SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — An Oakland man has been indicted for trying to support ISIS, according to the Department of Justice.
A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Amer Sinan Alhaggagi on Thursday with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, United States officials said.
The indictment says the 22-year-old Alhaggagi tried to give services and personnel to the Islamic State of Iraq, Syria, or ISIS between July and Nov. 2016.
“The indictment alleges that the services Alhaggagi attempted to provide included opening social media accounts for the use, benefit, and promotion of ISIS, and that the personnel he provided was himself,” a DOJ press release said.
The indictment also includes three counts of identity theft.
Alhaggagi allegedly used a stolen credit card to make almost $5,000 in fraudulent online purchases from a clothing company, FBI officials said.
In Nov. 2016, Alhaggagi was arrested by the FBI for identity theft, officials said. He was detained after his arrest because a judge said he was a flight risk and a danger to the community.
No arraignment for Alhaggagi has been scheduled.
If convicted, Alhaggagi faces 47 years in prison and $1 million in fines.
Here is a statement from the family’s lawyer:
Amer is not anti-American and does not support ISIS or any other terrorist organization. He is completely nonviolent, and he took no actions to harm anyone. The evidence we have suggests these charges are based on internet chat conversations that he had with a number of unknown people. Amer is a very young and naïve man, and it appears he allowed himself to be drawn into conversations that he should have been far more suspicious of.
Here is a statement from the family:
We were shocked to learn of the accusations involving Amer. Amer is not and has never been radicalized in any way. He grew up in this country and loves it here. He is peaceful and kind. He was very young and immature when he got involved in the online conversations that are the basis for these accusations. He did not think those conversations were serious and he never had any intent to harm anyone. We love him and continue to fully support him.
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