STOCKTON, Calif. โ A California Environmental Protection Agency engineer, Ammaad Akhtar, was arrested on June 24 and charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS and plotting violence against Jews, U.S. authorities confirmed.
FBI agents infiltrated Akhtarโs online communications since February, during which he pledged loyalty to ISIS, discussed jihad, and expressed a willingness to travel abroad to fight. In April, he sent money and weapons through an undercover operative he believed to be connected to ISIS.
In late June, Akhtar handed over two loaded firearms, six magazines, $400 in cash, binoculars, and clothing to the undercover agent. He also explicitly discussed targeting Jewish individuals with violent intent.
Court documents allege Akhtar made direct threats, stating he followed a suspected Jewish man from a synagogue and referred to non-Muslims as โkuffar,โ promising to โpluck their heads like a chicken.โ
Akhtar faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. As part of the investigation, the California EPA confirmed it will fully cooperate with federal authorities.
Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, praised the arrest as โa critical win for public safety,โ saying it โlikely averted a terrible tragedy.โ
This article is based on verified information from the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI records, and reports by JNS and Yeshiva World News.