Saturday, March 31, 2018

Maryland Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Providing Material Support to ISIS and Terrorism Financing


Mohamed Elshinawy, 32, of Edgewood, Maryland, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization; providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS; terrorism financing; and making false statements in connection with a terrorism matter.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Schenning of the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson of the FBI’s Baltimore Office announced the sentence issued by U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander.

According to the plea agreement, Elshinawy conspired with others to knowingly provide material support and resources to ISIS, knowing that ISIS was a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.  From February 2015 through about Dec. 11, 2015, in Maryland and elsewhere, Elshinawy conspired with others to provide material support and resources, including personnel, services (including means and methods of communication), and financial services, to ISIS.  Elshinawy and his co-conspirators utilized various methods of secret communication in order to conceal their criminal association and activities from law enforcement.

As a part of the conspiracy, Elshinawy expressed his support for an Islamic caliphate and his belief in the legitimacy of ISIS. In addition, he expressed his hope that ISIS would be victorious and its enemies defeated, and discussed his readiness to travel to live in the Islamic State.  In various other conversations, Elshinawy pledged his allegiance to ISIS, described himself as its soldier, committed to making violent jihad, and asked that others convey his message of loyalty to ISIS leadership.

Elshinawy also received payments from a foreign company totaling $8,700 to be used to fund a terrorist attack in the U.S.

In interviews with FBI agents in July 2015, in an effort to conceal and minimize his criminal involvement with ISIS, Elshinawy provided false information regarding the total amount of money he had received from ISIS operatives and claimed his intent was to defraud ISIS of funds.  Throughout his interviews, Elshinawy mischaracterized the true nature and extent of his association with ISIS operatives and the support he had provided to ISIS.

Assistant Attorney General Demers and Acting U.S. Attorney Schenning commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Manuelian and Kenneth Clark, who prosecuted the case, and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section for its assistance with the prosecution.

DOD Identifies Army Casualty


The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Master Sgt. Johnathan J. Dunbar, 36, of Austin, Texas, died March 30 in Manbij, Syria as a result of injuries when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his patrol. The incident is under investigation.

Dunbar was assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Ft Bragg, North Carolina.

For more information regarding Dunbar, media may contact Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt, U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office at matthew.bockholt@socom.mil or 910-432-3383.

Friday, March 30, 2018

Strikes Continue Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq


SOUTHWEST ASIA, March 30, 2018 — Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve and its partners continued to strike Islamic State of Iraq and Syria targets in designated parts of Syria and Iraq between March 23-29, conducting 11 strikes consisting of 12 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Strikes in Syria

Yesterday in Syria, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strike destroyed an ISIS building.

On March 28, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strike destroyed an ISIS tactical unit.

On March 27, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

On March 26, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

There were no reported strikes in Syria on March 25.

On March 24, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

On March 23, coalition military forces conducted two strikes consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Abu Kamal. The strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed a fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

There were no reported strikes in Iraq March 28-29.

On March 27, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of two engagements against ISIS targets near Ramadi. The strike destroyed an ISIS tunnel system.

On March 26, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Qayyarah. The strike destroyed three ISIS tunnels.

On March 25, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Qayyarah. The strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS watercraft.

There were no reported strikes in Iraq on March 24.

On March 23, coalition military forces conducted a strike consisting of one engagement against ISIS targets near Rutbah. The strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and ground-based tactical artillery, officials noted.

A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.
The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.