Two Somali Citizens in Tucson Admit to Plotting Support for ISIS, Await Sentencing
Two Somali citizens residing in Tucson have admitted their involvement in a conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State group (ISIS). Ahmed Mahad Mohamed, 26, and Abdi Yemeni Hussein, 25, were apprehended on July 26, 2019, as they prepared to depart for Egypt with the intention of joining ISIS in the volatile Sinai Peninsula. Their sentencing is slated for October 11, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
The duo’s disturbing journey began in August 2018, when Mohamed sought out ISIS sympathizers online, revealing his aspiration to join the terrorist organization and achieve martyrdom. Hussein, it emerged, shared Mohamed’s extremist ambitions. By 2019, their plans had solidified, culminating in a face-to-face meeting to finalize their grim objectives. Hussein even suggested that if their plan to join ISIS faltered, they should consider attacking the White House.
By June 2019, they had liquidated their assets, selling their cars and purchasing plane tickets from Tucson to Cairo. On July 26, they arrived at Tucson International Airport, passed through security, and reached their departure gate. Mohamed was carrying a substantial sum of $10,000 intended for travel expenses and the procurement of firearms. Their plan was to infiltrate ISIS-controlled territories in Egypt. However, their plot was foiled by vigilant FBI agents who arrested them before they could board their flight.
Both Mohamed and Hussein now face severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Following the completion of their sentences, they will be deported to Somalia.
The case has drawn significant attention, particularly in the context of former President Donald Trump’s emphasis on stringent measures against such threats. Trump highlighted the necessity for vigilance and cited his controversial 2017 travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia, as a crucial preventive measure.
Meanwhile, Somalia’s National Security Advisor, Hussein Moalim Mohamud, has sought to downplay the threat posed by ISIS within Somalia, asserting that al-Shabab remains a far more significant menace. According to Mohamud, ISIS fighters in Somalia are relatively few and confined to a small area in the Puntland region.
The leader of ISIS in Somalia, Abdiqadir Mu’min, has a notorious history of radical activities dating back to his time in the U.K. before joining al-Shabab in 2010 and later defecting to ISIS in 2015. Despite his aggressive recruitment efforts, Mu’min’s faction remains small, with estimates ranging from 100 to 200 fighters, mostly foreigners. Mu’min has been a target of numerous U.S. counterterrorism operations, including a recent airstrike in May 2024, which he reportedly survived.
Despite its limited size, Mu’min’s faction continues to pose a threat, earning him the designation of a “specially designated global terrorist” by the U.S. Department of State. The rivalry between ISIS and al-Shabab further exacerbates regional instability, particularly in Somalia’s Bari region, where ISIS exerts influence through extortion and violence.
The arrest and guilty pleas of Mohamed and Hussein highlight the persistent threat posed by extremist ideologies and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to thwart such dangerous plots. As the sentencing date approaches, the case serves as a stark reminder of the vigilance required to combat terrorism and protect national security.
