An Alabama man, who allegedly distributed ISIS propaganda, researched how to produce explosive materials, and met with an undercover agent posing as a member of ISIS, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide services and personnel to a terrorist organization on Thursday.
Aziz Ihab Sayyed, 23, of Huntsville, Alabama, allegedly viewed and shared ISIS propaganda and voiced support for terrorist attacks around the world from January to June of 2017. Sayyed also allegedly researched how to make the volatile explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP), purchased required materials and voiced intent to use TATP in an improvised explosives device.
Sayyed also met with undercover FBI agent posing as a member of ISIS in June. During the meeting, the two discussed the dangers of TATP and Sayyed expressed his intentions to assist ISIS by “offering himself as personnel,” according to a Department of Justice release.
The FBI partnered with the Huntsville Police Department and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Cornelius and Davis Barlow of the Northern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case with help from the National Security Division Counterterrorism Section.
Prosecutors and Sayyed reached a plea deal that stipulates a 15-year prison sentence. U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon accepted Sayyed’s guilty plea to the charge on Thursday.