Al-Fassel | 2025-11-07

On October 24, Abdullah At Taqi, a resident of Queens, was found guilty on all counts.

His co-defendant, Mohamad David Hashimi, had pleaded guilty earlier in the month.

Their actions, which included laundering money and transferring funds through Bitcoin, PayPal and GoFundMe, highlight how terrorist exploit modern financial tools to fuel their operations.

The convictions underscore the critical role of counterterrorism in uncovering and dismantling such networks.

By leveraging confessions and intelligence, authorities are not only bringing perpetrators to justice but also gaining insights into the inner workings of terrorist organizations.

Confessions expose the financial pipeline to ISIS

The investigation revealed that At Taqi and Hashimi worked with other conspirators to funnel thousands of dollars to ISIS under the guise of charitable donations.

At Taqi sent 15 Bitcoin transactions to Osama Obeida, a self-proclaimed ISIS member, and communicated with him via encrypted platforms.

He vouched for a confidential source to Obeida, confirming their shared support for ISIS.

Hashimi participated in an encrypted group chat for ISIS supporters, where members discussed raising funds for the "mujahideen" under false pretenses.

He warned others to avoid detection by law enforcement.

Together with co-conspirators Seema Rahman and Khalilullah Yousuf, the defendants transferred over $24,000 to Obeida’s Bitcoin address and more than $1,000 to his PayPal account.

Rahman also raised $10,000 through GoFundMe campaigns, which were wired to individuals linked to Obeida.

These confessions provided a detailed view of how ISIS supporters use digital platforms to mask their activities.

Such admissions are invaluable to counterterrorism efforts, enabling authorities to trace financial transactions and identify other members of the network.

"Our office and our law enforcement partners are working tirelessly to disrupt that pipeline," said US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella.

He continued, "We are committed to prosecuting those who provide material support to terrorist organizations."

Counterterrorism collaboration

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) New York Field Office spearheaded the investigation, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section.

Their meticulous work not only led to the convictions of At Taqi and Hashimi but also uncovered links to other conspirators.

Rahman has already pleaded guilty, while Yousuf was arrested and prosecuted in Canada.

By analyzing the defendants’ communications and financial transactions, authorities gained actionable intelligence that could lead to further arrests.

For example, Obeida’s messages to At Taqi included instructions that revealed operational security measures employed by ISIS supporters.

The case demonstrates how counterterrorism agencies are using advanced tools to track encrypted communications and cryptocurrency transactions.

These efforts are crucial in disrupting the financial pipelines that sustain terrorist organizations.

At sentencing, each defendant faces up to 60 years in prison.

Their convictions send a strong message: those who finance terrorism will be caught and held accountable.