The Department of Justice has charged a California man with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, has been accused of plotting and providing financial funding for attacks. He was arrested on Tuesday and arraigned on charges in the US District Court for the Eastern District of California, according to a press release.
In February, Akhtar began communicating online with an undercover law enforcement officer, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS.
Akhtar allegedly voiced his support for ISIS and jihad during these conversations, expressing his desire to travel overseas and join ISIS, as well as sending money and firearms to the terror group, according to court documents.
As the investigation progressed in April, Akhtar “demonstrated a desire to provide support for ISIS and did so by providing funding on multiple occasions,” court documents state.
Akhtar sent the undercover law enforcement officer money to purchase guns intended for ISIS. After the officer informed Akhtar that the weapons had been procured, the defendant asserted he would send more funds and stated, “may Allah destroy our enemies,” according to court filings.
During this time, Akhtar allegedly discussed plotting terror attacks,