Iraqi Refugee Pleads Guilty To Helping ISIS

Brittany M. Hughes | October 18, 2016
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An Iraqi refugee living in Houston just pled guilty to trying to join ISIS to fight against America.

Justice Department officials said 24-year-old Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan had been in contact with someone involved in the al-Nusrah front, al-Qa'ida-affiliated group assisting ISIS, and had planned on traveling to Syria to fight as an Islamic militant. The young man had been living in the United States since being admitted as a refugee in 2009.

Al Hardan, a refugee born in Iraq, pleaded guilty today to one count of attempting to provide material support – specifically himself – to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Al Hardan entered the U.S. as a refugee on or about Nov. 2, 2009. Prior to entering the country, Al Hardan was in at least two refugee camps in Jordan and Iraq. After being admitted into the U.S. as an Iraqi refugee, he was granted legal permanent residence status on or about Aug. 22, 2011, and had resided in Houston.

Al Hardan apparently told an al-Nusrah-associated individual that he wanted to get more experience “building remote transmitter/receiver detonators for improvised explosive devices, wanted to learn to use cell phones as the remote detonators and wanted to build remote detonators for ISIL,” the DOJ said.

Unforunately for him, Al Hardan also told his plans to an undercover federal informant.

On Nov. 5, 2014, Al Hardan took an oath of loyalty to ISIL, according to the plea agreement. Two days later, Al Hardan and the [Confidential Human Source] participated in approximately one hour of tactical weapons training with an AK-47 that Al Hardan indicated he wanted.  

The Iraqi man also reportedly posted multiple statements on social media in support of ISIS, including the statement: “ISIS yesterday in Iraq, today in Syria and Allah willing, tomorrow in Jerusalem.”

Al Hardan also reportedly vowed to fight against the very country that took him in as a refugee, saying, “I want to blow myself up. I want to travel with the Mujahidin. I want to travel to be with those who are against America. I am against America."

When authorities arrested him at his home back in January, they also found training videos on “how to build remote detonators, electronic circuitry components, tools used to build circuitry, multiple cell phones (that had not been activated), a prayer list for committing Jihad and becoming a martyr and the ISIL flag.”

Iraq was among the top five countries of origin for refugees admitted into the United States in FY2016, according to the State Department. As of Aug. 31, the administration reported the United States had admitted 8,313 refugees from Iraq so far in FY2016, roughly 11 percent of the more than 72,000 refugees allowed into the country during that time frame.

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