SANTA ANA, CALIF.
A federal jury today convicted two Orange County men – one of whom attempted to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS – of conspiring to provide support to the terrorist group.
Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both of whom are 25-year-old Anaheim residents, were convicted Tuesday in federal court following a two-week trial.
Elhuzayel also was found guilty of attempting to provide material support, and Badawi was found guilty of aiding and abetting the attempt to provide support to ISIS.
In addition to the terrorism-related counts, Elhuzayel was found guilty of 26 counts of bank fraud, and Badawi was found guilty of one count of federal financial aid fraud. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before returning its guilty verdicts.
Both men were arrested on May 21, 2015, when Elhuzayel attempted to board a plane at Los Angeles International Airport to travel to Turkey to join ISIS. Badawi had purchased a one-way ticket on Turkish Airlines for Elhuzayel to travel to Israel, with a layover in Istanbul.
Badawi and Elhuzayel used social media to discuss ISIS and terrorist attacks, expressed a desire to die as martyrs, and made arrangements for Elhuzayel to leave the United States to join ISIS.
In recorded conversations, Badawi and Elhuzayel “discussed how it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die in the battlefield,” and they referred to ISIS as “we.”
The evidence at trial also showed that Badawi had a Facebook account, on which he made posts that supported ISIS and violence aimed at non-Muslims, and he said he intended to join the terrorist organization. Elhuzayel also had a Facebook account and used the ISIS flag as his profile picture.
“On October 21, 2014, defendant Badawi made a video of defendant Elhuzayel in which defendant Elhuzayel swore allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and pledged to travel to Syria to be an ISIS fighter,” according to court documents.
Elhuzayel was convicted of obtaining cash through a scheme to defraud three different banks by depositing stolen checks into his personal checking accounts and then withdrawing cash at branch offices and ATMs in Orange County.
The money generated from the bank fraud was to finance his travel to Syria to join ISIS.
Badawi was convicted of using his federal financial aid to purchase a plane ticket for Elhuzayel to travel to Turkey. The time of the fraud and the time of the terrorist activity coincide.
“These two defendants betrayed their country and sought to join ISIL, a terrorist organization dedicated to brutally murdering innocent people,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “The FBI and the Orange County Joint Terrorism Task Force did outstanding work in investigating and apprehending these men before their plans could be completed. The fine work of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives, both in the United States and abroad.”
“These convictions are a message to those who aim to travel to take up arms with ISIL and to those who support them – the FBI and our partners are determined to thwart your efforts,” said Deirdre Fike, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
Adding, “The JTTF’s proactive identification of these subjects and disruption of a terrorist conspiracy is a coup in the fight against the scourge of ISIL. At trial, the jury heard evidence that Mr. Badawi also encouraged other associates to support ISIL and participate in violent jihad. This is a reminder that our work is not done and the public must remain steadfast and report suspicious behavior, whether that behavior is carried out in person or online.”
After the jury returned its verdicts, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter scheduled Elhuzayel’s sentencing hearing for Sept. 19 and Badawi’s sentencing hearing for Sept. 26.
At the time of sentencing, Elhuzayel will face up to 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud count, Badawi faces up five years imprisonment on the financial aid fraud count, and both men each face up to 15 years in prison on each count of providing material support to ISIS.
Both men have been held in federal custody without bond since their arrests.