Man from Lansing convicted on terrorism charges for conspiring with the Islamic State
United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that Muse Muse, age 22, from Lansing Michigan, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
ISIS is a designated foreign terrorist organization. The FBI had been tracking Muse’s activity on the belief that he may attempt to join ISIS. Then, on Jan. 21, 2019, special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of its Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Muse Muse at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, after he checked in for a flight that would eventually take him to Somalia, with the goal of joining ISIS.
Shortly thereafter, his brother Mohamud Muse and cousin Mohamed Haji were arrested as co-conspirators.
Following his arrest Muse Muse adopted a handwritten statement prepared for him by an FBI special agent that summarized his interest in ISIS and end goal regarding his support of ISIS.
In it, Muse admitted that he “wanted to join ISIS in Somalia so I wouldn’t have to do an attack in the United States.”
According to court documents, Muse coordinated with an individual he believed to be an ISIS fighter to wire funds for transportation to Somalia, where he planned to join ISIS.
Throughout the conspiracy, all three defendants had conversations during which they discussed traveling overseas to join ISIS and even adopted fighter aliases.
During one conversation between Muse Muse and Mohamed Haji in Nov. 2017, the two celebrated the deadly vehicle attack in New York City that occurred that October.
Muse Muse sent an image of the aftermath to Haji, who responded “Real civil war”.
Later, Haji and Muse celebrated Muse getting a Michigan driver’s license.
Haji said, “You’re a driver now” and “that’s good so you can drive that [martyrdom] car right.”
Muse responded, “Yes [God willing].”
Muse also said, “I’ve been thinking about getting a rifle and something” and “I’m starting to entertain these thoughts.”
In March 2018, Muse Muse sent a message to a relative declaring, “I’m a terrorist” and “I’m going to Somalia [God willing].”
Prosecutors pushed for the maximum sentence for Muse, which would have been 15 years. However, in sentencing the Court found that his age at the time of the offense, his lack of personal financial resources to finance overseas travel, and the potential for rehabilitation were among the factors considered by the Court in imposing the 78-month sentence.
Birge stated, “Although we are disappointed and respectfully disagree with the sentence imposed by the Court, we applaud the FBI’s successful efforts to prevent this defendant from assisting a dangerous international terrorist organization to carry out attacks here or overseas.
This sentence will ensure that, at least for the next six and one- half years, Muse Muse will not be able to join ISIS overseas to assist its members with committing violence. Detecting, preventing, and prosecuting terrorism offenses remains the highest priority for the Department of Justice and my office.”
Source: WILX 10
