California Man Accused of Aiding ISIS and Plotting Violence Against Jews
- Mahamunimodi Team
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Ammaad Akhtar, who presents himself on LinkedIn as a cheerful and sociable mechanical engineering graduate from Stockton, California, is described as a "great leader" and "team player." According to the same profile, he graduated from the University of the Pacific in 2023 and is currently listed as a hazardous substances engineer for the California Environmental Protection Agency.
However, starkly contrasting this public persona is the disturbing profile outlined in a federal criminal complaint, which accuses Akhtar of attempting to provide financial support, firearms, and ammunition to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), while also expressing violent antisemitic intent. The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that Akhtar, 33, allegedly handed over the materials to an undercover law enforcement officer whom he believed to be an ISIS operative.
Prosecutors allege that Akhtar communicated extensively with the undercover agent through social media apps, where he made numerous extremist and threatening statements. According to court documents, he expressed a desire to commit acts of violence against Jews and Christians, referring to them in dehumanizing terms. In one chilling message, he allegedly wrote: “Soon akhi [my brother], the day will come when the head of every evil, dirty Jew and their slaves, the cross worshippers, will have their heads plucked like a chicken.”
Akhtar also purportedly disclosed that he regularly carried both a knife and a firearm, telling the agent on April 10 that he was always armed. A week earlier, he allegedly described surveilling a Jewish man in his city—believed to be a former Israeli soldier—and expressed intentions of following him to discover where he lived. “Insha’Allah, I will handle this kafir, akhi,” he is reported to have said, using religious language to suggest he planned to take violent action.
He allegedly continued this rhetoric over time, expressing frustration and seeking advice on how to execute an attack. In one exchange, Akhtar is said to have written: “Akhi, when you get some time, tell me what I can do once I find out where this Israeli soldier lives.” He went on to speculate that committing a random act of violence could pass as a routine local crime, though he feared potential repercussions due to the victim’s Jewish identity: “You know these Jews have connections and they will investigate.”
On multiple occasions, Akhtar allegedly reiterated his surveillance of the Jewish man, stating he frequently passed by a local synagogue on Saturdays, looking for the red truck the man drove. “Insha’Allah, my next step is to follow him to see where he live next time I see him, akhi,” he is quoted as saying.
His messages further revealed an ambition to recruit others and plan more coordinated violence. “But make Dua, akhi, that Allah helps me get a plan and some strong brothers to humiliate the dirty kuffar here in California,” he allegedly wrote. He also sought assistance in creating explosive devices, saying, “I can dress like them and wear their clothes and talk like them. But I need some help in how to make a boom,” followed by an explosion emoji.
According to the Justice Department, Akhtar ultimately expressed a desire to become a martyr for his cause, allegedly telling the agent he wished to “die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar.”
The culmination of this investigation occurred on June 23, when Akhtar allegedly met with the undercover officer and delivered a package containing clothing, binoculars, $400 in cash, two loaded firearms, and six additional ammunition magazines.
If convicted, Akhtar faces up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000.
댓글