The feds, as clueless as ever, say they’ve been watching him for years, but they have no idea how many people he may have recruited or even simply led to view the Islamic State favorably.
“FBI Says It Busted ISIS’s Graphic Designer in Houston,” by Todd Feathers, Gizmodo, November 19, 2024:
A Houston man the FBI arrested this month and charged with providing material support to ISIS allegedly created a portfolio of online propaganda for the terrorist group and researched how to build an explosive belt, according to new court filings.
Anas Said was arrested on November 8 after a years-long investigation during which the FBI interviewed him multiple times, executed a search warrant on his home and devices, and received information from Meta that allegedly showed he was behind 11 Facebook accounts that posted pro-ISIS material. According to a motion prosecutors recently filed in the case, which was first reported by Court Watch and 404 Media, the 28-year-old “repeatedly expressed his desire to travel overseas to fight for ISIS” and “has spent time planning and discussing the commission of violent attacks he desires to perpetrate, including in the Houston area.”
Agents had been tracking Said since 2017 after he allegedly placed an order for stickers with pro-ISIS symbols and phrases. They interviewed him at least five times between January 2018 and March 2019, when he claimed he no longer consumed ISIS propaganda and “only used the internet for schoolwork and watching sports,” according to the motion.
But after receiving information from Meta in October 2023 about Said’s alleged Facebook activity, the FBI obtained search warrants and seized his electronic devices, on which investigators allegedly found encrypted messages documenting his propaganda work on behalf of ISIS. Among the messages, the FBI allegedly uncovered communications between Said and a person claiming to be the “number 2” designer for ISIS who provided Said feedback on his propaganda images and videos.
After his arrest, Said allegedly “readily admitted” to the FBI that he created ISIS propaganda and said that he had considered purchasing a gun and killing U.S. military personnel.
In their motion requesting pre-trial detention, prosecutors argued that Said and his family told investigators on multiple occasions that they would return to Lebanon, where they had previously lived if they were allowed. Members of Said’s family, who had previously reported his behavior to authorities, also allegedly told the FBI that they were worried about his pro-ISIS beliefs and violent behavior….
Taffy says
I’m glad that the FBI was on top of things, tracking this Jihadi since 2017. But to their credit, they had more important work to do such as quash the investigation into Hunter’s laptop and the bribes “the big man” received, and manufacture a false connection between Trump and Russia.
Jedothek says
i am worried that we are going down the wrong road, censoring the internet or punishing people who publish stuff we don’t like. These measures violate the spirit of the first amendment . Instead , we might become very vigilant and picky about whom we let into the country. a mere written statement from the CIA that “this guy is dangerous” should be sufficient to exclude him. No rights are thereby violated because no non-citizen has a right to enter the US.
gravenimage says
*Really*, Jedothek? I consider myself a near free speech absolutist–all sors of speech, even of the most offensive kind, should indeed be protected.
But incitement to violence–including murder–is *not* protected speech, nor should it be.
Then, there is no indication that Said is an immigrant–so you would give him a free hand to call for the murder of Infidels. And note that he wanted to murder US military personnel, as well.
Martel 732 AD says
Excellent point, Jedothek. This example is exactly why entry point exclusion is so important. Once you are through the door the Constitution and Bill of Rights apply. Language has to be parsed and legal arguments made.
Avoid the conundrum by not letting in people who cannot, and will not, believe and live by,
our American values,. Exclude entry regardless of their point of origin.
We cannot allow into our midst people with a belief systems that say they are to take up arms against us. Even if they are not currently participating, they, or their children, always have that future option to start participating. And they do.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Graphics designer? But ain’t pictures haram?
gravenimage says
Yep–but pious Muslims seem to make an exception for images of the destruction of Infdels…
LSWCHP says
Anas Said? There is a small typo in the first name. It should be “Anus”.
James Lincoln says
Does anyone else here think that John Guandolo would make an excellent FBI director?