ISIS Supporter Pleads Guilty to Material Support of Terrorism

MINNEAPOLIS - Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of Attempting to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

"There is no margin for error when it comes to terrorism," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. "Hassan flew the ISIS flag, venerated attacks on the homeland, and wanted to kill Americans. We are not taking chances. We will not let Minnesota become a safe haven for terrorists."

According to court documents, the FBI received a tip of an online social media user publicly supporting Al Shabab, and later ISIS, in multiple posts. Both Al Shabab and ISIS have been designated by the Secretary of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Further investigation showed that the posts were made by Hassan's social media accounts. Hassan's social media posts included, among other things, propaganda videos calling for jihad, or holy war, in Somalia, the overthrow of the Somali government and establishment of an Islamic caliphate, and logos of the black ISIS flag. Hassan highlighted and praised ISIS and ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks, both globally and in the United States, including the January 1, 2025 New Orleans attacker who killed 14 individuals. The day after the attack, Hassan referred to this murderer as "the legend that killed Americans."

In December 2024, Hassan twice attempted to travel one-way from Minnesota to Somalia, via Ethiopia, with the intent to join and fight on behalf of ISIS. FBI agents conducted surveillance of Hassan on both attempts. On the first attempt, Hassan was denied boarding by the airline, because he did not have proper travel documents. After purchasing additional travel documents, including a visa, Hassan again attempted to travel to Somalia to join ISIS on the same one-way itinerary. Customs and Border Protection agents in Chicago interviewed and conducted a secondary inspection of Hassan and his belongings before his international flight to Ethiopia. Inside Hassan's only carry-on bag, agents found Hassan's birth certificate, naturalization certificate, and high school diploma.

An inspection of Hassan's cell phones revealed multiple social media posts supporting ISIS and jihad, direct messages with an ISIS media wing, as well as text exchanges with an apparent ISIS recruiter, whom Hassan referred to as "uncle" and "commander," discussing Hassan's travel to Somalia and referencing the "battlefield." Agents also located two downloaded .pdf documents regarding sniper skills and sniper trading within a social media messaging app channel displaying the ISIS flag as a logo.

During the interview, Hassan admitted that he supports ISIS, regularly views and posts ISIS propaganda on social media, and professed his belief in establishing an Islamic caliphate.

In February 2025, Hassan posted two videos of himself while driving his car. One video briefly displayed an unfolded buck-style knife on Hassan's lap and the other video showed Hassan holding a homemade black ISIS flag while driving.

At the time of his arrest by FBI agents in late February 2025, the FBI seized two cellphones and the folding buck-style knife, noted above, on Hassan's person, and the homemade black ISIS flag in Hassan's vehicle. During a warrant-authorized search of Hassan's cellphones, the FBI discovered, among other things, various .pdf files, some in Arabic, consisting of instruction manuals on making explosive C-4, explosive urea nitrate, explosive hexamine, explosive HMTD, and ammunition. The search also revealed a messaging app exchange from December 21, 2024 wherein Hassan stated, "I will become ISIS straight away." Additionally, the cellphones revealed numerous internet searches about ISIS and ISIS activities between December 2024 and February 2025, including such terms as: "Somalia weapons," "gun ranges," "isis areas," "urea fertilizer," and "isis supporter America."

"Today's guilty plea reflects many hours of hard work by agents and analysts from the FBI," said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. "Keeping Minnesota safe from those who support Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations like ISIS and Al Shabab is a top priority of the FBI. ISIS and Al Shabab represent a clear threat to all Americans. We will identify and investigate anyone foolish enough to provide support to these terrorists."

Hassan pleaded guilty this morning to Attempting to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization before District Judge Donovan W. Frank in U.S. District Court. The defendant's sentencing hearing will be held at a later date. The defendant has been detained throughout this case and remains detained pending his sentencing.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the New York Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar is prosecuting the case.