Beavercreek man attempted to join ISIS-K; facing decades of prison time

BEAVERCREEK — A Beavercreek man prosecutors said was arrested at a Columbus airport while trying to travel to Afghanistan to join ISIS-K pleaded guilty ahead of his trial that was scheduled for Monday.

Naser Almadaoji, 22, an Iraqi-born United States citizen, pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations.

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“This is now the second person from the Dayton area held accountable in recent times for trying to join ISIS,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel. “Whatever grievances might exist with our government, our country, or our way of life, violence is not the answer. Providing material support in whatever form – personnel, services, funding, or otherwise – to designated foreign terrorist groups simply begets more terror, and every effort will be made to hold accountable those who provide such support.”

Prosecutors said Almadaoji bought a plane ticket to travel on Oct. 24, 2018 and was arrested after he checked in at John Glenn International Airport once he got his boarding pass.

“The defendant intended to travel to Astana, Kazahkstan, where he planned to be smuggled into Afghanistan so that he could join and receive military training from ISIS-K in support of both that terrorist group and ISIS,” prosecutors said in a statement. “Almadaoji explained to an individual whom he believed to be an ISIS supporter that he wanted “weapons experts training, planning and executing, hit and run, capturing high value targets, ways to break into homes and avoid security guards. That type of training.”

Almadaoji began making travel plans in September 2018, prosecutors said.

Prior to making travel plans to join ISIS-K in October, Almadaoji previously traveled to Egypt and Jordan in February 2018 for the purpose of joining the ISIS affiliate in the Sinai Peninsula.

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“Almadaoji told an individual posing as an ISIS supporter online about his proposed plot to start a conflict in the United States between the federal government and anti-government militias,” prosecutors said.

Almadaoji asked for a guide on how to make a car bomb, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Almadaoji also told the purported ISIS supporter that he was “always willing” to assist with “projects” in the United States,” prosecutors said. “Almadaoji recorded and sent a video of himself wearing a headscarf and pledging allegiance to the leader of ISIS.”

He could face up to 20 years in prison for the crime.

“This case is another example of how the agents and officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force continue to work each day to protect the community and disrupt those intent on aiding and supporting terrorist groups,” said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “The task force brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to expertly investigate developing threats and those who may be focused on violence.”

Sentencing in the case is set for Jan. 31 in U.S. District Court in Dayton.

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