“Maryland Man” who got the $$ from ISIS for an attack in the U.S., was born in Egypt.
A Maryland man received at least $8,700 from Islamic State operatives overseas and planned to use the money to launch an attack in the United States as part of a pledge of loyalty to the militant group, prosecutors said on Monday.
The case, which comes at a time of heightened concerns about domestic plots after the deadly attack this month in San Bernardino, Calif., is unusual because of the international financial transactions, officials said. The suspect, Mohamed Elshinawy, 30, who lives outside Baltimore and was born in Egypt, was arrested on Friday after a five-month F.B.I. investigation that included tracking of his finances and online communications.
In the past two years, prosecutors have brought cases against more than 75 people in the United States over accusations that they supported the Islamic State or other militant groups. While officials said they had uncovered no specific plans by Mr. Elshinawy for an attack, the case against him appears to be one of the most serious because of the extent of his contacts with overseas militants.
After he was confronted by the F.B.I. this summer, Mr. Elshinawy acknowledged getting thousands of dollars from an Islamic State source in Egypt but said that he was trying to “scam some money” from ISIS, not wage an attack, according to an affidavit. Much of the money was spent on communication tools, including cellphones, calling cards and a laptop, the authorities said.
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