A former Alabama resident was sentenced today to seven years and six months for sending money to terrorists, al-Qaida, according to officials.
Alaa Mohd Abusaad, 26, pleaded guilty to concealment of terrorism financing in September 2019.
According to the plea agreement, between February and April 2018, Abusaad instructed an FBI undercover employee (UCE) about how to send money to the mujahideen – fighters engaged in jihad.
Abusaad told the UCE that money “…is always needed. You can’t have a war without weapons. You can’t prepare a soldier without equipment.” Abusaad also advised the UCE on how to send money in a manner that would avoid detection by law enforcement, including by using fake names and addresses when conducting electronic money transfers.
Subsequently, Abusaad introduced the UCE to a financial facilitator who could route the UCE’s money to “brothers that work with aq” (meaning al-Qaida).
The FBI’s Birmingham, Memphis and Cleveland Field Offices investigated the case.