A Tajikistan national in the U.S. illegally was arrested Wednesday on charges he conspired to support the Islamic State group and its affiliate in central Asia, known as ISIS-K, by providing tens of thousands of dollars to the terrorist organization's followers in Turkey and Syria.
According to the criminal complaint, Mansuri Manuchekhri, 33, was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS and ISIS-K, unlawful possession of a firearm, and immigration fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Levy of the Eastern District of New York ordered the defendant detained without bail, the Department of Justice said in a news release.
"As alleged, the defendant, who was in the United States illegally, not only facilitated tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to ISIS extremists overseas but trained with assault rifles at shooting ranges in the United States and declared his readiness to ISIS," John Durham, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in the news release. “Protecting the homeland and prosecuting evildoers who assist terrorist organizations by funding their violent and hateful agenda, here and abroad, will always be a priority of this Office."
The criminal complaint said Manuchekhri traveled to the U.S. from Tajikistan in June 2016 on a nonimmigrant tourist visa and remained in the country after his visa expired in December 2016. In March 2017, Manuchekhri allegedly paid a U.S. citizen to enter into a sham marriage with him so that he could obtain his legal status, but "he failed to provide certain supporting documentation that was requested by the government and his petition was never granted."
The DOJ said from December 2021 through April 2023, while residing in Brooklyn, Manuchekhri "facilitated approximately $70,000 in payments to ISIS-affiliated individuals in Turkey and Syria, including to an individual who was later arrested by Turkish authorities for his alleged involvement in a January 2024 terrorist attack on a church in Istanbul for which ISIS-K publicly claimed responsibility."
The DOJ said Manuchekhri expressed his support for the Islamic State group to others by praising previous attacks by the group in the U.S. and "by collecting jihadi propaganda videos promoting violence and martyrdom." The criminal complaint said someone notified the New York terrorism tips hotline concerned that Manuchekhri could "commit acts of violence."
The complaint further alleged that Manuchekhri possessed and used firearms and made frequent visits to shooting ranges, even though he was prohibited from doing so because he was illegally living in the U.S. In February 2022, the complaint alleged, Manuchekhri recorded himself firing an assault rifle at a shooting range in New Jersey and sent the video to an ISIS-affiliated individual in Turkey with the message, "Thank God, I am ready, brother."
"The Justice Department will relentlessly pursue those who fund and support terrorists," Sue Bai, head of the DOJ's National Security Division, said in the news release. "We will not allow our immigration or financial systems to be exploited. Our country will not be a safe haven for those who try to harm Americans.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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