FBI Arrests 3 Alleged ISIS Supporters Accused Of Plotting Against U.S. Troops
Federal authorities arrested three men Friday after investigators accused them of supporting ISIS and discussing attacks against American service members, prompting FBI Director Kash Patel to say agents stopped a potential terrorist threat before it could turn into real-world violence.
The suspects were identified as Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California.
According to the Department of Justice, the three men were taken into custody after allegedly conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, better known as ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Federal investigators allege the men collectively sent more than $2,000 to someone they believed was connected to ISIS. Prosecutors say they also discussed providing the terrorist group with money, services, personnel, and other forms of support.
Patel praised the operation, saying FBI agents moved before the alleged threat could be carried out.
“This FBI stopped them cold,” Patel said in a statement.
“The success of this operation shows once again this FBI’s continued record of stopping terrorist attacks before they happen, simply the best way to defend the homeland,” he added.
According to court documents, the alleged conspiracy ran from February 2025 through June 2026.
Investigators say the suspects communicated through Discord, voice calls, and other messaging platforms. In those communications, they allegedly pledged support to ISIS and expressed loyalty to the terrorist group’s leadership.
The Justice Department claims the men participated in online groups that promoted extremist violence and discussed ways to support ISIS operations.
Some of the messages cited by prosecutors raised serious concern among federal investigators.
According to the complaint, Ghafoor allegedly said it would be “sick” if his name could be written on a drone used in an attack against Americans.
Dzayee allegedly suggested that U.S. Special Forces personnel should be targeted by drone strikes.
Court documents also claim Shamsaldeen expressed a desire to attack an American service member.
Federal authorities further allege that Ghafoor’s name was written on a projectile for a rocket-propelled grenade that terrorists planned to use in an overseas attack targeting U.S. service members.
The complaint also claims Shamsaldeen provided money intended to help purchase drones that could be used against American troops deployed abroad.
Officials say the suspects discussed traveling overseas to fight alongside ISIS and expressed willingness to die for the terrorist organization.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the arrests show that the Trump administration is serious about confronting terrorism at home and abroad.
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” Blanche said.
“Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks anywhere,” he added.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas said the case is a reminder that national security threats are not limited to distant battlefields.
“Unfortunately, we must face the reality of bad actors living within our borders clandestinely conspiring on ways to create fear and havoc,” Kriegshauser said.
Kriegshauser also credited cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies for helping bring the investigation to a successful conclusion.
The investigation was carried out by FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces operating out of Kansas City, San Diego, and Sacramento, with support from FBI field offices in Richmond and Newark.
The three suspects are charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, Fox News reported.
If convicted, they could face significant federal prison sentences.
For conservatives, the arrests are another reminder that border security, intelligence gathering, and aggressive counterterrorism enforcement are essential to protecting the homeland. While political leaders in Washington often debate national security in abstract terms, federal agents in this case say they disrupted an alleged ISIS support network before Americans were harmed.
The case now moves through the courts, but the broader message from federal authorities is clear: those who allegedly support terrorist organizations and threaten American service members will be pursued.