NORTH CAROLINA
Federal authorities arrested a Charlotte man charging him with trying to help ISIS, including recruiting and encouraging others to rig booby traps, set up ambushes and die as martyrs.
Erick Jamal Hendricks, 35, tried to recruit people to train together and conduct terrorist attacks in the United States on behalf of the terrorist group, according to officials.
Hendricks also claimed to have recruited 10 members for his group, and his potential targets included members of the military and the woman who organized the “Draw Prophet Mohammad contest,” according to authorities.
These are the alleged facts and circumstances surrounding this case:
According to the complaint, in June 2015, an individual, identified as CW-1, was arrested in Ohio after attempting to purchase an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition from an undercover law enforcement officer.
CW-1 had pledged allegiance to ISIS in social media and made statements expressing interest in conducting attacks in the U.S.
Hendricks had contacted CW-1 over social media to recruit him in the spring of 2015, according to the complaint.
Hendricks allegedly told CW-1 that he “needed people” and wanted to meet in person; that there were several “brothers” located in Texas and Mexico; that he was attempting to “get brothers to meet face to face;” and that he wanted “to get brothers to train together.”
According to the complaint, CW-1 said that Hendricks tested his religious knowledge and commitment, inquiring about his willingness to commit “jihad,” to die as a “martyr” and his desire to enter “jannah” (paradise).
CW-1 understood these statements to mean that Hendricks was recruiting people to train together for the purpose of conducting a terrorist attack in the U.S. and to see if CW-1 was suitable for recruitment, according to the allegations.
CW-1 allegedly believed that Hendricks and the “brothers in Texas and Mexico” may have been responsible for a thwarted terrorist attack in Garland, Texas, on May 3, 2015. CW-1 decided to stay away from social media for a period following the attack to minimize detection by law enforcement.
Hendricks also allegedly communicated over social media with several other people, including an undercover FBI employee.
According to the complaint, on April 16, 2015, Hendricks instructed the FBI employee to download the document “GPS for the Ghuraba in the U.S.”, which included a section entitled “Final Advice” which advocated that “brothers and sisters” should not allow themselves to go to jail.
This section also allegedly encouraged Muslims to die as a “Shaheed” (martyr), to “Boobie trap your homes,” to “lay in wait for them” and to “never leave your home without your AK-47 or M16.”
According to the complaint, Hendricks also directed the FBI employee to communicate online with other people and stated “It’s hard to sift through brothers;” “Allah chooses only the few;” and “Everyday I do this day in and day out.”
Hendricks allegedly told another person that his goal was to create a sleeper cell to be trained and housed at a secure compound that would conduct attacks in the U.S.
He mentioned that potential targets included military members whose information had been released by ISIS, and the woman who organized the “Draw Prophet Mohammad contest.” He claimed to have 10 members signed up for his group, according to allegations in the complaint.
On April 23, 2015, Hendricks allegedly used social media to contact Elton Simpson, who, along with Nadir Hamid Soofi, was inspired by ISIL and launched the attack on the “First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest” in Garland.
Simpson and Soofi opened fire, wounding a security guard, before Garland police returned fire and killed both Simpson and Soofi. According to the complaint, Hendricks also connected UCE-1 with Simpson via social media; communicated with UCE-1 about the contest in Garland; and directed UCE-1 to go to the contest.
Hendricks allegedly said: “If you see that pig (meaning the organizer of the contest) make your ‘voice’ heard against her.” According to the complaint, he also asked UCE-1 a series of questions related to security at the event, including: “How big is the gathering?” “How many ppl?” “How many police/agents?” “Do you see feds there?’ “Do you see snipers?” and “How many media?” Shortly thereafter, Simpson and Soofi committed the attack on the cartoon drawing contest.
The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted, Hendricks is facing up to 15 years in prison, according to officials.