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California Man Arrested for Allegedly Financing ISIS Operations

On March 15, 2024, the FBI arrested a man in Long Beach, California, for allegedly sending money to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The suspect, Mark Lorenzo Villanueva, 28, a permanent U.S. resident originally from the Philippines, faces up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Investigators reported that Villanueva had been communicating with two individuals claiming to be ISIS fighters on social media earlier this year. In those conversations, he allegedly expressed a strong desire to support the terrorist group and offered to send financial assistance to facilitate its operations. “It’s an honor to fight and die for our faith. It’s the best way to go to heaven,” Villanueva reportedly wrote. He also indicated his intention to join the fighters in the future.

Over a period of five months, Villanueva allegedly sent a total of $1,615 through 12 payments to intermediaries who were able to access these funds overseas, according to records from Western Union cited by the Department of Justice. During his arrest, FBI agents recovered what appeared to be a bomb from his bedroom, as shown in images posted on the FBI’s official social media accounts.

Patrick Grandy, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, stated, “Mr. Villanueva is alleged to have financially supported and pledged his allegiance to a terror group that targets the United States and our interests around the world.”

The case against Villanueva is part of a broader investigation into domestic terrorism. Just earlier this year, another individual, Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a 19-year-old former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was arrested for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a military base in Michigan on behalf of ISIS. On the planned day of the attack, Said was apprehended after he launched a drone near the base, intending to support his attack plan.

Said was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and for distributing information related to destructive devices. Prosecutors allege that he offered to assist undercover law enforcement officers in executing the attack by training them in firearms use, making Molotov cocktails, and providing armor-piercing ammunition.

These arrests highlight ongoing concerns regarding the recruitment and radicalization efforts by terrorist organizations operating within the United States. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies continue to monitor individuals who may pose a threat to national security.

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