s pursuit to “perform a violent form of jihad,” according to the criminal complaint.U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, “United States of America v. Michael Todd Wolfe, aka ‘Faruq,’” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2014, http://documents.latimes.com/michael-wolfe-complaint/. Wolfe originally planned to join al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front, but shifted his plans to join ISIS when tensions between the two groups began to intensify. Wolfe declared he was more “in line” with ISIS, according to the criminal complaint.U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, “United States of America v. Michael Todd Wolfe, aka ‘Faruq,’” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2014, http://documents.latimes.com/michael-wolfe-complaint/.

Throughout a series of phone calls, the FBI agents discussed with Wolfe his travel plans and goals for once he arrived. The agents were able to confirm Wolfe’s plans to join the terror group and identify his travel date of June 17, 2014.Ben Brumfield, “Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS’ jihad in Syria” CNN, June 28, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/28/justice/texas-terror-arrests/.

Wolfe expressed hesitation to join ISIS abroad because of his family and financial issues.U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, “United States of America v. Michael Todd Wolfe, aka ‘Faruq,’” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2014, http://documents.latimes.com/michael-wolfe-complaint/. He told undercover FBI agents that “if he was single, he would have already left,” according to the criminal complaint.U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, “United States of America v. Michael Todd Wolfe, aka ‘Faruq,’” Los Angeles Times, June 27, 2014, http://documents.latimes.com/michael-wolfe-complaint/.

Syrian-born Mohamad Saeed Kodaimati is an American citizen and resident of California. On April 22, 2015, Kodaimati was arrested in Rancho Bernardo, California, and accused of participating in battle alongside al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate al-Nusra Front.Kristina Davis, “San Diegan accused of hiding ISIS links,” San Diego Union Tribune, April 23, 2015, http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/23/syrian-terror-isis-arrested-saeed/. He was charged with two counts of making false statements involving international terrorism matters. On October 29, 2015, Kodaimati pleaded guilty in federal court to “lying to federal authorities about his connections to international terrorism during his time spent in Syria.”Kristina Davis, “Guilty Plea in Syrian Terror Investigation,” San Diego Union-Tribune, October 29, 2015, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-saeed-syria-terror-investigation-guilty-plea-2015oct29-story.html?_amp=true. He agreed to an eight-year prison sentence in his plea deal.Steve Fiorina, “Mohamad Saeed Kodaimati arrested, charged in international terrorism investigation,” ABC News San Diego, April 23, 2015, http://www.10news.com/news/san-diegan-mohamad-saeed-kodaimati-arrested-charged-in-international-terrorism-investigation;
Tony Perry, “Syrian immigrant, 24, admits links to Islamic State and pleads guilty to lying to FBI,” Los Angeles Times, October 29, 2015, http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-islamic-state-links-suspect-guilty-20151029-story.html.

Kodaimati is believed to have operated out of Syria at some point between 2012 and early 2015. He is accused of having worked at al-Nusra Front’s sharia court, which uses Islamic law in all legal proceedings. He is also accused of having served as a mediator between al-Nusra Front and rival group ISIS.Kristina Davis, “San Diegan accused of hiding ISIS links,” San Diego Union Tribune, April 23, 2015, http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/apr/23/syrian-terror-isis-arrested-saeed/.

The federal complaint alleged that Kodaimati made false statements about his activities and associations in Syria during an interview at the U.S. embassy in Turkey in March 2015. According to the complaint, Kodaimati falsely claimed that he had never been involved in any fighting with al-Nusra Front,“San Diego Man Arrested and Charged With Making False Statements in an International Terrorism Investigation,” United States Department of Justice, April 23, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/san-diego-man-arrested-and-charged-making-false-statements-international-terrorism. that he had never used his weapon (though he admitted to owning one), and that he did not know any ISIS members.“San Diego Man Arrested and Charged With Making False Statements in an International Terrorism Investigation,” United States Department of Justice, April 23, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/san-diego-man-arrested-and-charged-making-false-statements-international-terrorism. On March 14, 2016, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, which was the maximum sentence under his plea bargain.Dana Littlefield, “Syrian Gets 8 Years for Lying to U.S. Officials About his Ties to Terrorism,” Los Angeles Times, March 14, 2016, https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0315-san-diego-terrorism-20160315-story.html. He is currently imprisoned at United States Penitentiary Lompoc, with a scheduled release date of February 13, 2022.“Mohamad Saeed Kodaimati,” Inmate Lookup – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed January 13, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

New Jersey resident Samuel Rahamin Topaz is a would-be foreign fighter for ISIS. The FBI arrested Topaz at his Fort Lee, New Jersey, home on June 17, 2015, on charges of conspiracy to provide material support to the terror group.“New Jersey Man Charged with Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 18, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/newark/press-releases/2015/new-jersey-man-charged-with-conspiracy-to-provide-material-support-to-isil. On the day of his arrest, Topaz told the FBI he sympathized with the group and had watched ISIS beheading videos with his accused co-conspirators.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. He told the FBI that he and his co-conspirators had planned to join ISIS by traveling through intermediary countries.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. On September 9, 2015, Topaz pled guilty to one count of conspiring with others to provide services and personnel to the foreign terrorist organization. According to prosecutors, he faces up to 20 years in prison under the plea agreement. 

The FBI’s case against Topaz includes interviews with a New Jersey resident, “Person A,” who has a “personal relationship” with Topaz.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. Person A expressed worry that Topaz would go abroad and “do something stupid.”“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. The informant said two of his co-conspirators were “preying” on Topaz’s “insecurities and pain.”“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. Topaz had also reportedly distanced himself from his high school friends, who allegedly had a good influence on him.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download.

Person A told authorities that Topaz and a co-conspirator watched jihadist videos of “what is going on overseas.”“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download. Person A reported overhearing Topaz and the co-conspirator “talking in a happy way about the fact that ‘they’ took over a town and the people are so scared that police even left their uniforms in the middle of the street.”“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v SAMUEL RAHAMIN TOPAZ,” United States District Court District of New Jersey, June 18, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/file/479046/download.

The FBI’s criminal complaint does not name Topaz’s co-conspirators, but two of the descriptions reportedly match the descriptions of Fareed Mumini and Munther Omar Saleh.Nicholas Pugliese, “Alleged ISIS hopeful from Fort Lee has unlikely past,” Record, June 19, 2015, http://www.northjersey.com/news/alleged-isis-hopeful-has-unlikely-past-1.1359779. Saleh is a 20-year-old college student from Queens, New York, who was arrested on June 13, 2015, for attempting to build a pressure-cooker bomb to attack New York tourists on behalf of ISIS.Benjamin Mueller, “College Student in Queens Is Charged With Conspiring to Support ISIS,” New York Times, June 16, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/nyregion/college-student-in-queens-is-charged-with-conspiring-to-support-isis.html. Saleh also allegedly translated ISIS propaganda into English.Benjamin Mueller, “College Student in Queens Is Charged With Conspiring to Support ISIS,” New York Times, June 16, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/nyregion/college-student-in-queens-is-charged-with-conspiring-to-support-isis.html. Federal prosecutors charged 21-year-old Mumini on June 16, 2015, for trying to stab an FBI agent trying to legally search Mumini’s Staten Island home.Benjamin Mueller, “New Jersey Man Is Charged With Planning to Aid ISIS,” New York Times, June 18, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/nyregion/new-jersey-man-is-charged-with-planning-to-aid-isis.html.

Topaz is a convert to Islam and the son of a Jewish father and Christian mother.Nicholas Pugliese, “Alleged ISIS hopeful from Fort Lee has unlikely past,” Record, June 19, 2015, http://www.northjersey.com/news/alleged-isis-hopeful-has-unlikely-past-1.1359779. Former high school classmates remember Topaz for his involvement in theater, football, and track.Nicholas Pugliese, “Alleged ISIS hopeful from Fort Lee has unlikely past,” Record, June 19, 2015, http://www.northjersey.com/news/alleged-isis-hopeful-has-unlikely-past-1.1359779. Topaz is an amateur rapper who has a “beautiful voice,” according to former classmates.Nicholas Pugliese, “Alleged ISIS hopeful from Fort Lee has unlikely past,” Record, June 19, 2015, http://www.northjersey.com/news/alleged-isis-hopeful-has-unlikely-past-1.1359779. He was accepted to Boston’s Berklee College of Music but his financial situation prevented him from attending.Nicholas Pugliese, “Alleged ISIS hopeful from Fort Lee has unlikely past,” Record, June 19, 2015, http://www.northjersey.com/news/alleged-isis-hopeful-has-unlikely-past-1.1359779. Topaz began referring to himself as “The Angel of Carnage” on Facebook.Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage. On March 7, 2015, he changed his profile picture to a collage of himself wearing various colored kaffiyehs covering his face with the caption, “which assassin am i, or am i all of them?!?!”Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage.

In an April 25, 2015, Facebook post, Topaz said he was “leaving the country to get married and have a real life.”Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage. In a subsequent comment he told a Facebook friend he was going to Jordan.Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage. When asked why he was going, he replied he had a goal when he got there: “To find peace for the world.”Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage. In the final comment on the thread, a poster warned Topaz “Just know that when you arrive in whatever location you plan to reside at - the US military won’t come looking for you if you get into trouble. Be a peaceful believer. Stay the fuck away from extremists.”Samuel Rahamin Topaz’s Facebook page, accessed June 22, 2015, https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelOfCarnage.

California resident Adam Dandach is a U.S. citizen and attempted foreign fighter for ISIS. On July 3, 2014, he was arrested and charged with making false statements on an application for a replacement passport, which authorities believe he intended to use to fly to Istanbul, Turkey, and eventually onto Syria. In August 2015, Dandach signed a plea agreement admitting to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and making a false statement in a passport application.Brian Melley, “California man guilty of trying to support Islamic State,” Associated Press, August 10, 2015, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/44ce687f5fff4d7188c460d7dc9df278/california-man-guilty-trying-support-islamic-state. He was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison in July 2016.Sean Emery, “O.C. man sentenced to 15 years after he admitted to trying to join ISIS,” Orange County Register, July 25, 2016, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/islamic-723550-dandach-state.html. The judge recommended mental health treatment at sentencing.“United States of America v. Adam Dandach a.k.a. ‘Fadi Fadi Dandach’ – Sentencing Hearing,” United States District Court, Central District of California Southern Division, August 18, 2016, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Dandach%20Sentencing%20Hearing.pdf, 33. Dandach is currently imprisoned at Rochester Federal Medical Center in Minnesota, with an expected release date of September 2, 2027.“Adam Dandach,” Inmate Locator – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 3, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Authorities believe that Dandach attempted to obstruct the investigation into his actions by asking an unnamed website administrator to delete his post history on that website.“Orange, County, California, Man Charged in New Indictment with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” The United States Department of Justice, March 4, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/orange-county-california-man-charged-new-indictment-attempting-provide-material-support-isil. Dandach also operated a Twitter account under the twitter handle @Al_Fadi1414. His profile photo depicts the ISIS flag and his bio reads, “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: If anyone asks Allah for martyrdom sincerely, Allah make him reach the ranks of martyrs though he may die on his bed.”Adam Dandach Twitter, accessed February 16, 2017, https://twitter.com/al_fadi1414.

In or around March 2015, while in prison, Dandach sent letters and poems to the Orange County Register.Theresa Walker, “'Naive' or a wannabe terrorist? Read some of the letters, poems of O.C. man accused of supporting ISIS,” Orange County Register, March 23, 2015, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dandach-655150-poem-register.html. In one poem, he wrote, “Rot in a grave of fire, right where you belong. Je suie [sic] Al-Qaeda, leaving another scar.”Theresa Walker, “'Naive' or a wannabe terrorist? Read some of the letters, poems of O.C. man accused of supporting ISIS,” Orange County Register, March 23, 2015, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dandach-655150-poem-register.html.

Mohamed Abdihamid Farah is a convicted ISIS conspirator and would-be foreign fighter from Minnesota. On April 18, 2015, he was charged with conspiring to provide material support to the terror group.Mukhtar Ibrahim and Laura Yuen, “Informant’s role emerges as key in counterterror sweep,” MPR News, April 20, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/20/counterterror-informant. Following a 10-month federal investigation and subsequent arrest, Farah was transported to a Minnesota federal court. He pled not guilty to charges leveled against him on June 11, 2015.Ben Kesling, “Minnesota Terror Suspect Pleads Not Guilty,” Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/family-of-minnesota-terror-suspect-allegedly-knew-of-plot-1434036863.

Farah allegedly plotted his trip to Syria alongside eight Minnesota-based friends for nearly 10 months.“United States of America v. Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame,” U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, December 9, 2015, 4 – 6, http://kstp.com/kstpImages/repository/cs/files/WarsameComplaint.pdf; Laura Yuen, Mukhtar Ibrahim, and Sasha Aslanian, “Called to fight: Minnesota’s ISIS recruits,” Minnesota Public Radio News, March 25, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/03/25/minnesota-isis. According to U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger, “Even when [the] co-conspirators were caught and charged, they continued to seek new and creative ways to leave Minnesota to fight for a terror group.”“Americans Linked to ISIS,” CNN, updated April 23, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2015/04/us/americans-isis/.

The group of friends was reportedly inspired by their associate Abdiwali Nur, who traveled to Syria to fight with ISIS in May of 2014.Mukhtar Ibrahim and Laura Yuen, “Informant’s role emerges as key in counterterror sweep,” MPR News, April 20, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/20/counterterror-informant. A court affidavit reveals that Farah and Nur spent time together two days before Nur’s departure.United States of America v. Hamza Naj Ahmed et al., Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrants (D. Minn. 2015), http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opa/press-releases/attachments/2015/04/20/farah_et_al_criminal_complaint.pdf.. Authorities now believe that Nur is dead.Laura Yuen, “3 of 9 Twin Cities men sentenced in ISIS conspiracy trial,” MPR News, November 14, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/11/14/first-day-of-sentencing-isis-trial.

One alleged co-conspirator, Abdullahi Yusuf, recalled that Farah directed him to videos encouraging violence on behalf of Islam.Mukhtar Ibrahim and Lauren Yuen, “In court filings, ISIS recruit details path from Minnesota to Syria,” MPR News, June 11, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/06/11/mohamed-farah. In court filings, Yusuf also revealed that Farah assisted him in acquiring a passport in the spring of 2014 and provided him with phone numbers to call once he arrived in Syria.Amy Forliti, “Judge: Man accused of trying to go to Syria to remain held,” Seattle Times, June 11, 2015, http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/man-accused-of-trying-to-go-to-syria-to-remain-held/. In April 2015, Farah was arrested in California on a mission to purchase fake passports from an undercover FBI agent.Aamer Madhani, “3 Minneapolis men found guilty in plot to join ISIL,” USA Today, June 3, 2016, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/03/3-minneapolis-men-found-guilty-plot-join-isil/85355076/.

Mohamed Farah’s mother, Ayan Farah, told reporters that she believed Mohamed and his younger brother, Adnan, were set up.“Minnesota Mother Shocked That 2 Sons Face Terror charges,” CBS Minnesota, April 22, 2015, http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/04/22/agents-some-in-minnesota-lost-multiple-sons-to-extremists/. Court documents reveal that Ayan believed her sons were traveling to Chicago from Minneapolis, but wouldn’t allow her younger son, Adnan, to join.United States of America v. Hamza Naj Ahmed et al., Affidavit in Support of Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrants (D. Minn. 2015), http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/opa/press-releases/attachments/2015/04/20/farah_et_al_criminal_complaint.pdf. Their father claimed the boys were brainwashed and entrapped.Mukhtar Ibrahim and Laura Yuen, “Informant’s role emerges as key in counterterror sweep,” MPR News, April 20, 2015, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/04/20/counterterror-informant.

In early June of 2016, Farah was found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization, as well as conspiring to commit murder overseas.Jack Healy and Matt Furber, “3 Somali-Americans Found Guilty of Trying to Join Islamic State,” New York Times, June 3, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/us/somali-americans-verdict-minneapolis-isis.html?_r=0.

On November 16, 2016, U.S. District Judge Michael Davis sentenced Farah to 30 years in prison. Farah told the court that “the actions I have done are what a terrorist would do, but…I’m not a terrorist.”Douglas Ernst, “Minn. ISIS supporter receives 30-year prison sentence: ‘You and your cell lied’,” Washington Times, November 16, 2016, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/16/mohamed-farah-minneapolis-isis-supporter-receives-/; “Somali-American Gets 30 Years in Prison for Plotting to Join Islamic State,” Voice of America, November 16, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/a/final-3-minnesotans-to-be-sentenced-in-islamic-state-case/3598324.html. Also at the sentencing, Judge Davis warned that “…there is jihadist cell in this [Somali] community [in Minnesota]. Its tentacles spread out.”Douglas Ernst, “Minn. ISIS supporter receives 30-year prison sentence: ‘You and your cell lied’,” Washington Times, November 16, 2016, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/16/mohamed-farah-minneapolis-isis-supporter-receives-/. Farah’s younger brother Adnan Farah—also a defendant in the case—was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty in April 2016.Douglas Ernst, “Minn. ISIS supporter receives 30-year prison sentence: ‘You and your cell lied’,” Washington Times, November 16, 2016, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/nov/16/mohamed-farah-minneapolis-isis-supporter-receives-/; “Somali-American Gets 30 Years in Prison for Plotting to Join Islamic State,” Voice of America, November 16, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/a/final-3-minnesotans-to-be-sentenced-in-islamic-state-case/3598324.html; “Minnesota man changes plea to guilty in Islamic State case,” Associated Press, April 14, 2016, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/84a67ff95d1e4c458c324fecf672013e/minnesota-man-pleads-guilty-islamic-state-case; Laura Yuen, “Third ISIS sentence of the day: 10 years,” MPR News, November 15, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/11/15/day-2-of-isis-trial.

U.S. authorities arrested Abdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev and two cohorts—his roommate Akhror Saidakhmetov and financer Abror Habibov—on February 25, 2015, for allegedly attempting to leave the United States to join ISIS in Syria.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against ABDURASUL HASANOVICH JURABOEV, also known as “Abdulloh Ibn Hasan,” AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV, and ABROR HABIBOV, Defendants.,” United States Department of Justice, February 24, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/344761/download. Juraboev is a resident of Brooklyn, New York, and a citizen of Uzbekistan.“Three Brooklyn Residents Charged with Attempt and Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” FBI, February 25, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/newyork/press-releases/2015/three-brooklyn-residents-charged-with-attempt-and-conspiracy-to-provide-material-support-to-isil. Juraboev had allegedly planned to fly to Istanbul in March 2015 to join ISIS in Syria.Stephanie Clifford, “Brooklyn Man Accused of Supporting ISIS Pleads Guilty,” New York Times, August 15, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/15/nyregion/brooklyn-man-accused-of-supporting-isis-pleads-guilty.html. Juraboev was charged with attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS and faces a maximum sentence of 15 years.“Three Brooklyn Residents Charged with Attempt and Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” FBI, February 25, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/newyork/press-releases/2015/three-brooklyn-residents-charged-with-attempt-and-conspiracy-to-provide-material-support-to-isil. He pled guilty in August 2015 to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.Stephanie Clifford, “Brooklyn Man Accused of Supporting ISIS Pleads Guilty,” New York Times, August 14, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/15/nyregion/brooklyn-man-accused-of-supporting-isis-pleads-guilty.html. On October 27, 2017, Juraboev was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the maximum term possible.Jonathan Stempel, “Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years Prison over Islamic State Support,” Reuters, October 27, 2017, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-security/brooklyn-man-sentenced-to-15-years-prison-over-islamic-state-support-idUSKBN1CW2TN.

Juraboev won a green card in a lottery a few years before his arrest.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215. During the summer of 2014, he began work at a Gyro King restaurant in Brooklyn.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215. Juraboev reportedly attended several mosques in the New York City borough, including the Makki Masjid Muslim Community Center of Brooklyn, the Abu Bakr El Seddique Mosque, and the Belal Masjid.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215. Gyro King owner Zakarya Khan described Juraboev as “devout” and noted Juraboev struggled with English. Khan did not notice any signs of radicalization in Juraboev, but said he became “more withdrawn, more reserved and even more quiet” in the two months prior to his arrest.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215.

According to authorities, Juraboev began posting on an online Uzbeki ISIS message board in August 2014.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215. Juraboev offered to kill President Barack Obama and questioned if that would earn him martyrdom.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against ABDURASUL HASANOVICH JURABOEV, also known as “Abdulloh Ibn Hasan,” AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV, and ABROR HABIBOV, Defendants.,” United States Department of Justice, February 24, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/344761/download. He also threatened to bomb Coney Island, New York.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against ABDURASUL HASANOVICH JURABOEV, also known as “Abdulloh Ibn Hasan,” AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV, and ABROR HABIBOV, Defendants.,” United States Department of Justice, February 24, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/344761/download. The FBI traced his initial post threatening the president, and set up a months-long undercover operation with a classified informant from one of the mosques Juraboev attended.Joe Jackson, “Terror Suspect Called a Quiet Loner,” Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/terror-suspect-called-a-quiet-loner-1425089215. The FBI built its case based on recorded conversations between the informant, Juraboev, Saidakhmetov, and Habibov, who authorities charged with funding Saidakhmetov’s trip.“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against ABDURASUL HASANOVICH JURABOEV, also known as “Abdulloh Ibn Hasan,” AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV, and ABROR HABIBOV, Defendants.,” United States Department of Justice, February 24, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/344761/download.

Akhror Saidakhmetov is a 19-year-old would-be foreign fighter who reportedly intended to move to Syria to join ISIS in late February 2015.“Homegrown extremists,” International Security, accessed June 16, 2015, http://securitydata.newamerica.net/extremists/akhror-saidakhmetov.html. A citizen of Kazakhstan, Saidakhmetov lived in Brooklyn, New York while planning his relocation to Syria. Saidakhmetov worked for Abror Habibov, another foreign fighter who owned kiosks in several states that sold kitchenware and repaired cell phones.Jim Piggot and Scott Johnson, “Suspected ISIS terrorist arrested in Jacksonville,” News4Jax, March 7, 2015, http://www.news4jax.com/news/suspected-isis-terrorist-arrested-in-florida/31473910. Habibov agreed to assist Saidakhmetov financially in his pursuit to join ISIS in the fall or winter of 2014.Fred Barbash, “The New York arrests and a Brooklyn mother’s struggle to keep her son away from the Islamic State,” Washington Post, February 26, 2015, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/26/the-new-york-arrests-and-a-brooklyn-mothers-struggle-to-keep-her-son-away-from-the-islamic-state/. Saidakhmetov is currently serving a 15-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS.“Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment For Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Terrorists,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of New York, December 20, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/brooklyn-man-sentenced-15-years-imprisonment-conspiring-provide-material-support.

Saidakhmetov and his roommate, Abdurasul Juraboev, planned to fly to Istanbul and then Syria to join ISIS. The two men intended to make the trip in late February.Aaron Katersky and Mike Levin, “ISIS: 3 New York men arrested in alleged plot to join terror group, feds say,” ABC News February 25, 2015, http://abcnews.go.com/US/WorldNews/isis-arrested-plot-join-terror-group/story?id=29222291. Saidakhemtov, however, was missing his passport for travel and needed to retrieve it from his mother, who “suspected what he was up to and had taken [it],” according to CBS News.“Men accused of plotting to join ISIS plead not guilty in Brooklyn court,” CBS, March 13, 2015, http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/13/men-accused-of-plotting-to-join-isis-due-in-brooklyn-court/. When his mother asked what he needed the passport for, Saidakhmetov admitted that he was going to Syria to join ISIS.Fred Barbash, “The New York arrests and a Brooklyn mother’s struggle to keep her son away from the Islamic State,” Washington Post, February 26, 2015, http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/26/the-new-york-arrests-and-a-brooklyn-mothers-struggle-to-keep-her-son-away-from-the-islamic-state/. When she would not return it to him, Saidakhmetov forged travel documents that would allow him to travel without his passport.Chris Perez, Jamie Schram, Larry Celona, and Selim Algar, “3 NYC men charged in plot to join ISIS, kill Obama: feds,” New York Post, February 25, 2015, http://nypost.com/2015/02/25/3-nyc-planning-to-join-isis-taken-into-custody-in-fbi-raid/.

Saidakhmetov was arrested as he attempted to board a flight to Istanbul at JFK airport and was charged with “attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to ISIL,” according to the criminal complaint.“Three Brooklyn, New York, resients charged with attempt and conspiracy to provide material support to ISIL,” United States Department of Justice, February 25, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-brooklyn-new-york-residents-charged-attempt-and-conspiracy-provide-material-support. Juraboev was arrested, as he planned to follow Saidakhmetov to Syria the following month, as well as Habibov, who funded both of their trips.Richard Serrano, “3 arrested in U.S, charged with trying to aid Islamic State,” LA Times, February 25, 2015, http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-brooklyn-terror-isis-arrests-20150225-story.html. In March 2015, he pleaded not guilty along with the other two men accused.Stephanie Clifford, “3 Brooklyn men accused of plotting to aid ISIS plead not guity,” New York Times, March 13, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/nyregion/3-brooklyn-men-accused-of-plotting-to-aid-isis-plead-not-guilty.html.

Saidakhmetov had previously expressed jihadist tendencies online and to his co-conspirators.Catherine Shoichet, Ed Payne, and Ray Sanchez, “3 men try to join ISIS: here's what we know,” CNN, February 26, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/us/new-york-terror-plot-suspects/. He commented on an ISIS video online showing the execution of Iraqi soldiers, writing that it made “[his] eyes joyful.”“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA against ABDURASUL HASANOVICH JURABOEV, also known as “Abdulloh Ibn Hasan,” AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV, and ABROR HABIBOV, Defendants.,” United States Department of Justice, February 24, 2015, http://www.justice.gov/file/344761/download. He originally planned to join the American military with the intention of providing information to ISIS. If that failed or he was caught, he “could always open fire on American soldiers and kill as many as possible,” according to the criminal complaint.Catherine Shoichet, Ed Payne, and Ray Sanchez, “3 men try to join ISIS: here's what we know,” CNN, February 26, 2015, http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/us/new-york-terror-plot-suspects/. He spoke of purchasing a machine gun to “go out and shoot all police” and attack the FBI.Phillip Swarts, “3 arrested in N.Y, Florida, in plot to join Islamic State,” Washington Times, February 25, 2015, http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/akhror-saidakhmetov/. Saidakhmetov also planned to hijack an airplane on its way to Turkey and fly it to Syria in order to provide ISIS with an airliner.Chris Perez, Jamie Schram, Larry Celona, and Selim Algar, “3 NYC men charged in plot to join ISIS, kill Obama: feds,” New York Post, February 25, 2015, http://nypost.com/2015/02/25/3-nyc-planning-to-join-isis-taken-into-custody-in-fbi-raid/.

On January 19, 2017, Saidakhmetov pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.“New York Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, January 19, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/new-york-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil. On December 20, 2017, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, after which he will be deported from the United States.“Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment For Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Terrorists,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of New York, December 20, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/brooklyn-man-sentenced-15-years-imprisonment-conspiring-provide-material-support. He is currently incarcerated at U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia, with a scheduled release date of April 14, 2028.“AKHROR SAIDAKHMETOV,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 9, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Guled Ali Omar is a Kenyan-born Minnesota man and convicted ISIS conspirator. Omar was arrested on April 18, 2015, and charged with conspiring to provide material support to the terror group.Scott Shane, “6 Minnesotans Held in Plot to Join ISIS,” New York Times, April 20, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/us/6-somali-americans-arrested-in-isis-recruiting-case.html?_r=0. He and a group of eight friends had been monitored by the FBI for months as they planned to travel to Syria to fight alongside ISIS.Scott Shane, “6 Minnesotans Held in Plot to Join ISIS,” New York Times, April 20, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/us/6-somali-americans-arrested-in-isis-recruiting-case.html?_r=0.

Omar’s brother, Ahmed Ali Omar, left his home in Minnesota in 2007 and traveled to Somalia to join the terror group al-Shabab.Laura Yuen and Sasha Aslanian, “Minnesota pipeline to al-Shabab,” MPR News, September 25, 2013, http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/somali_timeline/. Ahmed is believed to remain at large in Somalia.Scott Shane, “6 Minnesotans Held in Plot to Join ISIS,” New York Times, April 20, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/21/us/6-somali-americans-arrested-in-isis-recruiting-case.html?_r=0.

On October 21, 2015, Omar was charged with a new count of conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States.Associated Press, “Superseding indictment has new details in ISIL case,” Kare 11, October 21, 2015, http://www.kare11.com/story/news/crime/2015/10/21/superseding-indictment-has-new-details-in-isil-case/74357926/. Prosecutors alleged in April of 2016 that Omar had conspired to build a route from Mexico to the United States through which to smuggle ISIS assailants. According to prosecutors, Omar had planned to urge ISIS members to send operatives through the route in order to execute attacks in the United States.William Watkinson, “Isis recruiters planned on open jihadi smuggling route from Syria through Mexico into US,” International Business Times, April 22, 2016, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-recruiters-planned-open-jihadi-smuggling-route-syria-through-mexico-into-us-1556317.

In early June of 2016, Omar was found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization, as well as conspiring to commit murder overseas.Jack Healy and Matt Furber, “3 Somali-Americans Found Guilty of Trying to Join Islamic State,” New York Times, June 3, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/us/somali-americans-verdict-minneapolis-isis.html?_r=0. He was found guilty alongside co-conspirators Abdurahman Yasin Daud and Mohamed Abdihamid Farah.Aamer Madhani, “3 Minneapolis men found guilty in plot to join ISIL,” USA Today, June 3, 2016, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/03/3-minneapolis-men-found-guilty-plot-join-isil/85355076/. Later in the month, attorneys for Daud and Omar filed to have their clients assessed for placement in a deradicalization and rehabilitation program.Lara Yuen, “2 men convicted on ISIS-related charges ask for rehabilitation,” Minnesota Public Radio, June 30, 2016, http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/06/30/two-men-convicted-isis-related-charges-seek-rehabilitation-deradicalization. In July, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Davis denied Omar’s request for German terrorism expert David Koehler to assess Omar’s risk and possibly recommend “intervention needs.”MPR News Staff, “2 guilty in Minnesota ISIS trial denied deradicalization review,” MPR News, July 5, 2013, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/07/05/isis-defendants-minnesota-barred-de-radicalization-program.

On November 16, 2016, U.S. District Judge Michael Davis sentenced Omar to 35 years in prison—the harshest sentence among the group of co-conspirators. As he awaited his sentence, Omar told the court through tears, “I understand the seriousness of what I’ve been convicted of, and I understand that I will not be able to go home anytime soon. I always had energy for justice as a young man but I lost my way.”Laura Yuen and Doualy Xaykaothao, “Judge sentences three men to decades in prison in ISIS trial,” November 16, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/11/16/third-day-of-isis-trial. In response, prosecutor Andrew Winter told the court that Omar’s statement could not be trusted, and that, “Only when backed into a corner, does [Omar] attempt to offer false contrition. You can’t fix manipulative. You can’t fix deceitful. And you can’t fix Guled Omar.”Laura Yuen and Doualy Xaykaothao, “Judge sentences three men to decades in prison in ISIS trial,” November 16, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/11/16/third-day-of-isis-trial. In media reports of his sentencing, Omar was described as a one-time leader of the Minnesotan ISIS cell.Associated Press, “Leader of Minnesota 'terrorist cell' gets 35 years in jail for plot to join ISIS,” Fox News, November 16, 2016, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/16/leader-minnesota-terrorist-cell-gets-35-years-in-jail-for-plot-to-join-isis.html.

Among the individuals tried as part of the ISIS recruitment cell were co-conspirators Abdurahman Yasin Daud, Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, Hanad Mustafe Musse, Adnan Farah, Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman, Abdullahi Yusuf, Hamza Naj Ahmed, and Abdirizak Warsame.

Omar is currently incarcerated at Leavenworth United States Penitentiary in Kansas, with a scheduled release date of March 25, 2045.“GULED ALI OMAR,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed April 11, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.