https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/judg...ison-attempting-provide-material-support-isis
WASHINGTON – Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 26, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents, Al-Azhari pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2023. Al-Azhari is a United States citizen who spent most of his life abroad and came to embrace dogmatic, Islamist/Salafist beliefs. In 2018, Al-Azhari was released from prison in Saudi Arabia following a conviction and sentence for supporting terrorism in Syria, after which he was removed to the United States.
Upon Al-Azhari’s arrival to the United States in or around December 2018, the FBI began investigating him for potentially providing material support to ISIS, which, at all relevant times, was designated as a foreign terrorist organization under federal law. In or around April 2020, Al-Azhari began to plan to carry out an attack in support of ISIS. Around the same time, Al-Azhari began to acquire multiple firearms. Al-Azhari also researched and scouted potential locations for an attack in the Tampa Bay area. Since at least May 2019, Al-Azhari also consumed ISIS propaganda and spoke favorably about ISIS, to which he eventually pledged his allegiance through a bay’ah (an Islamic oath of allegiance). Furthermore, Al-Azhari spoke about avenging the United States’ imprisonment of Muslims, including ISIS fighters, and the United States’ military actions in the Middle East. In addition, Al-Azhari rehearsed parts of his plans, including practicing statements that he would make during or in connection with, his intention to support ISIS.
Al-Azhari had multiple, recorded interactions with an FBI undercover employee and a confidential human source (CHS) in April and May 2020. Al-Azhari was in the process of trying to buy guns from the undercover employee, including a fully automatic rifle, when he was arrested on state charges for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. After his release from state custody, Al-Azhari continued to try to buy firearms from the UCE. Al-Azhari also met with the CHS, attempted to “convert” the CHS to Islam, and Al-Azhari confided in the CHS about Al-Azhari’s affiliation with ISIS and his plans to provide material support to ISIS, as well as to send money to ISIS. Al-Azhari also recruited the CHS to help him in connection with his plans in support of ISIS, as well as robberies, and he asked the CHS to obtain a Glock pistol and an unregistered silencer. Agents arrested Al-Azhari when he took possession of the gun and silencer on May 24, 2020….
WASHINGTON – Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 26, of Tampa, Florida, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents, Al-Azhari pleaded guilty to the charge in February 2023. Al-Azhari is a United States citizen who spent most of his life abroad and came to embrace dogmatic, Islamist/Salafist beliefs. In 2018, Al-Azhari was released from prison in Saudi Arabia following a conviction and sentence for supporting terrorism in Syria, after which he was removed to the United States.
Upon Al-Azhari’s arrival to the United States in or around December 2018, the FBI began investigating him for potentially providing material support to ISIS, which, at all relevant times, was designated as a foreign terrorist organization under federal law. In or around April 2020, Al-Azhari began to plan to carry out an attack in support of ISIS. Around the same time, Al-Azhari began to acquire multiple firearms. Al-Azhari also researched and scouted potential locations for an attack in the Tampa Bay area. Since at least May 2019, Al-Azhari also consumed ISIS propaganda and spoke favorably about ISIS, to which he eventually pledged his allegiance through a bay’ah (an Islamic oath of allegiance). Furthermore, Al-Azhari spoke about avenging the United States’ imprisonment of Muslims, including ISIS fighters, and the United States’ military actions in the Middle East. In addition, Al-Azhari rehearsed parts of his plans, including practicing statements that he would make during or in connection with, his intention to support ISIS.
Al-Azhari had multiple, recorded interactions with an FBI undercover employee and a confidential human source (CHS) in April and May 2020. Al-Azhari was in the process of trying to buy guns from the undercover employee, including a fully automatic rifle, when he was arrested on state charges for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. After his release from state custody, Al-Azhari continued to try to buy firearms from the UCE. Al-Azhari also met with the CHS, attempted to “convert” the CHS to Islam, and Al-Azhari confided in the CHS about Al-Azhari’s affiliation with ISIS and his plans to provide material support to ISIS, as well as to send money to ISIS. Al-Azhari also recruited the CHS to help him in connection with his plans in support of ISIS, as well as robberies, and he asked the CHS to obtain a Glock pistol and an unregistered silencer. Agents arrested Al-Azhari when he took possession of the gun and silencer on May 24, 2020….
