Harafa Hussein Abdi, a U.S. citizen originally from Minnesota, has been charged with various offenses related to his involvement with ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
After moving to Somalia in 2015, Abdi joined an ISIS training camp in the Puntland region, where he received military-type training and actively participated in the group’s media wing.
Abdi’s actions included carrying an AK-47 assault rifle, expressing support for ISIS through social media and audio clips, and threatening violence against New York City in the name of ISIS.
Following a fallout with ISIS leadership in 2017, Abdi was jailed by the group, later escaped, and traveled to East Africa, where he was arrested by law enforcement authorities.
During interviews with the FBI, Abdi admitted to his participation in the ISIS training camp and identified himself in an ISIS propaganda video promoting the organization and urging others to join and fight.
Abdi faces charges including conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, providing material support to ISIS, conspiring to receive military-type training from ISIS, and receiving military-type training from ISIS. These charges carry significant prison sentences, demonstrating the serious legal consequences of affiliating with and supporting designated foreign terrorist organizations.