An Ohio man recently pleaded guilty to providing material support to an ISIS-affiliate organization and also attempting to fly overseas to train under them.
“Iraqi-born U.S. citizen in Ohio pleaded guilty to terrorism offense related to his plan to travel to Afghanistan and train with ISIS-K. Naser Almadaoji had pleaded not guilty in 2018. With the new guilty plea, he faces 20 years in prison," the Counter Extremism Project tweeted last week.
Naser Almadaoji, 22, an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen of Beavercreek, was helping a group called ISIS Wilayat Khorasan, according to a Department of Justice press release. He was accused by the government of arranging with an Islamic State supporter in 2018 to move through Kazakhstan to Afghanistan
Almadaoji recorded and sent a video of himself wearing a headscarf and pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS. In 2018, he had pleaded not guilty to the same charge. Now that he has pleaded guilty, there is a possible punishment of a $250,000 fine and 20 years in prison. The sentencing date has been set for January 31.
“This is now the second person from the Dayton area held accountable in recent times for trying to join ISIS," Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel said. "Whatever grievances might exist with our government, our country, or our way of life, violence is not the answer. Providing material support in whatever form – personnel, services, funding, or otherwise – to designated foreign terrorist groups simply begets more terror, and every effort will be made to hold accountable those who provide such support.”
