Source: United States Department of Justice News
Defendant proposed plot to start conflict in United States between government and militias
DAYTON, Ohio – A Beavercreek, Ohio, man who was arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force at John Glenn International Airport in 2018 while trying to travel to Afghanistan to join ISIS or ISIS- Khorasan (ISIS-K) was sentenced today in federal court.
Naser Almadaoji, 23, an Iraqi-born United States citizen, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release.
Almadaoji pleaded guilty in November 2021 just before his jury trial was scheduled to begin. He admitted to attempting to provide material support – himself, as personnel – to foreign terrorist organizations, namely ISIS and ISIS-K.
“Almadaoji was not just an ideological supporter of terrorism, he attempted to train to fight, assassinate, kidnap and kill, in hopes of employing violence in America on behalf of ISIS,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Thanks to the FBI and our other law enforcement partners, Almadaoji was ultimately unsuccessful in his plan to become a human weapon and will now spend a decade in federal prison.”
“Mr. Almadaoji was stopped by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force while attempting to join ISIS and learn the deadly methods of terrorists,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and our partners, will continue to work to protect the community from those determined to support terrorism and plan violent attacks.”
According to court documents, Almadaoji purchased a plane ticket for travel on October 24, 2018, and was arrested by FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force officers after checking in and obtaining his boarding pass.
The defendant intended to travel to Astana, Kazahkstan, where he planned to be smuggled into Afghanistan so that he could join and receive military training from ISIS-K in support of both that terrorist group and ISIS.
Almadaoji explained to an individual whom he believed to be an ISIS supporter that he wanted “weapons experts training, planning and executing, hit and run, capturing high value targets, ways to break into homes and avoid security guards. That type of training.” He began making travel plans in September 2018.
Prior to that, between February 16 and 24, 2018, Almadaoji traveled to Egypt and Jordan for the purpose of joining ISIS’s affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula, ISIS Wilayat Sinai, another designated foreign terrorist organization, but he ultimately was unsuccessful.
Almadaoji told an individual posing as an ISIS supporter online about his proposed plot to start a conflict in the United States between the federal government and anti-government militias. He asked the purported ISIS supporter for a guide on how to make a car bomb.
In August 2018, Almadaoji also told the purported ISIS supporter that he was “always willing” to assist with “projects” in the United States.
Almadaoji recorded and sent a video of himself wearing a headscarf and pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS.
In addition, Almadaoji translated a purported ISIS document from Arabic to English, telling his contact, “Don’t thank me . . . it’s my duty.”
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice National Security Division; J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge of the Cincinnati Division of the FBI; Alan J. Hill, Oakwood Public Safety Director; and Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas A. Dingeldein and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are representing the United States in this case.
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