Overview

Dayne Atani Christian is an American citizen who was arrested on July 21, 2016, along with Gregory Hubbard and Darren Arness Jackson, for conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Christian was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Christian provided firearms and training to Hubbard and a confidential FBI source who told him that they intended to travel to Syria to join ISIS. He also expressed praise for ISIS and ISIS-related acts of terrorism, as well as a desire to commit his own violent acts of terrorism and to travel to Syria and join ISIS himself.“Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 4, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-florida-men-plead-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil;
“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. In May 2018, he was sentenced to eight years in prison.“Three Florida Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, May 16, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-florida-men-sentenced-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis.

Christian, from Lake Park, Florida, was a former student athlete at Palm Beach Lakes High School.“Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 4, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-florida-men-plead-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil;
John Pacenti, “ISIS in Florida: Former FBI agent on why arrests didn’t come sooner,” Palm Beach Post, July 24, 2017, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime--law/isis-florida-former-fbi-agent-why-arrests-didn-come-sooner/Pezdh6eBg1C3B1zVDMKVuI/. Little else is known about his personal life, but he was already a convicted felon before his 2016 charges, having been convicted in May 2010 for making a false statement to a firearms dealer in connection with the acquisition of firearms. Christian was subsequently sentenced to a year in prison.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. Before his arrest in 2016, he worked as a supervisor at a local company.Paula McMahon, “Guilty pleas expected for two Palm Beach County men arrested in terror sting,” Sun Sentinel, March 14, 2017, http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-reg-palm-beach-terror-sting-update-20170314-story.html. He was also reportedly married, and at one point referred to his wife in conversation.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 14, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

In 2015, Hubbard was contacted by a confidential FBI informant pretending to be an ISIS follower.Paula McMahon, “Second man pleads guilty in Palm Beach terrorism sting,” Sun Sentinel, April 4, 2017, http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-pn-terrorism-sting-plea-palm-beach-20170403-story.html;
“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. The FBI informant would record more than 200 hours of conversation among Christian, Jackson, and Hubbard over the course of the next year.Jane Musgrave, “Second PBC man pleads guilty in plot to help ISIS,” Palm Beach Post, April 4, 2017, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime--law/second-pbc-man-pleads-guilty-plot-help-isis/8o3UPtnn7sX8YgYv0trNCP/. The men reportedly used code words to communicate, including the phrase “soccer team” in reference to ISIS, and “playing soccer” in reference to violent activity.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. On July 30, 2015, Hubbard informed the FBI informant that Christian––known among the group as “Shakur”––had ISIS-affiliated contacts in Syria. On August 15, Hubbard introduced the FBI source to Christian in person. At that time, Christian stated that he wanted to travel to Syria, join ISIS, and wage violent jihad.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 5, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

Christian was known to watch and propagate radical content online, including ISIS videos and lectures by the radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. He reportedly sought to radicalize another individual by having him watch Awlaki lectures.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 6, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. According to the criminal complaint filed against him, in reply to a text message from Hubbard containing a link to an Awlaki video encouraging violent jihad, Christian stated that “any Muslim of sanity would follow Awlaki’s guidance.”“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 18, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. On other occasions, Christian played recorded lectures on his phone that advocated jihad and a sermon that praised Osama bin Laden.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 8, 16, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. Christian sent a text message on an unspecified social media platform linking to an audio file released on May 21, 2016, by the late ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, threatening the West and calling on ISIS supporters to target civilians.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 12, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. He also discussed violent ISIS videos with Hubbard and the FBI source, expressing “favorable views” of at least one of the videos, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 13, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

Christian made comments praising violent terrorist attacks and professed a desire to commit similar attacks of his own. Christian expressed a desire to attack U.S. military personnel, commenting that he wanted to target one man in particular from his gym that wore a U.S. Marines t-shirt and shoot him outside of his home.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 8-9, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. In response to a question from his boss about the December 2015 San Bernardino mass shooting, he reportedly showed his boss a video about how Muslims have a right to defend themselves.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 8, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. Christian also praised the 2009 shooting in Fort Hood, Texas, encouraging Hubbard to “follow suit” with a similar attack and commenting that there were some people he was thinking about “taking out” himself, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 10, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. He praised the Orlando nightclub attack and spoke approvingly of the July 2016 Bastille Day attack in Nice, France.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 16, 20, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. On another occasion, Christian quoted a statement from ISIS’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi encouraging ISIS supporters to carry out attacks in their home countries.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 15, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. Christian expressed a desire to travel to Syria himself, stating on June 26, 2016, that he was getting his affairs in order so that he could travel to Syria with his family sometime in the future.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 18, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

Christian provided firearms and firearms instruction to Hubbard and the FBI informant in awareness of their plans to travel to Syria and fight for ISIS there. During one meeting with them, Christian discussed the types of firearms he owned, acknowledging that he would have to make sure not to get caught during target practice, as he would go to jail for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 9-10, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. He specifically spoke to the FBI source about places from which he could buy guns and ammunition that did not check IDs.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 10-11, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. Christian later gave pistols to the Hubbard and the FBI informant to use at target practice, again acknowledging that he was not supposed to have a gun, and sold a rifle to the FBI undercover in full knowledge that the he intended to travel to Syria to join ISIS and use a similar weapon there.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 13-15, 17-18, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. On July 16, 2016, four days after the FBI undercover detailed to Christian his plans for traveling to Syria with Hubbard, Christian attended target practice with the FBI undercover and Jackson at a South Florida wildlife management area. While there, Christian gave the FBI source “detailed firearms instruction” and referred to the practice as a “training session,” according to the criminal complaint filed against him.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 18-20, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

On July 21, 2016, Jackson drove Hubbard and the FBI undercover to the airport to depart for Syria to join ISIS. After Hubbard and Jackson were arrested, Christian was arrested later that day at his place of work.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 21, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf. In a statement made after his arrest, Christian admitted that he possessed four firearms in the previous year.“United States of America v. Gregory Hubbard, Dayne Antani Christian, and Darren Arness Jackson,” George Washington University’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security, July 22, 2016, 22, https://cchs.gwu.edu/sites/cchs.gwu.edu/files/downloads/Hubbard%20Complaint.pdf.

On July 26, 2016, Christian was indicted with a charge of conspiracy to provide personnel to ISIS, as he had provided firearms and firearms training to the FBI undercover and Hubbard, who intended to travel to Syria, and expressed a desire to join ISIS himself. He was also indicted on four counts related to his firearm possession.“Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 4, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-florida-men-plead-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil. On March 29, 2017, Christian pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and to another count for being a felon in possession of a firearm.“Two Florida Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, April 4, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/two-florida-men-plead-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-isil. He was also required to forfeit three firearms, including an assault rifle.Jane Musgrave, “NEW: Lake Park man pleads guilty to trying to help ISIS,” Palm Beach Post, March 29, 2017, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime--law/new-lake-park-man-pleads-guilty-trying-help-isis/ZSNaFgWr2pw0K8wMdXgsRO/.

On May 16, 2018, Christian was sentenced to eight years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision. His codefendants were sentenced on the same day: Hubbard received twelve years in prison and a lifetime of post-release supervision, while Jackson received four years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.“Three Florida Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, May 16, 2018, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-florida-men-sentenced-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis.

Christian is currently incarcerated at Miami Federal Correctional Institute in Florida, with a scheduled release date of May 29, 2029.“DAYNE ANTANI CHRISTIAN,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed April 2, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.