Karrem Nasr, 23, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, has been charged with a single account of trying to offer materials help to a overseas terrorist group.
Prosecutors say Nasr, a/ok/a “Ghareeb Al-Muhajir,” was impressed by the October 7 Hamas terrorist assaults in opposition to Israeli civilians and was “devoted … to waging violent jihad in opposition to America.”
Nasr was apprehended in Kenya earlier this month whereas touring to affix the Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabaab, a delegated overseas terrorist group.
US Lawyer for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said in a statement Friday, “As alleged, Karrem Nasr, motivated by the heinous terrorist assault perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, devoted himself to waging violent jihad in opposition to America and its allies.”
“Nasr, a citizen of this nation, traveled from Egypt to Kenya bent on becoming a member of and coaching with al Shabaab in order that he might execute his jihadist mission of dying and destruction. Nasr was ready to kill and be killed to help the jihadist trigger, and in his personal phrases, he described America as ‘evil’ and the ‘head of the snake.’”
“Because of the extraordinary efforts of the profession prosecutors in my Workplace and our legislation enforcement companions who led the investigation, Nasr’s plan to coach with a terrorist group and wage violent jihad has been disrupted. Make no mistake: My Workplace is dedicated to investigating, disrupting, and prosecuting anybody who’s impressed by Hamas’s October 7 assault and seeks to hurt People, whether or not right here or overseas.”
FBI Assistant Director in Cost James Smith mentioned, “Karrem Nasr traveled throughout the globe in an alleged try to affix the ranks of a overseas terrorist group – a corporation that has repeatedly expressed its need to hurt People all over the world. This investigation highlights the continuing efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Activity Drive and our home and worldwide legislation enforcement companions to guard the U.S. in opposition to any type of terrorism and making certain the security of our group.”
NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban added, “As a substitute of embracing all that the US needed to provide him, Mr. Nasr allegedly moved overseas and dedicated himself to supporting a overseas terrorist group. The availability of help to such a bunch – notably by an American citizen – is a heinous menace to our whole nation and lifestyle. Within the face of this, NYPD investigators and our legislation enforcement companions on the FBI-led New York Joint Terrorism Activity Drive will stay relentless in our efforts to determine and examine anybody who so clearly considers our nation their sworn enemy.”
In current public social media posts, Nasr shared that “Jihad” was “coming quickly to a US location close to you.”
In a communication with a confidential supply, he expressed his plans to affix al Shabaab to obtain navy coaching and have interaction in jihad.