Broward County Resident Charged with Distributing Information Pertaining to Explosives Online

A Broward County resident was arrested and charged with distributing information pertaining to explosives over the internet.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office made the announcement.

Tayyab Tahir Ismail, 33, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, was charged by criminal complaint with distributing information pertaining to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 842(p)(2) (Case No. 18-mj-06588).  He had his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer this morning.  A detention hearing is scheduled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Seltzer, in Fort Lauderdale, on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

According to allegations contained within the criminal complaint, on or about July 15, 2018, through on or about September 17, 2018, Ismail posted and distributed online documents including, but not limited to, documents containing step-by-step instructions on how to construct a bomb and other explosives, with the intent that the information be used for and in furtherance of an activity that constitutes a Federal crime of violence.

If convicted, Ismail faces a maximum statutory sentence of twenty years in prison on each count of unlawfully distributing information.  In addition, Ismail faces up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine on each count of conviction.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and South Florida’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in this matter.  The case is being jointly prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen E. Gilbert of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Troy Edwards of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.