NEW YORK–A Bronx man was arrested Wednesday evening at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, and charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to federal authorities.
Saddam Mohamed Raishani, a.k.a, Adam Raishani,” 30, was charged by a criminal complaint Thursday before Magistrate Judge James Cott in Manhattan federal court.
On January 2017, Raishani contacted an individual who was, unbeknownst to Raishani, a confidential source working at the direction of law enforcement (“CS”). During a meeting with the CS, Raishani told the CS that Raishani had a friend who had left New York to join the Islamic State some time ago. Raishani told the CS that prior to his friend’s departure, Raishani took him shopping to buy supplies to bring to the Islamic State. Riashani also said to the CS that, on the day of his friend’s departure, Raishani gave money to him and drove him to JFK Airport. In later meetings with the CS, Raishani expressed his regret at not having traveled with him to join ISIS. Raishani also indicated his desire to wage jihad and his belief that the Quran can be read to justify the violence, including beheadings, engaged in by ISIS.
According to the complaint, Raishani attempted to travel overseas to join ISIS and to provide material support to the designated terrorist organization, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana Boente.
“The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats, and we will continue to work to stem the flow of foreign fighters abroad and bring to justice those who attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations,” Boente said.
“Having already helped another man make that trip to ISIS’s heartland, Raishani allegedly acted on his own desire to wage violent jihad, planning to leave his family and life in New York City for the battlefields of the Middle East,” Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon Kim said.
As part of the investigation, the CS introduced Raishani to an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as an individual who wanted to travel abroad to fight for ISIS. During meetings with the CS and the officer, Raishani expressed his desire to travel abroad to join ISIS. Raishani stated that he had been in contact with other ISIS supporters and no longer felt comfortable in the United States. He also showed the officer a video that appeared to depict ISIS supporters discussing their desire to travel overseas to join ISIS and its ongoing fight. Raishani further showed the CS and officer an ISIS video that appeared to depict ISIS members in Yemen killing civilians who did not support ISIS.
In addition, Raishani advised the CS and the officer as to how they could avoid detection by law enforcement. For example, Raishani advised the CS to cover the camera on the CS’s computer and turn off the computer’s microphone when watching pro-ISIS videos online. Raishani also advised the CS to use a particular Internet browser to hide their online activity, and explained that he used the browser to watch ISIS and jihadi videos online. Furthermore, Raishani himself put on gloves when using a laptop and viewing pro-ISIS and pro-jihadi videos online. Moreover, Raishani told the officer that if they traveled together to join ISIS, Raishani, a home health aide, could pose as a nurse and UC-1 could pose as a refugee aid worker, in order to cross international borders without being stopped and questioned by authorities. Finally, Raishani told the CS and the officer that he (Raishani) had to be careful because he believed that federal authorities were monitoring his activities.
By April 2017, Raishani was actively planning to travel abroad to join ISIS. The CS told Raishani that, through a family acquaintance, the CS might be able to obtain contact information for an ISIS affiliate capable of facilitating travel to join ISIS. In reality, the purported facilitator was an FBI employee acting in an undercover capacity. In May 2017, Raishani contacted the undercover FBI employee and said that he had previously helped another individual travel to join ISIS. Raishani further told FBI employee that he was seeking guidance for his own “hijrah,” an Arabic term normally used to refer to migration, but which is also used by ISIS supporters to refer to traveling overseas to join ISIS and engage in jihad. In subsequent conversations with the undercover agents, Raishani stated that he aspired to travel to Syria to join ISIS and that he aimed to travel before the end of Ramadan, an Islamic holy month that runs from approximately May 26 through June 24 this year. He indicated that he would be in contact with FBI employee about his travel. Raishani also stated that if he is “locked up,” he will not care, as “Allah will reward [him] for attempting jihad.”
In June 2017, Raishani told the CS that he was making preparations to leave, including paying off his remaining debts. Subsequently, Raishani and the officer purchased clothing that they intended to wear for their training with ISIS. Earlier this week, Raishani revealed to FBI employee his (Raishani’s) intention to meet an ISIS member in Turkey in the next few days, who would facilitate Raishani’s joining the terrorist organization. Raishani also purchased an airline ticket for a flight scheduled to depart on June 21, 2017, from JFK Airport to Istanbul, Turkey, via Lisbon, Portugal. On June 21, 2017, Raishani traveled to JFK Airport, where he was arrested by the FBI after he attempted to board that flight to Lisbon.