Three young men, including a former U.S. Navy sailor, are facing federal terrorism charges after authorities say they conspired to provide support to the Islamic State and openly discussed attacks against American military personnel.
The arrests, announced by the Justice Department, stem from a year-long investigation that prosecutors say uncovered a disturbing online network of ISIS supporters who allegedly raised money, pledged loyalty to the terrorist organization, and celebrated the prospect of Americans being killed overseas.
Federal prosecutors charged Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California, with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Kansas, the three men collectively sent more than $2,000 to an individual they believed was affiliated with the terrorist group. Authorities say the money was intended to support ISIS operations and help acquire weapons used in attacks against U.S. forces.
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said following the arrests. “Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks—anywhere.”
Investigators say the conspiracy unfolded between February 2025 and June 2026 through Discord servers, voice chats, encrypted communications, and other online platforms.
The FBI initially became aware of the group after identifying social media activity allegedly promoting ISIS propaganda and extremist ideology.
Court documents paint a deeply troubling picture of the conversations that followed.
According to prosecutors, Shamsaldeen allegedly contributed money toward drones that he believed would be used to kill American service members overseas. Ghafoor allegedly expressed enthusiasm about those efforts and said it would be “sick” if his name were written directly on a drone used in an attack.
Authorities also allege that Ghafoor made repeated statements expressing hatred toward Americans and violent fantasies involving military personnel.
In one exchange cited in the complaint, prosecutors say Ghafoor claimed he had always wanted to kill a female soldier by beheading. In another, he allegedly stated, “I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans.”
Shamsaldeen allegedly made similar comments. According to investigators, he expressed a desire to stab an American service member and claimed his mother had encouraged her children to grow up and kill Americans.
The complaint further alleges that Shamsaldeen described playing violent video games while imagining he was participating in actual terrorist operations.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the case involves Dzayee, who previously served in the U.S. Navy.
Navy records provided to Fox News Digital indicate Dzayee served from 2021 through 2024 and was deployed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain.
Federal prosecutors allege that despite his military service, Dzayee later became involved in efforts to support ISIS and discussed targeting elite American military units, including Green Berets and Special Forces personnel.
Investigators say Dzayee also suggested disguising financial transfers as charitable donations in order to avoid detection.
According to the complaint, members of the group attempted to move money through cryptocurrency channels, including the use of a crypto ATM. Some of those efforts were unsuccessful, but prosecutors say the suspects remained committed to supporting what they believed were ISIS operations.
Authorities emphasized that the person receiving the funds was believed by the suspects to be affiliated with ISIS. The complaint does not indicate that any attacks were ultimately carried out.
The arrests represent the latest example of federal counterterrorism efforts targeting online radicalization and digital fundraising networks. While ISIS has lost much of the territory it once controlled in the Middle East, intelligence and law enforcement agencies continue monitoring individuals accused of supporting the organization from abroad.
If convicted, the defendants could face significant federal prison sentences for providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
