Rochester Man Indicted on Charges of Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS, Attempting to Kill U.S. Soldiers and Possession of Firearms and Silencers

Attorney General Eric Holder, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin and U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. for the Western District of New York announced today that a federal grand jury in Rochester has returned a seven-count indictment charging Mufid A. Elfgeeh, 30, of Rochester,   with three counts of attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), aka the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.  In addition, Elfgeeh is also charged with one count of attempted murder of current and former members of the United States military, one count of possessing firearms equipped with silencers in furtherance of a crime of violence, and two counts of receipt and possession of unregistered firearm silencers.

 

“We will remain aggressive in identifying and disrupting those who seek to provide support to ISIL and other terrorist groups that are bent on inflicting harm upon Americans,” said Attorney General Holder.  “As this case shows, our agents and prosecutors are using all the investigative tools at our disposal to break up these plots before individuals can put their plans into action.  We are focused on breaking up these activities on the front end, before supporters of ISIL can make good on plans to travel to the region or recruit sympathizers to this cause.”

 

“Disrupting and holding accountable those who seek to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations is and shall remain a critical national security priority,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin.   “I want to thank the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for the arrest and charges in this case.”

 

“With today's indictment of Mufid Elfgeehr, the government demonstrates that it will use all available tools to disrupt and defeat ISIS,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul.  “The case also demonstrates that by working with the community, law enforcement is able to identify those who would harm our country or our returning soldiers.”

 

The material support charges each carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, the attempted murder charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the firearms possession charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and a maximum of life in prison, and the firearm silencer charges each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

 

According to court records, Elfgeeh attempted to provide material support to ISIS in the form of personnel, namely three individuals, two of whom were cooperating with the FBI.   Elfgeeh attempted to assist all three individuals in traveling to Syria to join and fight on behalf of ISIS.   Elfgeeh also plotted to shoot and kill members of the United States military who had returned from Iraq.  As part of the plan to kill soldiers, Elfgeeh purchased two handguns equipped with firearm silencers and ammunition from a confidential source.  The handguns were made inoperable by the FBI before the confidential source gave them to Elfgeeh.

 

According to court documents, in 2013 and into early 2014, Elfgeeh encouraged the two confidential sources (CS-1 and CS-2) to travel overseas to engage in violent jihad.  After CS-1 and CS-2 agreed to travel to Syria to join ISIS, Elfgeeh took several steps to prepare them for the trip.   Elfgeeh also sent $600 to an individual in Yemen for the purpose of assisting that individual in traveling from Yemen to Syria for the purpose of joining and fighting on behalf of ISIS.

 

Court documents also indicate that Elfgeeh first discussed the idea of shooting United States military members in December 2013 when he told CS-2 that he was thinking about getting a gun and ammunition, putting on a bulletproof vest, and “just go[ing] around and start shooting.”  In February 2014, Elfgeeh told CS-2 that he needed a handgun and silencer.   Elfgeeh later gave CS-2 $1,050 in cash to purchase two handguns equipped with silencers and ammunition.  On May 31, 2014, CS-2 delivered the two handguns equipped with silencers and ammunition to Elfgeeh.  After Elfgeeh took possession of the items, he was arrested by members of the Rochester Joint Terrorism Task Force.   Elfgeeh is currently being held in custody.   

 

The indictment is the result of an investigation on the part of the Rochester Joint Terrorism Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

 

The defendant is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brett A. Harvey and Frank H. Sherman, with the assistance of Trial Attorney Steven P. Ward of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

 

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.