Federal authorities have charged three men, including a U.S. Navy veteran, with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State (ISIS). The Justice Department states the suspects plotted violence against American troops. One of the men allegedly expressed a desire to behead a female soldier, while another remarked it would be “sick” if his name were on a drone used to attack Americans.
The individuals involved are Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, from Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, from Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California. They were arrested following an incident where they collectively sent over $2,000 to someone they believed was part of ISIS, according to the criminal complaint filed in Kansas.
The alleged conspirators attempted to provide support to ISIS by using money transfers masked as “donations” or “charity” transactions.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice. Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks. Thanks to the vigilance of the FBI, their alleged scheme was dismantled.”
Bereen Dzayee previously served in the U.S. Navy from 2021 to 2024 aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain, as confirmed by his service record.
Federal prosecutors assert that between February 2025 and June 2026, the men used platforms like Discord for chats, voice calls, and other messaging tools to coordinate their support for ISIS. They pledged allegiance to the group and plotted attacks on U.S. military personnel. The FBI initially discovered the suspects through social media posts promoting ISIS, according to court documents.
The complaint details that the suspects believed their funds helped purchase advanced weaponry. Shamsaldeen allegedly funded drones intended to kill American service members overseas. Ghafoor allegedly had his name written onto a projectile of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) intended for an attack abroad.
Court documents reveal disturbing conversations between the co-conspirators. Discussing drone strike funding, Ghafoor allegedly remarked it would be “sick” if his name were directly placed on an attack drone. Additionally, he allegedly mentioned wanting to kill a female soldier by beheading, expressing a desire to “kill 300,000,000 Americans.”
Shamsaldeen allegedly voiced a desire to stab an American service member and shared influences from his mother encouraging violence against Americans. He admitted to playing violent video games, imagining them as real-world terrorist acts.
The suspects reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader, according to the Department of Justice. Dzayee, the Navy veteran, allegedly suggested attacks on U.S. Green Berets and Special Forces units. Prosecutors state Dzayee advised disguising their financial transactions to ISIS as a “donation.” They also attempted transactions through a cryptocurrency ATM, but these efforts failed.
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