Latest news with #materialSupport
CNN
02-08-2025
- CNN
California man arrested for allegedly sending money to ISIS
The FBI arrested on Friday a man in Long Beach, California, for allegedly sending money to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice. Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, a permanent US resident originally from the Philippines, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, the Justice Department said in a statement. Investigators said Villanueva was in communication with two individuals who identified themselves as ISIS fighters via social media earlier this year. In those messages, Villanueva allegedly expressed his desire to support ISIS and offered to send money to aid the group's activities. 'It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to go to heaven.' Villanueva allegedly wrote to the ISIS fighters. 'Someday soon, I'll be joining.' Over a five-month period, Villanueva sent 12 payments totaling $1,615 to two intermediaries who accessed the money overseas, according to Western Union records cited by the DOJ. During his arrest, the FBI recovered what appeared to be a bomb from his bedroom, according to photos posted on the FBI's Facebook and X accounts. 'Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world,' said Patrick Grandy, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. Earlier this year, a 19-year-old former member of the Michigan Army National Guard was arrested after he allegedly attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass shooting at a US military base in Michigan on behalf of ISIS. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said was arrested on the scheduled day of the attack, after he visited an area near the military base and launched a drone in support of the attack plan, according to the Justice Department. He allegedly planned to attack the Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, which is located in a Detroit suburb and manages the Army's supply chain for tanks. Prosecutors say he offered to help undercover law enforcement officers carry out the attack by training them to use firearms and make Molotov cocktails and by providing armor-piercing ammunitions and magazines for the attack. Said was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and with distributing information related to a destructive device.
CNN
02-08-2025
- CNN
California man arrested for allegedly sending money to ISIS
The FBI arrested on Friday a man in Long Beach, California, for allegedly sending money to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice. Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, a permanent US resident originally from the Philippines, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, the Justice Department said in a statement. Investigators said Villanueva was in communication with two individuals who identified themselves as ISIS fighters via social media earlier this year. In those messages, Villanueva allegedly expressed his desire to support ISIS and offered to send money to aid the group's activities. 'It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to go to heaven.' Villanueva allegedly wrote to the ISIS fighters. 'Someday soon, I'll be joining.' Over a five-month period, Villanueva sent 12 payments totaling $1,615 to two intermediaries who accessed the money overseas, according to Western Union records cited by the DOJ. During his arrest, the FBI recovered what appeared to be a bomb from his bedroom, according to photos posted on the FBI's Facebook and X accounts. 'Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world,' said Patrick Grandy, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. Earlier this year, a 19-year-old former member of the Michigan Army National Guard was arrested after he allegedly attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass shooting at a US military base in Michigan on behalf of ISIS. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said was arrested on the scheduled day of the attack, after he visited an area near the military base and launched a drone in support of the attack plan, according to the Justice Department. He allegedly planned to attack the Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command, which is located in a Detroit suburb and manages the Army's supply chain for tanks. Prosecutors say he offered to help undercover law enforcement officers carry out the attack by training them to use firearms and make Molotov cocktails and by providing armor-piercing ammunitions and magazines for the attack. Said was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and with distributing information related to a destructive device.
Fox News
02-08-2025
- Fox News
FBI arrests man in California for allegedly attempting to provide financial support to ISIS; explosives seized
Federal agents have arrested a man in California on allegations he sent a dozen payments to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), FBI Los Angeles announced on Friday. Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony offense that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars. Villanueva, residing in Long Beach, is a lawful permanent resident of the Philippines, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. "Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world," Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, Patrick Grandy, said in a statement. "Thanks to the proactive efforts by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI and our partners safely arrested Mr. Villanueva today and prevented further support and spreading of ISIS ideology," he continued. According to an affidavit, Villanueva used social media to speak with two people who self-identified as ISIS fighters. During their conversations, Villanueva discussed his desire to support ISIS and offered to send money to the terrorist group's fighters to support their activities. Villanueva allegedly told one of the self-identified ISIS fighters that he wanted to fight for ISIS himself. "It's an honor to fight and die for our faith. It's the best way to go to heaven," he allegedly said at one point. "Someday soon, I'll be joining," he also said. Villanueva told the other fighter that he had a bomb and knives. The FBI recovered what appeared to be a bomb from Villanueva's bedroom when he was arrested Friday morning. In February, Villanueva offered to send money to one of the ISIS fighters and asked whether the money would "cover your equipment and your weapons." He also discussed sending the money through an intermediary. According to Western Union records, Villanueva allegedly sent 12 payments totaling $1,615 over the course of five months to two intermediaries who accessed the money overseas. "Supporting a terrorist group, whether at home or abroad, is a serious risk to our national security," Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said. "We will aggressively hunt down and prosecute anyone who provides support or comfort to our enemies."
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Yahoo
Stockton man who pledged support for ISIS caught in undercover sting, prosecutors say
When Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, got in touch with someone he thought was a member of the Islamic State in February 2025, he expressed his support for the terrorist organization. He was actually messaging with an undercover federal agent, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California. Prosecutors allege that in his conversations with the agent, Akhtar said he wanted to travel overseas and fight for ISIS. While he was under investigation, Akhtar sent money to the agent on several occasions, prosecutors said. When told by the agent that the money had procured guns for the Islamic State, Akhtar allegedly replied: 'may Allah destroy our enemies.' Akhtar also spoke about planning an attack himself, saying he 'want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels],' the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Read more: Suicide bomber kills at least 22 in Greek Orthodox church in Syria He allegedly also asked for instructions on how to make an explosive device in order to 'make a boom' at a public event. On Monday, Akhtar finally met with a purported ISIS contact — a federal agent — in person. At the meeting, the suspect provided "clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines," and swore a loyalty pledge to the Islamic State, prosecutors said. He was arrested Tuesday and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, Akhtar would face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
