A Minneapolis man, Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. The criminal complaint alleges that in December 2024, Hassan tried twice to travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join the terrorist organization but was unsuccessful.
Hassan allegedly disguised his travel intentions as a family visit despite having no relatives in Somalia. He carried documents such as his birth certificate, naturalization certificate, and high school diploma during these attempts. The FBI's investigation found that Hassan expressed support for ISIS on social media and communicated with the Manjaniq Media Center's Facebook account, which promotes joining ISIS.
Further investigation revealed that Hassan praised Shamsud-Din Jabbar, responsible for an ISIS-inspired attack in New Orleans on January 1, 2025. In February 2025, he posted videos of himself driving with an ISIS flag and a knife inside his vehicle.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick stated: “As we have all seen in recent months, ISIS and its supporters pose the gravest of dangers to our communities... They will be held to account.”
Alvin M. Winston Sr., representing FBI Minneapolis, added: “The FBI will continue to aggressively use all of our authorities to investigate and arrest anyone who assists foreign terrorist organizations... Such acts are wholly unacceptable.”
Hassan appeared before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung following his arrest and is detained pending a formal hearing scheduled for March 5, 2025.
The case is being investigated by the FBI with help from the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force. Prosecutors include Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar and National Security Division Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorneys Ryan White and Charles Kovats Jr.
It is important to note that a complaint is merely an allegation; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.