Former Refugee Pleads Guilty and Admits to Supporting ISIS

A former Iraqi refugee and legal permanent resident of Richmond, Texas, has entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi, 28, admitted to providing material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

From 2015 to 2020, Alqaysi provided his computer expertise to develop and post logos for a media arm of the ISIS group known as the Kalachnikov team. He further sent hacking videos and instructions to ISIS members in addition to stolen credit card information and fraudulently created identity documents.

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and has set sentencing for June 5. Alqaysi faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Alqaysi has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter for the Southern District of Texas is prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.