Overview
Somali-born Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud is accused of allegedly plotting a terrorist attack in the United States.Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch, April 17, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/16/columbus-man-terrorism-indictment.html. Mohamud immigrated with his family to Columbus, Ohio at the age of 2.Tracy Connor, “Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, Ohio Terror Suspect, a ‘Normal Kid’: Lawyer,” NBC News, April 17, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohios-syria-trained-terror-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-n343486. He remained in Ohio until venturing to Syria in April 2014 to join the Nusra Front, the chief al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch, April 17, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/16/columbus-man-terrorism-indictment.html. His older brother Abdifatah Aden had made the same journey to Syria in May 2013.Tracy Connor, “Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, Ohio Terror Suspect, a ‘Normal Kid’: Lawyer,” NBC News, April 17, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohios-syria-trained-terror-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-n343486.
In February 2014, Mohamud offered to send Aden money and two months later he traveled to Syria with $1,000 in tow.Tracy Connor, “Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, Ohio Terror Suspect, a ‘Normal Kid’: Lawyer,” NBC News, April 17, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohios-syria-trained-terror-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-n343486. While in Syria, Mohamud allegedly trained in the use of weapons and explosives before he was instructed to return to the United States to commit terrorism.Tracy Connor, “Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, Ohio Terror Suspect, a ‘Normal Kid’: Lawyer,” NBC News, April 17, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohios-syria-trained-terror-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-n343486.
According to the indictment issued by a federal grand jury, Mohamud became a U.S. citizen on February 18, 2014.Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch, April 17, 2015, http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/04/16/columbus-man-terrorism-indictment.html. After completing training in Syria, a cleric dispatched him to recruit others and carry out an attack within the United States. Mohamud returned on June 4, 2014, (four days after his brother Aden died in combat in Syria) to attack a U.S. military base or prison.Tracy Connor, “Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, Ohio Terror Suspect, a ‘Normal Kid’: Lawyer,” NBC News, April 17, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohios-syria-trained-terror-suspect-pleads-not-guilty-n343486. On February 21, 2015, U.S. authorities arrested Mohamud in Ohio on charges of providing material support for individuals engaged in terrorism.Scott Shane, “Ohio Man Trained in Syria Is Charged With Planning Terrorism in U.S.,” New York Times, April 16, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/us/ohio-man-trained-in-syria-is-charged-with-planning-terrorism-in-us.html. Mohamud has pled not guilty to the charges. Mohamud pled guilty to the charges in August 2015.Matt Zapotosky, “Ohio man who trained with terrorists overseas and plotted to kill U.S. troops sentenced to 22 years,” Washington Post, January 22, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ohio-man-who-trained-with-terrorists-overseas-and-plotted-to-kill-us-troops-sentenced-to-22-years/2018/01/22/2d18ff42-ff8f-11e7-9d31-d72cf78dbeee_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b11c12ac7407. In December 2017, he officially requested to be deported to Somalia rather than serve time in jail in the United States.Associated Press, “Man accused in terror plot asked for deportation over prison,” Fox News, January 28, 2018, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/28/man-accused-in-terror-plot-asked-for-deportation-over-prison.html. Mohamud was sentenced to 22 years in prison on January 1, 2018. The local Homeland Security Investigations office said it also intended to pursue deportation.Matt Zapotosky, “Ohio man who trained with terrorists overseas and plotted to kill U.S. troops sentenced to 22 years,” Washington Post, January 22, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ohio-man-who-trained-with-terrorists-overseas-and-plotted-to-kill-us-troops-sentenced-to-22-years/2018/01/22/2d18ff42-ff8f-11e7-9d31-d72cf78dbeee_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b11c12ac7407; Associated Press, “Man accused in terror plot asked for deportation over prison,” Fox News, January 28, 2018, http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/28/man-accused-in-terror-plot-asked-for-deportation-over-prison.html.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- The Nusra Front
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, non-state actor, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Al-Qaeda affiliated group, Islamist, jihadist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni
- Position(s):
- Foreign fighter, conspirator
Al-Nusra Front is an internationally sanctioned terrorist group, one of the strongest insurgent groups in Syria, and a formerly open al-Qaeda affiliate that seeks to replace the Assad regime in Syria with an Islamic state. Operating as part of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) coalition since January 2017, al-Nusra Front stands accused of serving as a base for global al-Qaeda operations.
History
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
In Their Own Words:
We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].
Mar. 2023