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A Texas man is in FBI custody on Thursday after authorities say he tried to help ISIS and deliberate a terrorist assault on American soil — all from his house in Houston.
Authorities stated 28-year-old Anas Mentioned was trying to find methods to commit violent acts on behalf of the Islamic State within the Houston space. He has been charged with trying to supply materials help to the terrorist group.
Mentioned was arrested final week on the house complicated the place he lived, in accordance with FBI Particular Agent in Cost Douglas Williams.
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FBI Particular Agent in Cost Doug Williams addresses the media from the Houston area workplace on Jan. 19. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle by way of Getty Photos)
Williams stated that whereas in custody, Mentioned admitted to researching how you can conduct an assault on native navy recruiting facilities, providing his dwelling as sanctuary for ISIS operatives, bragging that he would commit a “9/11-style” assault if he had the assets and trying to supply ISIS propaganda.
“We stopped a possible terrorist assault from taking place proper right here in Houston! Any day we will publicly say that could be a good day,” FBI Houston stated.
Mentioned is being held in custody however appeared in court docket for a preliminary listening to on Tuesday, his lawyer, Balemar Zuniga, informed Fox Information Digital.
“The indictment solely alleges that he supported a terrorist group by means of the manufacturing of movies and propaganda,” he stated, noting that federal prosecutors talked about the plotting of terror acts however haven’t charged him with such. “None of that’s alleged.”
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Mentioned has been on the FBI’s radar for the reason that bureau acquired a tip in 2017 about him buying two stickers: “one containing a picture of the Dome of the Rock2 with an ISIS flag overlaying the picture, and one other displaying the white silhouette of a person holding a rifle with the caption, “Successful the Islamic Nation.”
“Does it appear a bit extreme? Sure,” Zuniga stated.
Mentioned was interviewed by the FBI 4 instances in 2018 in relation to the sticker purchases.
“Throughout an interview carried out on or about January 29, 2018, the Defendant admitted each stickers had been meant to indicate help for ISIS,” although he didn’t help killing within the title of ISIS on the time, in accordance with a detention memo laying out the allegations in opposition to Mentioned. Mentioned started supporting the ISIS ideology in 2015 when his household returned to the U.S. from Lebanon.
Mentioned was born in america and moved to Lebanon with with household as a baby, Zuniga stated. He returned to the U.S. in 2014.
Regardless of Mentioned’s alleged crimes, he would not have any unfavorable emotions concerning the U.S., stated Zuniga.
“I’d not say that in any respect,” he stated. “I believe that he’s definitely enthusiastic about defending his Islamic faith. I do not assume he has any specific animosity towards america itself.”
In a 2019 FBI interview, Mentioned claimed “he not consumed radical Islamic propaganda and solely used the web for schoolwork and for watching sports activities,” in accordance with the memo.
The Division of Justice seals is seen throughout a information convention on the DOJ workplace in Washington, Might 16, 2023. (AP Photograph/Jose Luis Magana)
That wasn’t true, in accordance with the DOJ.
“On or about October 18, 2023, pursuant to authorized course of, FBI acquired data from Meta Platforms, Inc. (‘Meta’) concerning 11 Fb accounts utilized by the Defendant that confirmed he continued to help ISIS and the violent assaults carried out in its title,” in accordance with the DOJ.
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His relations “expressed their issues” in FBI interviews, and “subsequent evaluation of the Defendant’s digital gadgets revealed a number of encrypted messaging purposes containing information of his efforts to create and disseminate propaganda that glorified ISIS’s ongoing violence, the proof underlying the fabric help offense charged within the indictment,” the division alleged.
Mentioned allegedly refused to adjust to FBI brokers who executed a search warrant in opposition to him final Friday, and he smashed his cellphone.
Chris Pandolfo is a breaking information reporter for Fox Information Digital. Ship tricks to chris.pandolfo@fox.com and observe him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.
