US Charges 3 Men, Including Navy Veteran, Over $2,000 ISIS Support Plot
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 9
US Charges 3 Men, Including Navy Veteran, Over $2,000 ISIS Support Plot
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 9
Summary
Three men — Bisaam Ghafoor, Elias Shamsaldeen and former sailor Bereen Dzayee — were arrested and charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and help target U.S. troops.
From February 2025 to June 2026, prosecutors say they used Discord, voice calls and other messaging apps to pledge allegiance to ISIS, coordinate transfers and discuss attacks on American service members.
More than $2,000 was sent to someone they believed was an ISIS member to buy weapons, including drones and an RPG; prosecutors said one suspect wanted his name written on a drone and another on a grenade.
Dzayee served in the Navy from 2021 to 2024 aboard USS John S. McCain, and investigators said he suggested disguising transfers as "donation" or "charity" while attempted cryptocurrency-ATM payments failed.
The FBI said it first identified the trio through pro-ISIS social media posts, and the Justice Department said the arrests disrupted a scheme that could have led to violence against U.S. military personnel.
When a Navy veteran targets US troops for ISIS, how deep does the military's radicalization problem run?
As online platforms become terror training grounds, are tech companies doing enough to stop the next attack?
With terror plots now 'gamified,' how can gaming culture prevent its worlds from fueling real-world violence?
Arrest of Three in 2026 ISIS Plot Exposes Ongoing Risks of Military-Affiliated Extremism in the U.S.
Overview
In June 2026, federal authorities arrested Bisaam Ghafoor, Elias Shamsaldeen, and Bereen Dzayee for allegedly conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. The group reportedly swore allegiance to ISIS, exchanged messages for over a year, and plotted attacks targeting U.S. service members. Their plans included traveling abroad to fight for ISIS and using military knowledge for extremist goals. The arrests followed a coordinated investigation by multiple FBI offices, highlighting ongoing concerns about radicalization, especially among those with military backgrounds, and the importance of strong counterterrorism efforts to prevent such threats.