Syrian Man Sentenced for Terrorism-Related Crimes

Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah, aka Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Ahmad, 41, of Syria, was sentenced today to life plus 30 years in prison. Alahmedalabdaloklah was found guilty by a federal jury on March 16, of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiring to maliciously damage or destroy U.S. Property by weans of an explosive, aiding and abetting other persons to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, and conspiracy to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeLeon of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver.

“Alahmedalabdaloklah sought to harm American soldiers by conspiring with others to construct and supply improvised explosive device (IED) parts for bombs that were used in Iraq.  He will now serve the rest of his life in prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “The National Security Division will continue to bring to justice those who seek to harm American servicemen and women who bravely risk their lives in defense of our nation.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to all American military personnel serving overseas.  Protecting and ensuring justice for them is a priority that cannot be overstated,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange.  “Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah used his specialized engineering expertise to target our service members using IEDs, and his life sentence reflects the gravity of that choice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to prosecuting terrorist offenses, wherever they may occur.”

“Today’s sentencing underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force in pursuing and disrupting anyone who plans to harm U.S. persons or interests,” said Special Agent in Charge DeLeon.  “We want to thank the Department of Justice and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office, along with both local and foreign partners for their essential contributions to this case.  The FBI sends our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims, their families, and friends.  The FBI's highest priority remains preventing terrorist attacks and combating terrorism here in the U.S. and around the world."

Between January 2005 and July 2010, Alahmedalabdaloklah designed, made and supplied components parts for IEDs for members and associates of the 1920 Revolution Brigades, an armed Iraqi insurgent group that opposed the U.S. military presence in Iraq. The component parts were intended to be used in IEDs against U.S. military personnel and property in Iraq.

On Aug. 30, 2006, U.S. military personnel discovered what, at that time, was one of the largest IED caches in Iraq at 50 Omar Street, Baghdad, Iraq (Omar Cache).  The Omar Cache included numerous IED-related materials, including a completed IED triggering device that had three of Alahmedalabdaloklah’s fingerprints on the tape wrapped around the device. The U.S. military also seized raw material, tools, test equipment, schematics, and other items related to IED construction, including components for various types of IEDs and bomb making training aids.  One document, which had numerous latent prints belonging to Alahmedalabdaloklah, described how to employ remote technology to command a mobile phone, wireless device and landline phone to detonate explosives.

Alahmedalabdaloklah subsequently moved to China and continued to support the 1920 Revolution Brigades by providing component parts for IEDs.  In May 2011, Alahmedalabdaloklah was detained in the Republic of Turkey while transiting from China.  He was extradited to the United States in August 2014.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI.  The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pimsner, Melissa Karlen and Bill Solomon for the District of Arizona, and Trial Attorney Joseph Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.