New York Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

Press Release

Defendant Planned to Travel to Syria to Join ISIS and Was Arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as He Tried to Board a Flight

BROOKLYN, NY - A criminal complaint was filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Syed Aman, a U.S. citizen and resident of Nassau County, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Aman was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport) in Queens, New York, on November 5, 2024 as he tried to board a flight to Doha, Qatar, from which he intended to ultimately travel to Syria to join ISIS. Aman is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's National Security Division and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI)
announced the arrest and charges.

"As alleged, Aman was steadfast in his attempts to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS and fortunately his evil plan to wage jihad was thwarted," stated United States Attorney Peace. "My Office will continue to identify and prosecute would-be terrorists like the defendant before they are able to harm individuals at home or abroad on behalf of ISIS."

Mr. Peace extended his appreciation to the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises a number of federal, state, and local agencies from the region, for their outstanding work on the case, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their assistance. "Syed Aman was allegedly determined in his efforts to support ISIS through financial donation and by making multiple attempts to travel overseas to engage in jihad on their behalf," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy. "Thankfully, the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force was able to intervene before his disturbing plans of supporting a deadly terrorist organization could come to fruition. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, are unmatched in our resolve to protect our nation from those willing to support the evils of terrorism."

As alleged in the complaint, throughout 2023 and 2024, Aman expressed
his support for ISIS through social media posts in an online ISIS group forum, sent money to an individual he believed to be an ISIS operative that was intended to support ISIS's efforts in Syria and made arrangements to travel to Syria to engage in jihad, or holy war, on behalf of ISIS.

Since the beginning of October 2024, Aman has been in contact with a
confidential human source (CHS) working with the FBI about Aman's plan to join ISIS in Syria. Aman expressed that "jihad and hijrah," referring to traveling to ISIS-controlled territory and waging war on ISIS's behalf, are "the most important thing, more than anything else at the moment." Aman shared with the CHS Aman's hatred for "kuffar [non-believers] who deny the path of Allah." Aman explained to the CHS, "[i]f you don't kill them they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay." During this same time period, Aman also posted on a social media platform his desire "to kill Americans" and wrote in a notebook his intent to study becoming a shaheed, or martyr on behalf of ISIS.

Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October
2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha, Qatar. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS. Aman also stated that he would travel with a steel pen to defend himself if he were arrested and that he would attack law enforcement. A silver metal pen was found in Aman's crossbody bag when he was arrested.

On November 5, 2024, Aman traveled to JFK Airport for his flight to
Qatar. After Aman had checked in, been processed through airport security and attempted to board his flight, he was arrested by the FBI.

The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is
presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's National Security
& Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney T.J. Reardon III of the Justice Department's Counterterrorism Section.

The Defendant:
SYED AMAN
Age: 28
Franklin Square, Long Island

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-MJ-599

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Updated November 6, 2024