Kyse S. Abushanab, a 27-year-old resident of Budd Lake, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to charges related to concealing material support and resources for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The plea was entered today in response to a one-count information charge.
Court documents reveal that between March 2021 and January 2022, Abushanab compiled various resources intended for ISIS members and supporters. These included detailed instructions on manufacturing weapons of mass destruction, such as suicide belts, detonators, timers, improvised bombs, and other explosive devices. To avoid detection by law enforcement agencies, Abushanab utilized encrypted applications, untraceable email accounts, and secured cloud storage to gather and store this information.
The charge against Abushanab carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison along with a fine reaching $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for September 24.
The announcement was made by Sue Bai from the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey; Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office.
The investigation into this case was led by the FBI with assistance from the Morris County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecuting attorneys include Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Ryan White from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.