Mansuri Manuchekhri, a Tajikistan man living illegally in the US, was arrested for allegedly supporting ISIS by sending $70,000 to ISIS affiliates between December 2021 and April 2023. During his court hearing in Brooklyn, bail was denied due to evidence suggesting he was planning a violent act for the group. Messages and a video of him shooting an assault rifle were presented as proof. Manuchekhri, who entered the US in 2016 on a tourist visa and later faked a marriage to obtain a green card, faces charges of providing material support to ISIS, illegal firearm possession, and immigration fraud, potentially resulting in 45 years in prison.
A man from Tajikistan living unlawfully in the US has been taken into custody for allegedly supporting the terrorist organization ISIS. Mansuri Manuchekhri reportedly sent $70,000 (over Rs 61 lakh) to individuals associated with ISIS between December 2021 and April 2023, convinced it would assist the families of deceased ISIS fighters, as per reports.
During a court session in Brooklyn, New York, bail was denied for Manuchekhri. Prosecutors contended that his communications with individuals linked to ISIS indicated he might be planning a violent act in support of the group.
The federal complaint states that the 34-year-old sent a text to a Turkish associate saying, “Thank God, I am ready, brother,” along with a 17-second video of himself shooting an assault rifle at a New Jersey shooting range. He also mentioned participating in training at least once or twice weekly.
A truck driver, Manuchekhri arrived in the US in 2016 on a tourist visa. However, after it lapsed, he fabricated a marriage to a Bronx stripper in 2017 to obtain a green card. His ex-wife reported him to the authorities.
Officials noted that Manuchekhri, who was residing illegally in Brooklyn, frequently showcased his shooting skills to friends sympathetic to ISIS. Court documents reveal that federal agents discovered a photo of him gleefully holding two AK-47 rifles in the air.
Authorities indicated that one of the individuals Manuchekhri intended to send funds to was detained by Turkish police on January 28 for executing a vehicle bombing targeting a Roman Catholic Church in Istanbul.
The complaint alleges that Manuchekhri expressed admiration for Sayfullo Saipov, the Uzbek national responsible for the 2017 terrorist attack in New York City.
He has been arrested by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York on charges of conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, illegal firearm possession, and immigration fraud. He could face up to 45 years in prison.