By Al-Fassel | 2025-07-09

With a string of recent arrests in the United States, law enforcement agents have demonstrated they are actively working to uproot the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) and its supporters.

Ammaad Akhtar, 33, arrested June 24, is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, the US Department of Justice said.

In February, Akhtar got in touch with someone online whom he believed was an ISIS member but was in fact an undercover federal agent, according to court documents.

In conversations with the agent, Akhtar expressed his "desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS," the statement said.

Akhtar sent money to the agent on several occasions in April.

The agent told Akhtar ISIS had purchased several guns with the money he sent, after which Akhtar indicated he would send more money, and spoke about planning acts of violence and an attack using homemade explosives.

On June 23, Akhtar met in person with an undercover federal agent posing as an ISIS element. He provided clothing, binoculars, $400 in cash, two loaded guns and six additional magazines, and then swore allegiance to the terrorist group.

If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

String of arrests

Akhtar's arrest -- the sixth of its kind this year in the United States -- highlights US law enforcement efforts to monitor and degrade ISIS leaders and followers.

On June 9, agents arrested Daniel Fox Fischer, 17, who had communicated his desire to join ISIS and taken steps to gain technical knowledge for carrying out an attack.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents found images of him wearing a likely suicide vest and expressing his support for ISIS.

Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, was arrested May 14, after he attempted to carry out a plan to conduct a mass-shooting at a US military base on behalf of ISIS, the Justice Department said.

On February 26, law enforcement officials in New York charged a Tajik national, Mansuri Manuchekhri, for conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.

Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 22, was arrested February 27 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He had previously expressed support for African al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab, the FBI said.

Those arrests followed a deadly January 1 attack in the US city of New Orleans, carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabar, 42, who had declared allegiance to ISIS.

Jabar rammed a vehicle into a crowd, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. He was killed after firing upon law enforcement.