An 18-year-old Westminster man was arrested by the FBI at Denver International Airport on Monday as he allegedly started an abroad journey to hitch the Islamic State group as a fighter.
Humzah Mashkoor was arrested on the airport at about 9 a.m. after clearing safety however earlier than he reached the terminal trains, in accordance with a grievance filed in federal district court docket on Monday.
Mashkoor is charged with making an attempt to supply materials help to a delegated overseas terrorist group.
In response to a 37-page grievance filed by the FBI, Mashkoor started speaking with company workers posing as Islamic State group supporters on-line in September 2022.
Over the next 14 months, Mashkoor “repeatedly expressed his intent to journey with the intention to be a part of ISIS as a fighter, to supply cash to ISIS to help their efforts, and to recruit others to additionally help ISIS by means of journey and/or monetary contributions,” in accordance with the grievance.
Mashkoor additionally advised FBI workers that an Islamic State group contact advised he conduct an assault in the USA, however that Mashkoor was anxious about how that will influence his household and that he would relatively journey abroad to hitch the terrorist group.
In response to the grievance, Mashkoor advised FBI workers that he was born within the U.S. and had returned to Afghanistan for just a few years earlier than his household was compelled to go away. He had additionally beforehand supported the Taliban, in accordance with the grievance.
Mashkoor used coded language on social media and encrypted messaging purposes to speak with undercover FBI workers, telling them his plans to journey abroad to hitch the Islamic State group had been delayed as a result of he was not but 18 years outdated and his household wouldn’t let him go away.
At one level, Mashkoor advised the undercover FBI workers that he hoped that “Allah permits me to kill lots of the enemy with my very own arms,” together with particular spiritual teams.
Mashkoor additionally mentioned leaving movies to clarify what he was doing to his household however stated he was anxious that federal brokers had been monitoring his on-line exercise.
Mashkoor purchased tickets to fly out of Denver to the United Arab Emirates with a relative, the place he would keep till he traveled on to Afghanistan or Syria to combat for the Islamic State group, in accordance with the grievance.
After his arrest, FBI officers discovered journal entries at Mashkoor’s Westminster residence by which he wrote about feeling remoted till he discovered “others like” him and that he had no regrets about his path, in accordance with the grievance.
“And I hope to be granted one in every of two issues. Victory over my enemies, or martyrdom,” Mashkoor wrote in his journal, in accordance with the FBI grievance.
Signal as much as get crime information despatched straight to your inbox every day.
