Long Island man arrested over alleged support of ISIS, attempted jihad
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — The FBI arrested Syed Aman, 28, of Franklin Square, Long Island on Tuesday at JFK Airport. The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that he was trying to get to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the Islamic militant group that broke from al-Qaida and declared a caliphate in 2014.
DOJ officials announced that he paid an FBI agent who he thought was connected to the group and repeatedly tried to arrange travel to the Middle East. Aman promoted ISIS messages on social media between June 2023 and early 2024, DOJ said, talking about joining ISIS in online forums. They claimed that he planned a "jihad" with an FBI informant to support ISIS, describing his interest in "hijrah," migrating to join them.
DOJ accused Aman of sending $186 in cryptocurrency, which he thought was untraceable, in February 2024. Investigators tracked the transactions, linking them to Aman and his intention to support weapons deals for ISIS.
They also accused him of writing and distributing English-language manuals for ISIS supporters detailing ways to exploit cybersecurity measures and encouraging violence. In March 2024, they said, he publically praised an ISIS attack in Moscow that killed 130 people, saying he wished to fight with them someday.
In July 2024, Aman allegedly told the FBI agent that he erased some social media because he feared FBI surveillance. A sworn account from the agent tells the tale of two failed flight bookings to Syria in October 2024. He kept communicating with the undercover source despite his setbacks, blaming U.S. officials for blocking his purchases.
The complaint alleges that he was frustrated and regretful about not having joined ISIS already. Ultimately, he scored a ticket to Qatar, meaning to head to Turkey from there, and then to Syria. When he was arrested at JFK, law enforcement said he was armed with a metal pen that he meant to use for violence if detained.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace called it an "evil plan." DOJ said that they're still investigating and that further ties to terrorism could yield more charges.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force—including local, state, and federal agencies—coordinated the arrest. Aman appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo on November 6.