Federal authorities unsealed charges Friday against a North Side man that alleged he was a leader of the Islamic State’s online propaganda wing who used social media to recruit fighters for the terrorist organization and encourage others to carry out terrorist attacks.
Shackled at the ankles in federal court, Ashraf Al Safoo, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Iraqi descent, was ordered held in custody until a detention hearing next week.[…]
A 59-page criminal complaint accused Al Safoo, 34, of being a leader of Khattab Media Foundation, an internet-based propaganda organization that has sworn an oath of allegiance to Islamic State, also known as ISIS.
“Brothers, roll up your sleeves!” Al Safoo allegedly posted in one Khattab-related forum in May. “Cut video publications into small clips, take still shots, and post the hard work of your brothers in the apostate’s pages and sites. Participate in the war, and spread fear.”
Authorities said the foundation ran like a well-oiled public relations firm, with writers, editors, tech advisers and audiovisual producers all pushing a central message of fear, violence and death.
When mistakes were made, employees were reprimanded, the complaint said. Last December, an editor sent out an officewide note about an embarrassing gaffe on a design featuring President Donald Trump that a member had mistranslated from Arabic using a Google app.
“Instead of writing ‘beheading’ Trump, he wrote ‘kissing and hugging’ Trump,” the federal charges quoted the memo as saying. “The Americans started laughing at the Islamic State. The image has circulated and it became a joke.”
Al Safoo faces one count of conspiracy to provide support to a terrorist organization, a charge that carries a maximum of 20 years in prison on conviction.
Speaking in a loud, clear voice in court, Al Safoo told U.S. Magistrate Judge David Weisman that he works for an information technology company and has a master’s degree in computer science. When Weisman asked him if he understood the charges, he said, “Yes, I do, your honor.”
Prosecutors said they will seek to have Al Safoo held without bond pending trial, calling him a risk to flee and a danger to the community. Weisman set a detention hearing for Thursday.
The Khattab group uses a network of Twitter accounts and profiles on YouTube and other social media channels to celebrate terrorist attacks across the globe and highlight mass shootings in the U.S., according to the charges. The group also encourages “lone wolf” attacks in Western countries and has aggressively promoted violence during the Christmas season, the charges alleged.
via Weasel Zippers
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