West Haven Man Admits Trying To Join & Fight For ISIS: Feds

WEST HAVEN, CT — Amhad Khalil Elshazly, 25, of West Haven, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Bridgeport federal court to attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Vanessa Roberts Avery announced.

Beginning around Sept. 2018, Elshazly, a U.S. citizen, expressed a desire to travel to Syria and the surrounding area to “fight on behalf of ISIS,” according to a news release.

“In numerous conversations online and in person, he pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi,” officials wrote in the news release. “For example, in October 2019, Elshazly sent a message pledging allegiance (bayat) to the new leader of ISIS, saying ‘I pledge my allegiance...to the Khilafah (the successor of the leadership) of the Muslims Abu Ibrahim Al Husseini Al Hashami Al Qurashi…’ (after Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi’s death).

“On December 14, 2019, Elshazly paid $500 to a person he believed was an ISIS facilitator who would be able to smuggle him out of the U.S. to Turkey. He further believed that travelling to Turkey would enable him to connect with ISIS members overseas who, in turn, would assist him with traveling to ISIS within Syria.”

Elshazly was arrested on Dec. 15, 2019, after he arrived in Stonington where he expected to board a boat to begin his trip.

“There is no higher priority than the security of our nation,” Avery said in a statement. “My office works closely with our law enforcement partners to prevent and apprehend those who wish to cause violence and other harm, both in the U.S. and abroad, before they are successful. Much of this vitally important work is done behind the scenes and without public recognition. I thank the FBI’s JTTF and all the agencies involved in this investigation.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg said the “diligent efforts of law enforcement has culminated in a guilty plea of a conspirator of potential terrorist crimes against the people of the United States. Our top priority of the FBI remains the disruption of would-be terrorists and the havoc they attempt to cause here and abroad. Justice has been served.”

Elshazly has been detained since his arrest. The charge of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date hasn’t been scheduled.