By Samah Abdel Fattah | 2025-04-08

The US government has been making a sustained effort to root out "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) supporters, as evidenced by the recent arrest of a man who sent money to the group and then lied about it.

Gafur Abdudzhamilovich Aliev, 44, who was indicted in a US court March 27, moderated or was a member of encrypted social media channels linked to ISIS, according to the US Attorneys Office.

On August 7, 2020, Aliev admitted he had previously sent money to ISIS for weapons purchases. But on his December 2020 application for US citizenship, he falsely declared he had never been associated with any terrorist organization.

If convicted on all charges, he faces up to 15 years in prison, plus $250,000 fines.

Security experts who spoke to Al-Fassel said the arrest of Aliev and a string of previous law enforcement operations demonstrate the United States is not sparing even low-level ISIS supporters in its efforts to root out the group.

On February 27, Somali-US dual national Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

On February 11, a 29-year-old man pleaded guilty in a US court to attempting to provide material support to ISIS,

US-Albanian dual national Erald Alimehmeti, 31, was arrested and charged November 21 in New York for his alleged involvement in attempting to provide material support to ISIS and distribute instructions on the making of explosives.

US authorities arrested 28-year-old Anas Said in Houston on November 8, charging him with creating propaganda in support of ISIS.

Digital battlefield

The Aliev case demonstrates the ongoing US commitment to tracking terrorism financing networks, Lebanese security expert Jamil Abu Hamdan told Al-Fassel.

"Social media platforms have become fertile ground for terrorist groups to ensnare new recruits and supporters," he said.

While military operations in Iraq and Syria have largely dismantled ISIS's presence and leadership structure, the war on terrorism involves many complex fronts, Saudi military expert Mansour al-Shehri told Al-Fassel.

Military actions alone are not enough to eradicate the group, he said.

"Pursuing sympathizers who promote terrorist ideology is essential, as is tracking loyalists around the world who use social media and encrypted chat rooms to transfer money, even in small amounts," he said.

The ongoing pursuit of ISIS elements and sympathizers, along with promoters of its ideology and financiers, will eventually "dry up the wellsprings of terrorism and ultimately eliminate it," al-Shehri said.

The meticulous work of US security agencies, both within the United States and through cooperation with allied countries, has produced "excellent results and a significant decline in the terrorist threat," he added.