The Department of Justice has sentenced a West Chester, Ohio, man for attempting to kill officers and U.S. government employees, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Munir Abdulkader, 22, planned to murder a military base employee at the employee’s home, videotape the murder for use by the Islamic State group as propaganda and then launch an attack on a Cincinnati area police station.
According to his statement at the plea hearing, Abdulkader expressed support for ISIS on social media beginning in July 2014 and began speaking with individuals in March 2015 about traveling to Syria to join ISIS as a fighter.
While communicating about travel logistics with individuals overseas — including now-deceased Syria-based ISIS militant Junaid Hussain and a confidential human source — Abdulkader was directed and encouraged to plan and execute a violent attack within the U.S. He then began conducting surveillance of law enforcement facilities, received targeting packages and started firearms practice.
Arrested on May 21, 2015, by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force after a controlled purchase of an AK-47 assault rifle and pleading guilty on March 24, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett, Abdulkader has been sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release.
