Overview

Akram I. Musleh is a U.S. citizen who stands accused of providing material support to ISIS after he pledged allegiance to the terror group and sought to join ISIS abroad. Since at least 2013, Musleh used social media to watch and disseminate videos of deceased al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, according to court documents.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 4-5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf. The FBI arrested then-18-year-old Musleh in June 2016 as he boarded a bus from Indianapolis to New York, allegedly in preparation to fly to ISIS-held territory in Libya.“Indiana Man Arrested on Terrorism Charge,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016 https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-arrested-terrorism-charge. Musleh pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS in May 2018,“United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh: Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty and Plea Agreement,” United States District Court – Southern District of Indiana Indianapolis Division, May 14, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/MuslehPleaAgreement.pdf. and in June 2019, he was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison.“Brownsburg Man Sentenced in Terrorism Case: Man Convicted of Attempting to Travel to Join ISIS,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Southern District of Indiana, June 24, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/brownsburg-man-sentenced-terrorism-case.

The FBI started monitoring Musleh in August 2013 after he used the handle “akram165” to upload three al-Awlaki videos to YouTube. That December, the FBI met with Musleh and officials from Musleh’s high school. During the meeting, Musleh admitted that a family member had recommended he watch al-Awlaki’s videos. Musleh said he knew al-Awlaki’s “history,” but watched the videos to learn more about Islam. The FBI and Musleh’s high school took unspecified “steps to dissuade” Musleh from Islamic extremism, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf. During an FBI search of Musleh’s checked luggage after his June 2016 arrest, agents discovered a journal containing quotes by Anwar al-Awlaki, deceased al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, former al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab Zarqawi, and al-Qaeda co-founder Abdullah Azzam.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 8, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf.

Musleh allegedly used multiple social media platforms to praise ISIS and communicate with the group’s members. According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Musleh used mobile messaging apps, including Kik, to communicate with ISIS operatives. He also allegedly spoke with an FBI “confidential human source” (CHS) about hijrah (immigration) to ISIS-held territory. Musleh allegedly told the CHS that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS, and that he wished to travel to Libya to join ISIS there. Musleh and the alleged ISIS members discussed life in the so-called caliphate, including the salaries of ISIS fighters. One ISIS member allegedly suggested that Musleh carry out “operations” against U.S. military targets in Florida.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 9-27, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf.

Image allegedly posted to Musleh’s social media profile on May 15, 2016.

Federal agents searched Musleh’s phone in late May 2016 and discovered several files referencing “jihad, martyrdom,” and ISIS, including multiple issues of ISIS’s Dabiq magazine and al-Qaeda’s Inspire magazine. In addition, the agents found a collection of audio files labeled “Anwar Al-Awlaki\All Of The Lectures From The Best Scholar Ever.” The phone also contained photos of Musleh raising one finger in the ISIS salute.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v.Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 22-25, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf. A YouTube account—believed to be operated by Musleh and active as of June 2016—contains al-Awlaki’s videos.Akram Musleh YouTube account, accessed June 23, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/user/akram165/about.

Image allegedly posted to Musleh’s social media profile on May 15, 2016.

Between spring 2015 and June 2016, Musleh purchased several plane tickets to Middle Eastern and African countries—including Iraq—in order to join ISIS. Musleh allegedly attempted to fly to Istanbul in June 2015, telling customs officials that he was visiting family. He later allegedly changed his story, claiming that he was getting married and would meet his fiancée and family at the airport. Customs officials barred Musleh from flying due to his passport’s impending expiration date. The FBI later discovered that Musleh had no family in Turkey and his so-called “fiancée” was likely a Swedish-based ISIS sympathizer.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v.Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 7-8, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf. In April 2015, police in Brownsburg, Indiana, responded to a call claiming that a group of people in a park were promoting ISIS to teenagers. The FBI later determined Musleh was part of that group.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v.Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 6, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf.

FBI agents arrested Musleh in Indianapolis on June 23, 2016, as he was boarding a New York City-bound Greyhound bus to reach John F. Kennedy International Airport.U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, “United States of America v.Akram I. Musleh Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016, 27-28, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Musleh%20Complaint.pdf. Musleh allegedly intended to fly to Morocco and then continue on to ISIS-held territory in Libya.“Indiana Man Arrested on Terrorism Charge,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 21, 2016 https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/indiana-man-arrested-terrorism-charge.

The FBI charged Musleh with providing material support to a terrorist organization. On August 15, 2016, he was formally indicted on the charge of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Musleh faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by supervised release, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted.“Indiana teen indicted on terrorism charge, accused of attempting to join ISIS,” Fox59 WEB, September 14, 2016, http://fox59.com/2016/09/14/indiana-teen-indicted-on-terrorism-charge-accused-of-attempting-to-join-isis/;
Jacob Burbrink, “Southern Indiana man indicted on terrorism charge,” ABC 21 Alive, September 14, 2016, http://www.21alive.com/nbc33/Southern-Indiana-man-indicted-on-terrorism-charge-393463301.html.

On May 23, 2018, Musleh pleaded guilty in federal court to “attempting to provide material support or resources” to ISIS.“United States of America v. Akram I. Musleh: Petition to Enter Plea of Guilty and Plea Agreement,” United States District Court – Southern District of Indiana Indianapolis Division, May 14, 2018, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/MuslehPleaAgreement.pdf; Mark Alesia, “Brownsburg Man, 20, Pleads Guilty to Trying to Join Terrorist Group ISIS,” Indianapolis Star, May 23, 2018,  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/05/23/brownsburg-man-pleads-guilty-trying-join-isis-terrorist-group/638665002/. On June 21, 2019, he was sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison, followed by 11 years and eight months of post-release supervision.“Brownsburg Man Sentenced in Terrorism Case: Man Convicted of Attempting to Travel to Join ISIS,” U.S. Attorney’s Office – Southern District of Indiana, June 24, 2019, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/brownsburg-man-sentenced-terrorism-case; “Indiana Man Gets More Than 8 years in Prison in Terror Case,” Associated Press, June 21, 2019, https://apnews.com/article/a2082ddd4003496aad3efb79be598ba0. He is currently incarcerated at Gilmore Federal Correctional Institute in West Virginia, with a scheduled release date of August 11, 2023.“AKRAM I MUSLEH,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 9, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.