Three individuals, including a U.S. Navy veteran, have been charged with conspiring to support the Islamic State (ISIS). Federal authorities announced the charges, emphasizing the serious threat posed by the suspects. Their scheme included planning violence against American troops.
The suspects, Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California, were arrested after sending over $2,000 to a perceived ISIS member. This was outlined in a federal criminal complaint filed in Kansas.
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated. “Today’s arrest makes clear our commitment to dismantling terrorist networks.”
Dzayee, a former U.S. Navy member, served from 2021 to 2024 aboard the USS John S. McCain. The arrests highlighted the role of the FBI in thwarting the conspiracy and preventing harm to U.S. service members.
Federal documents reveal that between February 2025 and June 2026, Ghafoor, Shamsaldeen, and Dzayee used platforms like Discord for communication. Through these, they discussed support for ISIS and plotted attacks against U.S. military personnel.
The FBI first identified the trio through social media activity supporting ISIS. Court documents detail that they believed their financial contributions were to buy advanced weaponry. Shamsaldeen reportedly funded drones meant to target U.S. troops, while Ghafoor’s name was found on a rocket-propelled grenade planned for use abroad.
The complaint outlines disturbing exchanges among the suspects. Ghafoor expressed a wish to have his name on an attack drone. He also talked about a desire to kill a female soldier and fantasized about the deaths of millions of Americans.
Shamsaldeen voiced a wish to stab an American service member and shared that his mother encouraged such acts. He admitted to imagining violent video games as real terrorist missions.
Dzayee, the veteran, discussed targeting U.S. Special Forces. Prosecutors highlighted his attempts to disguise the financial transactions as donations or charity, using methods like a cryptocurrency ATM.