A Maryland man has been charged with trying to aid a foreign terrorist organization by providing material support after he allegedly attempted to join ISIS.

The 21-year-old Hanover man landed on the FBI’s radar in December 2019 after his social media account expressed “extremist Islamist ideology,” according to charging documents.

Shortly after, he started having conversations with an undercover officer. Between March and April 2023, he told the undercover that he wanted to travel to Africa to join and fight for the terrorist organization, according to charging documents.

The suspect allegedly had a “plan B” to carry out an attack in the United States against people who support Israel. On three occasions in May and June, he purchased ammunition and range time at a shooting range in Severn to train, the charging documents say.

In July, he tried to purchase a Kalashnikov K-9 9mm rifle, but the purchase was denied because of his probation status, according to charging documents. He also allegedly told the undercover officer in August and October that he was in contact with an ISIS fighter regarding the plans to travel to Somalia to join ISIS.

According to the charging documents, he explained that he would fly first to Turkey and then travel to Ethiopia and cross the border into Somalia. The suspect allegedly sent screenshots of an Ethiopian E-Visa he got from the ISIS fighter.

On Oct. 4, the suspect told the undercover officer that he’d received airline tickets from the ISIS fighter and sent screenshots of his travel itinerary, which showed him leaving Baltimore Marshall Airport on Oct. 14 and flying to Istanbul with a layover in London, according to charging documents.

Nearly a week later, he sent a picture of himself wearing a black mask and holding a large machete, along with the caption “Abdullah the islamophobe slayer,” charging documents say.

A day later, the undercover officer asked the suspect if he was “sure” he wanted to join ISIS. The response was, “I am sure I did a lot of research and had to accept something’s [sic] that they are the only group that has the most true and sincere intentions,” according to charging documents.

The suspect was arrested on Oct. 14 by FBI agents after he checked in for his flight and proceeded through security.

According to a news release from the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, the suspect told the arresting agents: “You will never stop me. Jihad will never stop. … I’ll be like 40 when I get out, then I’ll just do it. I don’t care. You will never stop me. Jihad will never stop. I’ll come, and I’ll kill your soldiers.” he allegedly began kicking one of the arresting agents.

The suspect has a history of mental illness, and he’d had documented threats of violence against his peers since at least September 2019, charging documents say.

He did not have an attorney listed on online records Thursday morning. He had an initial appearance before a magistrate judge Wednesday.

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