USA v. Elshazly, Ahmad Khalil
West Haven, CT

ISIS

Ahmad Khalil Elshazly of West Haven, Connecticut, was arrested and charged by a federal criminal complaint in December 2022 with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Beginning in approximately September 2018, Elshazly, a U.S. citizen, made numerous statements to others, both in person and through online messaging applications, expressing a desire to travel to Syria and the surrounding area to fight on behalf of ISIS. In February 2019, Elshazly stated that he had saved approximately $1,000 with the intention of using the money to travel to Jordan to transit to Syria to be with ISIS. In October 2019, during a meeting with other individuals, Elshazly made numerous statements supporting ISIS, including, "...they say, War has started and we are marching to it.....but all doors are closed, closed. I am talking to myself now, asking myself, How do I get there? How can I help Muslims? How can I do anything?" He further stated, "God willing! May this country [United States] burn the same way they burned Muslims! May they burn in fire at the end!" Elshazly made these statements in a public venue. When he was asked to lower his voice when talking loudly, Elshazly proclaimed "I am not scared." He pleaded guilty in November 2022 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS.