A New Jersey man who prosecutors said was “dedicated… to waging violent jihad against the United States” and galvanized by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, was arrested in Kenya earlier this month while He was on his way to join the Somalia-based Islamist terrorist group Al-Shabaab, authorities said Friday.
Karrem Nasr, 23, of Lawrenceville, faces up to 20 years in prison after federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged him with a single count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
“Nasr, a citizen of this country, traveled from Egypt to Kenya determined to join and train with al Shabab. [sic] so that he could execute his jihadist mission of death and destruction,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian. williams he said on Friday.
“Nasr was willing to kill and be killed to support the jihadist cause and, in his own words, described the United States as ‘evil’ and the ‘head of the snake,'” he added.
Nasr had moved to Egypt in July to study Arabic and became “particularly motivated to become a jihadist” after Hamas killed more than 1,200 people, including at least 33 Americans, in its October attack on southern Israel, he wrote. FBI Special Agent Bilal Morgan in court. documents.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams meets with Attorney General Merrick Garland. REUTERS Karrem Nasr was arrested trying to join the terrorist group Al-Shabab. Facebook
“In recent social media posts, Nasr warned that ‘Jihad’ was ‘coming soon to an American location near you,’ posting emojis of planes, bombs and fire,” Morgan wrote. “Nasr expressed his intention to join Al Shabaab. [sic] receive military training and participate in jihad; that he was willing to kill and be killed; and that he specifically aspired to be a martyr for the jihadist cause.”
Nasr planned to meet with members of al-Shabaab, which has ties to al Qaeda, during his trip to Kenya after speaking with an FBI source posing as a facilitator for terrorist organizations last month.
“After the events of October 7 I felt that something had changed [for] I mean, better,” Nasr allegedly told the source. “I felt that pride and dignity returned to Muslims.”
Karrem Nasr’s posts on social media. United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
Nasr also referenced the recent online spread of Osama bin Laden’s 2002 “Letter to America,” which drew attention among TikTok users who claimed they had never heard of Al Qaeda’s complaints about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
“I don’t know if you follow the news in the West, but there are many people in the United States now, non-Muslims, who simply read the sheikh’s letter. [Osama] bin Laden…” Nasr told the source, according to court documents. “And there are many people, because of this letter, [who] “They have completely changed their opinion of him and finally understand how evil America is.”
Nasr reportedly offered to “write for any group he joined” because he “could write well and knew how to translate,” adding that he also “wanted to train to ‘shoot’ with any group.” [terror] group he joined,” Morgan wrote.
The defendant originally planned to meet with the jihadists in Kenya in January, but Nasr told the source that he accelerated his plans after learning that his mother was visiting from the United States in mid-December and wanted to take him “back to the United States.” to continue my education and work. .”
Nasr planned to meet with members of al-Shabaab, which has ties to Al Qaeda, during his trip to Kenya. United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
“Nowadays parents have no interest in religion and do not want their children to be mujahideen,” he told the source, noting that his mother did not know of his intentions to join Al Shabaab. “They want their children to see life, be doctors, engineers and make a lot of money.”
Nasr was eventually arrested by Kenyan authorities after his arrival in Nairobi on December 14, investigators said.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban said in a statement that “the provision of support to such a group – particularly by an American citizen – is an egregious threat to our entire country and our way of life.”
“Rather than accept everything the United States had to offer, Mr. Nasr allegedly moved abroad and pledged support for a foreign terrorist organization,” he said.
“In the face of this, NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners at the FBI-led New York Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to be relentless in our efforts to identify and investigate anyone who so clearly considers our nation his sworn enemy.”
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