A Michigan resident was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday after being convicted of two charges related to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (ISIS), according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).
Aws Mohammed Naser, 38, was convicted following a five-week trial last year, during which the jury unanimously found that he tried to provide material support to ISIS in the form of personnel (including himself) and services. Additionally, Naser was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a destructive device.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Naser became radicalized in his early twenties and often shared extreme Salafi-Jihadist ideological content on his YouTube channel.
In that time, he reportedly formed a close relationship with one Russell Dennison, an aspiring Salafi-Jihadist preacher, and the two traveled together to Iraq in early 2012.
Naser returned to Michigan in late 2012. After returning to the United States, Naser began preparing to join Dennison in Syria, fighting for ISIS forces. He consumed large amounts of terrorist propaganda in preparation, researched weapons, and watched violent videos, including footage of beheadings.
Naser reportedly continued to communicate with ISIS members and discussed available travel routes through Lebanon and Turkey in order to assist the terror group’s requests to acquire firearms and funding.
Bomb making in the basement
The FBI reportedly searched Naser’s home and vehicle in October 2017. In his basement, they discovered a bomb-making lab, multiple drones, tools, and drone parts. In this lab, the authorities recovered a ready-to-assemble destructive device that included the precursor chemicals and components needed to create a TATP-based improvised explosive device (IED).
US Attorney Gorgon referred to Naser in a press statement quoted by the DOJ as a ‘self-professed ‘soldier of the Caliphate’ and ‘son of the Islamic State’.
“We welcomed this traitor into our Nation with open arms. And he repaid us by building a bomb and helping our great enemy,” He said.
“Those who support terrorism or violent extremism against the United States should expect a lengthy prison sentence. Today’s outcome sends that message without question,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office stated in reference to Nasers sentencing.
“Threats against our homeland and endangering American lives are what the FBI works day in and day out to prevent. Thanks to the thorough investigative work of our FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force and partner agencies, this defendant was identified, disrupted, and brought to justice,” she added.
