WASHINGTON, D.C. — Three U.S. citizens were arrested early Friday in coordinated raids in Kansas and California on federal charges that they conspired to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS) and al-Sham, a designated foreign terrorist organization, by sending more than $2,000 to fund the purchase of drones and rocket-propelled grenades intended to kill American servicemembers overseas.
“These subjects allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS, plotted multiple attacks, and even targeted U.S. service members — but this FBI stopped them cold,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The success of this op shows once again this FBI’s continued record of stopping terrorist attacks before they happen, simply the best way to defend the homeland — and shows we’ll stop at nothing to defend Americans from those who seek to do us harm. I want to thank our teams in Kansas City, San Diego, Sacramento, Newark, and Richmond, and the Counterterrorism Division for their outstanding efforts on this investigation and commitment to mission.”
Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California, each face one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas alleges the men communicated over Discord chats, voice calls and other messaging platforms beginning in at least February 2025 and continuing through early June 2026. They pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader, exchanged messages in social media groups promoting violence in furtherance of the group, and discussed plans to travel overseas to fight for ISIS, according to the complaint.
The three collectively provided more than $2,000 — through cash and cryptocurrency — to an undercover FBI employee they believed was an ISIS member, the complaint states. Ghafoor’s name was written on the projectile of one rocket-propelled grenade that was to be used in an overseas attack on U.S. servicemembers. Shamsaldeen provided money specifically for the purchase of drones to be used in such attacks.
In the online exchanges, Ghafoor wrote that it would be “sick” if his name could be written on the drone used in an attack on Americans. Dzayee suggested U.S. Special Forces as targets for the drones. Shamsaldeen expressed a desire to stab and injure a U.S. servicemember. Ghafoor said he had always wanted to kill a female soldier by beheading and added, “I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans,” the complaint alleges.
The men were taken into custody by FBI agents in the Kansas City area, San Diego and Sacramento. The investigation was conducted by FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces in the Kansas City, San Diego and Sacramento field offices, with assistance from offices in Richmond and Newark.
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks — anywhere. Thanks to the vigilance of the FBI, their alleged scheme was dismantled and further acts of violence against U.S. service members were prevented.”
The case is being prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys in Kansas and trial attorneys from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The arrests come as federal authorities arrests of two Washington state residents in the past year for engaging in terrorist activity.
On Nov. 5, 2025, Saed Ali Mirreh, 19, of Kent, was arrested at his family home by federal agents and charged in the District of New Jersey with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Mirreh, a U.S. citizen with no prior criminal record and strong family ties in the state, was identified as the sixth suspect in a foiled ISIS-inspired Halloween plot centered in Michigan. Court documents allege he communicated in encrypted chats with another suspect, sharing images of firearms and ISIS propaganda, discussing physical training, evading law enforcement and pledging loyalty to the group while planning travel to Turkey and Syria to join ISIS fighters. He appeared in Seattle federal court and was ordered detained.
Weeks later, on Nov. 26, 2025, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, of Bellingham — an Afghan national who resettled in Washington state in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome — carried out an ambush shooting in Washington, D.C., two blocks from the White House.
Lakanwal drove roughly 2,800 miles from his home, approached two West Virginia National Guard members and opened fire at close range, yelling “Allahu Akbar,” according to court records cited by state and national outlets. U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, of Summersville, West Virginia, died the next day from her injuries. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, survived and has been recovering.
Lakanwal, who was shot during the incident, remains in custody facing charges including first-degree premeditated murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, firearm violations during a crime of violence and interstate transportation of a stolen firearm.
The three men arrested Friday had no known connection to the two high-profile Washington state cases.
Author: Mario Lotmore
