Facebook Twitter Instagram Somali Magazine - People's Magazine
Authorities Say Suspect Made Multiple Travel Attempts, Posted Pro-ISIS Content Online, and Expressed Support for Terrorist Attacks
A Minneapolis man has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Friday.
Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan was taken into custody earlier last week after allegedly making multiple attempts to travel to Somalia with the goal of joining ISIS. According to an affidavit from FBI agent Scott Zimmerman, Hassan was born in Kenya to Somali parents and is an ethnic Somali. He previously lived in Amarillo, Texas, before moving to Minneapolis in 2023. However, the affidavit does not specify when he and his family immigrated to the United States.
Authorities say Hassan attempted to travel to Somalia twice in December, claiming that he was visiting family. However, investigators determined that he had no known relatives in the country. Additionally, Hassan was found to be carrying his high school diploma, birth certificate, and naturalization certificate, further raising suspicions about his true intentions.
His first attempt to reach Somalia involved booking a flight from Minneapolis to Garoowe, Somalia, with layovers in Chicago and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. When he arrived at the airport in Minneapolis, a ticketing agent informed him that he needed to provide a scanned copy of a Somali resident’s passport to proceed with his journey. Since he could not provide the required document, he abandoned his travel plans and left the airport.
Undeterred, Hassan made another attempt to reach Somalia after purchasing a Somali visa. He booked flights along the same route and managed to reach Chicago O’Hare International Airport before being intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
When questioned by agents, Hassan initially claimed that he was traveling to visit his uncle, Ali Sheick Abdulkadir. However, under further interrogation, he admitted that Abdulkadir was not actually his uncle and that they had never met. This inconsistency, combined with his lack of return tickets, raised further concerns. Hassan also could not explain how he planned to finance his onward travel from Mogadishu, Somalia, to Doha, Qatar, and back to the United States. Despite these uncertainties, he insisted that he intended to return in January.
CBP agents also confronted Hassan about pro-ISIS content found on social media accounts he initially denied owning. After continued questioning, he eventually admitted to being a supporter of ISIS and stated that he believed all Muslims should live under the rule of a single Islamic caliphate. Due to his detention and interrogation, he missed his scheduled flight to Ethiopia and ultimately flew back to Minneapolis.
As part of their investigation, the FBI uncovered additional evidence linking Hassan to ISIS. Authorities found public social media posts in which he expressed support for the terrorist organization. He also communicated with an account linked to the “Manjaniq Media Center,” a known pro-ISIS propaganda outlet that encourages individuals to travel and join the group.
Further evidence included videos posted by Hassan in which he was seen driving around with an ISIS flag prominently displayed. In another video, he appeared with a visible knife. Investigators also found that he had praised Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of a terrorist attack in New Orleans, further solidifying his ideological alignment with extremist groups.
The Justice Department has charged Hassan with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Given the severity of the charges, he has been ordered to remain in custody until a detention hearing, which will take place at a later date.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts of U.S. law enforcement agencies to prevent individuals from supporting terrorist organizations and traveling abroad to join extremist groups. The FBI and other agencies continue to monitor online activity and social media platforms to identify individuals who may pose a threat to national security.
If convicted, Hassan could face significant penalties under federal law. The U.S. government has consistently taken a strong stance against individuals attempting to join terrorist organizations, often imposing lengthy prison sentences on those found guilty of providing material support to such groups.
Authorities have not yet disclosed whether Hassan had direct contact with ISIS operatives or if he was acting independently. However, his online activity and repeated attempts to reach Somalia suggest a deliberate effort to align himself with the terrorist group.
The case remains under investigation, and further developments are expected as legal proceedings continue.