Damon M. Joseph, 21, of Holland, Ohio, was charged today in
federal court with one count of attempting to provide material support to the
Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist
organization, for allegedly planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo,
Ohio area. Joseph was arrested Friday
evening after he took possession of two semi-automatic rifles.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for
National Security John C. Demers, U.S Attorney Justin E. Herdman for the
Northern District of Ohio and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeff Fortunato of
the FBI’s Cleveland Division.
“Damon Joseph was allegedly inspired by ISIS’ call to
violence and hate. He planned to attack
the victims, based on their religion, at a Toledo-area synagogue in the name of
ISIS, and hoped that it would lead to the deaths of many and spread fear,” said
Assistant Attorney General Demers. “His
alleged actions would be an assault on the liberties and respect for humanity
we hold so dear. We will continue to
make every effort to prevent such attacks from occurring. I commend the agents, analysts, and
prosecutors who identified the threat posed by this defendant and took action
to protect the public from his plans.”
“This man spent months
planning a violent terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS here in the United
States, and eventually targeted a Jewish synagogue in the Toledo area,” said
U.S. Attorney Herdman. “The charges
describe a calculated man fueled by an ideology of hatred and intent on killing
innocent people. The FBI, our police and Justice Department employees are to be
credited for working to stop the defendant before he could act.”
“In a matter of months, Damon Joseph progressed from
radicalized, virtual jihadist to attack planner,” said Acting Special Agent in
Charge Fortunato. “He ultimately decided
to target two Toledo-area synagogues for a mass-casualty attack in the name of
ISIS. Joseph will now be accountable in a court of law for his pursuit of a
violent act of terrorism upon our fellow citizens attending their desired house
of worship.”
According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in
Toledo:
Earlier in 2018, Joseph drew the attention of law
enforcement by posting photographs of weapons and various messages in support
of ISIS on his social media accounts, as well as a photograph originally
distributed by the media wing of ISIS.
This activity led to multiple interactions between Joseph and undercover
FBI agents.
During his communication with undercover agents, Joseph
stated his support for ISIS and produced propaganda in support of ISIS
recruitment. In September, Joseph made
videos that he sent to the undercover agent, hoping they would be used to
recruit people to ISIS. He also
complained that the mosque he attended was critical of ISIS.
Joseph stated his support for violent attacks and
operations. For example, on Oct. 21,
Joseph expressed support for “martyrdom operations” and stated: “what must be
done, must be done” and “there will always be casualties of war.”
On Oct. 30, Joseph and the undercover communicated regarding
the mass shooting at a Jewish synagogue in Pittsburgh. Joseph stated: “I admire
what the guy did with the shooting actually.”
He added: “I can see myself carrying out this type of operation
inshallah. They wouldn’t even [an attack] expect in my area...”
Over the next few weeks, Joseph continued stating he wanted
to participate in an attack on behalf of ISIS.
On Dec. 2 he forwarded a document that laid out his plans for an attack,
using the name “Abdullah Ali Yusuf” for himself. In the document, he described plans to attack
where the greatest number of people are gathered, inflict the most casualties
during the attack and make sure no one escaped.
Joseph then stated that he did not see this necessarily as
“a martyrdom operation” as his plan accounted for an escape and potential
combat with law enforcement.
On Dec. 4, Joseph stated he was deciding between two
synagogues in the area to attack. He
stated the choice would depend on “Which one will have the most people, what
time and what day. Go big or go home.”
The next day, Joseph met with an undercover FBI agent and
discussed conducting a mass shooting at a synagogue. Joseph identified two synagogues he viewed as
targets in the greater Toledo area, and discussed the types of weapons he
believed would be able to inflict mass casualties.
Joseph made written notes about the firearms he wanted and
provided them to the undercover agent, stating he wanted AR 15s, AK 47, Glocks
and ammunition.
On Dec. 6, Joseph met with an undercover in the Toledo area
and stated it would be ideal to attack two synagogues, but that it was probably
more realistic to only attack one.
Joseph also stated specifically that he wanted to kill a rabbi.
Also on Dec. 6, Joseph wrote the name and address of the
synagogue where the attack was to occur.
Joseph stated he had conducted research to determine when the Jewish
sabbath was so that more people would be present. Joseph pulled up photographs of the inside of
the synagogue and said he wanted the attack to begin in the sanctuary. Joseph told the undercover agent that he
would hide two semi-automatic rifles at his house once the undercover purchased
them.
Later that day, the undercover agent told Joseph that he
purchased rifles for the attack. The two
met on Dec. 7 at a predetermined location and Joseph took a black duffel bag
containing two semi-automatic rifles, which had been rendered inoperable by law
enforcement officers so that they posed no danger to the public. Joseph was then arrested.
A charge is merely an allegation, and the defendant is
presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a
court of law.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of
members of the FBI, Homeland Security and Investigations, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Toledo Police Department, is
leading the ongoing investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney
Michelle Baeppler of the Northern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Josh
Champagne and Kyle Phillips of the National Security Division’s
Counterterrorism Section.
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