WEST NEW YORK – Alaa Saadeh, 24, of West New York, pleaded guilty on Oct. 29 before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring with others to provide material support to the so-called Islamic State, or ISIL. He remains detained without bail.
According to a release issued by U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, and Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel of the FBI’s Newark Division, Saadeh admitted that he conspired to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“Alaa Saadeh is the second defendant in this case who has admitted trying to provide material support to a known terrorist organization,” Fishman said. “That organization, and others who share its goals, are intent on recruiting people in this country and around the world to join their campaign against our security. The fight against these kinds of groups is going on around the world, but is also being waged here at home. They are intent on threatening the safety of Americans here and abroad, and we and our law enforcement partners are intent on stopping them.”
“Saadeh conspired with his brother and others to travel overseas to join ISIL,” Assistant Attorney General Carlin said. “The National Security Division’s highest priority is counterterrorism and we will continue to pursue justice against those who seek to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”
Admitted his plan to join
Saadeh admitted that prior to his arrest on June 29, 2015 by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) he planned to travel overseas to join ISIL along with others. Saadeh discussed the plans to join ISIL with his brother, Nader Saadeh, Samuel Rahamin Topaz, and Munther Omar Saleh, and admitted that at various times each of them indicated that they wanted to join ISIL.
Saadeh also admitted he watched ISIL-related videos with Nader Saadeh and Topaz, some of which depicted the execution of individuals – both Muslim and non-Muslim – regarded by ISIL as enemies.
On May 5, 2015, Saadeh’s brother, Nader Saadeh, departed the United States with plans to travel overseas to join ISIL as part of the conspiracy, according to Alaa Saadeh’s statements in court. Saadeh admitted assisting his brother with these plans by letting him purchase airline tickets using Saadeh’s credit card and by removing the SIM card from Nader’s smartphone and resetting the smartphone in an effort to avoid detection. Saadeh admitted that Saleh assisted Nader Saadeh by giving him a contact who would facilitate Nader’s travel from Turkey to ISIL in Syria.
Saadeh admitted that after Nader Saadeh left the United States, Saleh and Topaz intended to travel overseas to join ISIL. After becoming aware the FBI was investigating this matter, Saadeh instructed an individual who knew of Nader Saadeh’s support for ISIL to lie to the FBI if the individual was interviewed. Saadeh told this individual to “just play stupid,” “pretend it never happened,” and “keep it honest up to a point,” according to the government’s release.
Saadeh admitted knowing that ISIL was a designated terrorist organization and was taking over territory overseas, expelling non-Muslims from their homes, and executing individuals who did not obey ISIL’s commands.
Saadeh’s alleged conspirators are being prosecuted and are currently in federal custody. On Sept. 9, 2015, Topaz pleaded guilty before Judge Wigenton to conspiring to provide material support to ISIL. Nader Saadeh has been charged in a criminal complaint with conspiring to provide material support to ISIL, among other charges. Saleh has been indicted on terrorism-related charges brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.