By Anas al-Bar | 2025-07-10

A dual national US-Iraqi citizen convicted by a US court of spreading the violent propaganda of the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) and attempting to recruit fighters will face final sentencing for his crimes in October.

The convictions carry a maximum sentence of 130 years in prison, meaning the perpetrator, Ashraf al-Safoo, 41, could be spending the rest of his life in prison.

US federal agents arrested Mosul-born al-Safoo in October 2018, following a raid on his home in the US city of Chicago.

Federal prosecutors charged him with working with ISIS to spread the group's violent propaganda and recruit members through various social media accounts.

Al-Safoo headed the so-called Khattab Media Foundation, an online propaganda outlet that swore allegiance to ISIS, according to the US Department of Justice.

The foundation operated as a public relations firm staffed with writers, editors, technical consultants and audio-visual producers, promoting ISIS's ideology.

With his associates, al-Safoo hacked into official accounts to make it appear that messages originated from real users, making it difficult for social media platforms to remove them.

He produced images and videos, in coordination with ISIS, that incited acts of terrorism during the Christmas holidays, celebrated attacks and mass shootings, and encouraged "lone wolf" attacks.

As part of a pro-ISIS media campaign, he also wrote several posts calling for the reposting of ISIS statements and propaganda productions and supporting its terrorist activities and inflammatory rhetoric worldwide.

Targeting ISIS media operatives

Al-Safoo moved to the United States in September 2008 and worked for a software company specializing in web development technologies, after training in internet and computer technology in Malaysia, according to the indictment.

The June 27 ruling issued by the US District Court in Chicago includes convictions against al-Safoo on 11 counts, including four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

The United States has been "proactive and effective" in uncovering the sources of ISIS's media support, Iraqi strategy expert Tareq al-Shammari said.

Al-Safoo's arrest is "part of a major security and intelligence mission undertaken by Washington and its international allies to curb the group's activities, its funding networks, and its propaganda promoters," he told Al-Fassel.

"Hunting down ISIS media experts weakens the group's ability to exploit the digital space to promote its ideas and deceive young people into joining it," he said.

"Their influence is no less dangerous than that of terrorist fighters or financiers."

Al-Shammari commended ongoing US efforts to apprehend ISIS leaders, elements and associates and bring them to justice, leaving the group's remnants and cells disjointed, isolated and unable to carry out attacks.