WASHINGTON — A Maryland man who admitted to helping ISIS has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Mohamed Elshinawy, 33, of Edgewood, pleaded guilty to providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, terrorism financing, and making false statements in connection with a terrorism matter.
According to court records, Elshinawy first showed up on the FBI’s radar in July 2015 after he received a wire transfer for $1,000 from Egypt.
The transfer of the money, which investigators believed could possibly be used for nefarious purposes, led to FBI investigators interviewing Elshinawy.
His first interviews, according to prosecutors, included false information to investigators on his involvement with the terror organization and his intentions for collecting the money.
Prosecutors said at first, Elshinawy claimed he was collecting the money sent to him to defraud ISIS. In later interviews, investigators said he admitted to conspiring to help the terror organization in Maryland and elsewhere with personnel and financial services.
Among the evidence against Elshinawy were various conversations he had with an alleged Islamic State operative overseas. Those comments, according to court documents, included pledging his allegiance to the terrorist organization and describing himself as a soldier committed to making “violent jihad.”
He is accused by investigators of trying to support the terror group between February and December 2015.
In a plea deal, prosecutors said Elshinawy also admitted to collecting close to $8,700 from a foreign company in the United Kingdom, which was to be used to fund a terrorist attack in the U.S.
Elshinawy’s prison stay will be followed by 15 years of supervised release.
