Rovinski Charged with Conspiracy to Aid ISIS

This is a developing story and is being updated repeatedly.

Nicholas Rovinski of Rhode Island is facing federal terrorism charges for his role in an alleged plot to kill police officers and behead a blogger.

The 24-year-old Warwick man was taken into custody Thursday after a nine-day period of constant surveillance at his Aspinet Drive home in Rhode Island’s second-largest city. Today, he appeared in federal court in Boston and was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston is handling the case.

Authorities descended on the Governor Francis Farms neighborhood where Rovinski lives with family members last week after their investigation into Usaama Rahim’s activities led them to Rovinski. Rahim, authorities said, planned to wage acts of terrorism.

Rahim, who was killed by Boston police on June 2, Rovinski and a third man, David Wright, Rahim’s nephew, met on a local beach on May 31 and had a conversation “in inclement weather” to discuss their plans, which apparently included a plan to behead blogger Pamela Geller along with killing cops.

The court complaint alleges that Rovinski and Wright met on Facebook about a year ago and were actively plotting to wage acts of terrorism .

Police searched the home and removed boxes of evidence in the days leading up to Rovinski’s arrest on Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Rovinski and Wright “did knowingly conspire with each other, with Ussama Abdullah Rahim” to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL, which is a designated terrorist organization.

The complaint states that Rovinski viewed videos about making weapons and is using the alias Nuh Amriki and Nuh al Andalusi, which Patch first reported on Thursday after a review of publicly available information on the Internet.

The police presence outside Rovinski’s Warwick home had been unnerving for residents of the working class neighborhood here in Rhode Island’s second-largest city. They said Rovinski always seemed like a nice young man but his appearance had changed dramatically after he converted to Islam about two years ago. For more than a week, residents have had to show ID to get in and out and police have kept steady watch on Rovinski.

Wright, of Everett, Mass., was arrested last week for for his role in the alleged conspiracy. In that court complaint filed, Rahim allegedly had bought knives on Amazon to carry out the beheadings. The FBI has said that the attack appeared to be imminent.

It is clear, based on publicly accessible information on social media sites, first reported by the Patch on Thursday night, Rovinski had an interest in specific things that could be considered a cause for concern to investigators. And the release of court documents on Friday showed that federal investigators were concerned about the same information.

On YouTube, his account was subscribed to numerous survivalist channels and showed activity that included watching politically-charged videos and guides on how to build sniper rifles or fashion a machete with no power tools. One of the channels he subscribed to one month ago belongs to Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, who is considered a radicalized “hate cleric.” And he routinely commented on those videos, many of which are now-removed from YouTube but the ghosts of which can be found on Rovinski’s Google+ account.

CNN reported that Rovinski, in March, shared his extremist views with the network. In messages exchanged with a producer, he reportedly said he had talked with an ISIS operative who told him he should go to Iraq or Syria and join their cause.

He was also vocal on Twitter.

“Who wishes to see flag of tawheed upon white house,” he said in March.

He also tweeted messages at people connected to ISIS, including Mujahid Miski, also known as Mohamed Abdullahi Hasan, who CNN reported is from Minnesota but might be fighting with Al Shabaab in Somalia.

Rovinski reportedly went to a mosque near his house in Warwick.

The court complaint filed Friday also quoted Rovinski as saying “This country is messed up from its founding days” in a recorded phone conversation. He also told investigators that he was drawn to ISIL because they represent the “most pure and honest form of the religion.”

Rovinski’s strident support of the extreme ideology troubled investigators: he told the FBI he thought non-violent Muslims weren’t real Muslims and that he believes he’s in active war with others.

Investigators were led to believe that there was imminent danger due to the nature of the conversations between the three men in late May. On May 27, Wright called Rovinski and during the “cryptic conversation,” Wright said “on the bigger scale, it’s gonna be some heavy stuff, after this milestone is obtained, Allah willing.”

Rovinski responded: “Like I said, I’ve been wanting to meet up with you to discuss some important aspects that I think you might, you might enjoy. So.”

“Oh, that sounds so wonderful,” Wright said.

A minute later, Wright texted to Rahim: Just got off the phone with brother nuh. . .he may wanna come and meet up on Friday. . .he wishes to speak on some juiciness.

Rahim: Lol

Rovinski’s conversations with Wright sometimes lasted for more than two hours, including one in which the two discussed the material support to foreign terrorist organizations law and how it could come to haunt them.

“They made it so general now,” Wright complained. “They’ve been arresting them because once they read that they intend on going over to the State, they arrest them. They made it so general now where they can manipulate and get you. . .on material support just for speaking. . .positively about this.”

After Rahim was shot, Wright texted Rovinski.

“An emergency took place this morning,” he said.

Rovinski also told Wright that he has a “friend overseas” who he had planned something with.

The U.S. Attorney’s office said that the charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, up to life of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The initial charge against Wright for obstruction of justice remains pending. A detention hearing has been set for Wright on Friday, June 19, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

View the complete criminal complaint HERE.

Photos: Nicholas Rovinski has left a trail of images on social media over the years.

See also:

Alleged Co-Conspirator With Roslindale Terror Suspect Arrested

Family Views Video of Fatal Shooting of Usaamah Rahim

Target of Roslindale Man’s Alleged Terrorist Plot Revealed

Everett Man Conspired to Support Attacking ‘Boys In Blue,’ According to FBI

Man Killed in Roslindale Confrontation Target of Terrorism Probe, Police Say