Maryland Man Charged In ISIS Plot, Attempted Murder Of FBI Agent

LANDOVER HILLS, MD — A Prince George's County resident already indicted by a federal grand jury for reportedly trying to target military personnel in Maryland that he could kill, now faces additional charges of supporting the terror group ISIS, according to a news release. Nelash Das, 25, a citizen of Bangladesh who lived in Landover Hills, was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State; attempting to murder a federal employee; and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Das was indicted on the material support charge in October 2016 and he remains in federal custody pending further court proceedings. Authorities say the indictment charges Das with attempting to murder a federal employee – a member of the uniformed services and a Special Agent with the FBI. Das, a legal permanent resident of the United States, allegedly used and carried a firearm during his attempt to harm the officer.

Prosecutors say Das first came under FBI scrutiny through his Twitter posts, and investigators had an undercover source, who Das believed was a fellow ISIL supporter, meet with him.

“Mr. Das is suspected of having actually tried to identify US military members who he could attack here in Maryland, also that he traveled to Virginia to purchase ammunition to be used in the attack,” then-U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein told WJZ in October after the initial indictment.

In January 2016, Das reportedly to tweeted a picture of an AK-47 assault rifle with the text, “This is more than just a gun. This is a ticket to Jannah.” Jannah is a reference to the Islamic concept of paradise, WJZ reports.

According to court documents, ISIS members and supporters have posted identifying information about U.S. military personnel in hopes that ISIS supporters would carry out attacks against them. Das allegedly planned to kill a U.S. military member in support of ISIS.

If convicted, Das faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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