Introduction to the Case
An East Elmhurst man was found guilty in Brooklyn federal court for providing material support to ISIS.
QNS file photo
An East Elmhurst man was convicted by a jury on Friday, Oct. 24, in Brooklyn federal court of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
The Conviction and Charges
Abdullah At Taqi, 26, was found guilty on all three counts of an indictment charging him and co-defendant Mohammad David Hashimi with conspiring and attempting to provide support to the designated foreign terrorist organization and conspiring to launder money. The defendants collectively sent thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency and wire transfers to a self-proclaimed ISIS member.
Methods of Funding ISIS
“The defendants used Bitcoin. PayPal and GoFundMe to fund ISIS’s deadly mission,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella said. “ISIS relies on supporters, like the defendants, to sponsor its terrorist aims, which is why our office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disrupt that pipeline and prosecute those who provide material support to terrorist organizations and their evildoers.”
Details of the Transactions
As proven at trial, At Taqi sent 15 separate Bitcoin transactions to Osama Obieda, also known as Osama Abu Obayda, a self-proclaimed ISIS member, over the course of nearly a year, in conversations with an online confidential source, At Taqi stated that he used cryptocurrency to send money “unnoticed” through a “brother,” meaning an ISIS supporter whom he spoke to on an encrypted communications platform. Taqi confirmed that the “brother” was “from Dawlah,” referring to ISIS. The brother in question was Obeida, whom At Taqi introduced to the confidential source. Obeida confided to the confidential source that he had known At Taqi for two years and that he regularly sent money to Obeida. Obeida sent the confidential source a photograph of an ISIS flag and weapons with a screen name and the date to prove that the photo was recent and authentic, and that donations to Obeida were used to buy weapons for ISIS fighters. Other messages show Obeida instructing At Taqi to delete messages and change his IP address.
An ISIS member sent a photo of an ISIS flag with weapons and ammo as proof the donations were used to arm mujahideen fighters.
Photo courtesy of DOJ
Co-Conspirators and Their Roles
Hashimi, 38, of Potomac Falls, Virginia, was a member of a group chat for ISIS supporters on an encrypted platform. In early April 2021, the chat group discussed posting links that purported to be raising funds for humanitarian causes, but from which the money would actually be diverted to help the “Mujahideen,” an Arabic term used by ISIS supporters to refer to ISIS fighters. A co-conspirator posted a Bitcoin address, and another member of the chat group posted a link to a PayPal campaign, both of which were controlled by Obeida. In response, Hashimi told people to be careful sending links because they could be detected and arrested by law enforcement.
Total Amount Transferred
Through a combination of Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe, the defendants transferred thousands of dollars to Obeida. At Taqi, Hashimi, and a third co-defendant, Seema Rahman, 28, of Edison, N.J., along with another co-conspirator, Khalilullah Yousuf, contributed more than $24,000 to Obeida’s Bitcoin address.
Law Enforcement Response
“The NYPD will stop at nothing to protect New Yorkers from the dangers of ISIS and terrorists who seek to harm our country,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “These defendants used a variety of online platforms in an attempt to covertly send thousands of dollars to ISIS members to purchase weapons.”
Potential Sentencing
When they are sentenced, At Taqi and Hashimi face up to 60 years in federal prison.
“Today’s conviction demonstrates the NYPD’s expertise and commitment to rooting out terrorism and the importance of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI to stop these dangerous individuals,” Tisch said.
Conclusion of the Case
Rahman pleaded guilty in January to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and is awaiting sentencing. Yousuf was arrested and prosecuted in Canada. Nocella thanked the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force for their work on the case.
“Abdullah At Taqi and Mohammed Hashimi knowingly donated thousands of dollars to an ISIS member through various cryptocurrency exchanges, wire transfers, and purported humanitarian fundraisers,” FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher Raia said. “The defendants’ actions potentially facilitated the purchase of explosives and ammunition by a designated terrorist organization. May today’s conviction emphasize the FBI’s stout determination to cease all funding of terrorists to ensure their malevolent ideologies are never brought to fruition.”
Conclusion
The case highlights the importance of vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies in preventing the funding of terrorist organizations. The use of cryptocurrency and online platforms to support such activities poses significant challenges, but this conviction demonstrates the commitment of authorities to disrupting these pipelines and bringing those responsible to justice.
FAQs
- Q: What was Abdullah At Taqi convicted of?
A: At Taqi was convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). - Q: How did the defendants transfer money to ISIS?
A: The defendants used a combination of Bitcoin, PayPal, and GoFundMe to transfer thousands of dollars to a self-proclaimed ISIS member. - Q: What is the potential sentencing for At Taqi and Hashimi?
A: At Taqi and Hashimi face up to 60 years in federal prison when they are sentenced. - Q: What was the role of the NYPD and FBI in the case?
A: The NYPD and FBI worked together to investigate and disrupt the defendants’ support for ISIS, with the NYPD stopping at nothing to protect New Yorkers from terrorist threats and the FBI committed to ceasing all funding of terrorists.
