New York resident from Uzbekistan pleads guilty to supporting ISIS
A man from Uzbekistan who lives in Brooklyn pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring to provide material support the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the U.S. Justice Department announced.
Abdurasul Hasanovich Juraboev, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge William F. Kuntz II of the Eastern District of New York. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
Juraboev "was prepared to commit violence overseas or here in the United States," said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. "The National Security Division's highest priority is counterterrorism, and this case reflects our commitment to finding those who wish to provide material support to ISIL and to fight on behalf of the terrorist organization, either at home or abroad, and preventing them from doing so."
According to CBS New York, Juraboev was among four people arrested in February for alleged ties to ISIS.
Juraboev first came to the attention of law enforcement during the summer of 2014 after he made a posting on an Uzbek-language website that backs ISIS, court papers say.
"Greetings! We too want to pledge our allegiance and commit ourselves while not present there," he wrote, according to federal authorities. "Is it possible to commit ourselves as dedicated martyrs anyway while here? What I'm saying is, to shoot Obama and then get shot ourselves, will it do? That will strike fear in the hearts of infidels."
Federal agents became aware of the message and tracked the IP address back to Juraboev's Brooklyn home. When confronted by agents, Juraboev said he wanted to travel to Syria to fight with ISIS or attack Obama if he could, according to authorities.
Juraboev later said he didn't have the means or plan to attack Obama, according to authorities. Juraboev was also willing to plant a bomb on Coney Island if ordered to do so, authorities said.