Maryland man accused of trying to support Islamic militants

A Maryland man is facing charges after the Federal Bureau of Investigation says he pledged his support for ISIL, received thousands of dollars from the terrorist group and attempted to support it.

Elshinawy’s arrest comes at a time when more Americans than ever say the United States is not doing enough, and support sending USA ground troops against the terrorist group, according to a new Associated Press-GfK Poll. However, he then allegedly revealed that the $1,000 sum, as well as a $3,000 sum transferred via PayPal, had been sent to him by a man he believed to be an ISIS operative. Elshinawy had assured FBI investigators in July that he was deceiving ISIS, also known as ISIL, into wiring him funds and exposing their plans for an attack, according to the complaint.

Elshinawy made his first federal court appearance Monday afternoon in Baltimore, following his Friday arrest.

This story will be updated.

Elshinawy is charged with trying to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, obstruction of agency proceedings, and misleading investigators by making false statements and falsifying or concealing material facts.

When agents told him he could face imprisonment by giving a false statement, he said a childhood friend of his had been arrested on terrorism-related offenses in Egypt and had fled to Syria once he was released and the two of them started talking through social media and that friend had connected him with a member of ISIS, the criminal complaint states.

“He touted his success at having taken ISIL’s money and felt that his efforts should be rewarded”. Elshinawy also allegedly used multiple email accounts and “pay as you go” phones to communicate with ISIS.

The Justice Department also said Elshinawy pledged allegiance to ISIS. He reportedly told a childhood friend, he was “a soldier of the state but was temporarily away”, according to the complaint.

In May, he told his brother of his desire to die as a martyr and in August he told his brother to take steps to hide their communications about the Islamic State. An individual charged by complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

But the Federal Bureau of Investigation found Elshinawy received almost double what he admitted to. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Manuelian of the District of Maryland, with the assistance of Trial Attorney John Gibbs of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.