FBI arrests Minneapolis man who attempted to join ISIS

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Sunday March 2, 2025

Credit: United States Attorney’s Office District of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn (HOL) — A Minneapolis man who allegedly praised an Islamic State-linked attack in New Orleans and attempted to travel to Somalia to join the terrorist group has been charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 22, was arrested on Thursday and appeared in U.S. District Court, where he was ordered held without bail pending a detention hearing on March 5. According to a 34-page criminal complaint, Hassan twice attempted to leave the United States for Somalia in December but failed due to incomplete travel documents.

Federal investigators allege Hassan was closely monitored by the FBI after making multiple social media posts supporting ISIS. In May 2024, New York police tipped off the FBI about Hassan's online activities, which included videos promoting both ISIS and al-Shabab, a Somali-based militant group.

On December 13, FBI agents observed Hassan at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport attempting to board a flight to Somalia. Airline staff denied his check-in due to missing paperwork, and he left the airport. Authorities say he made another attempt on December 29, flying to Chicago, where Customs and Border Protection officers detained him for questioning before releasing him. He missed his connecting flight to Ethiopia and returned to Minneapolis.

Investigators say Hassan's radicalization accelerated after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Court documents allege he shared ISIS propaganda videos on TikTok and Facebook and communicated with a Facebook account linked to the Manjaniq Media Center, which promotes ISIS recruitment among Somali speakers.

Last week, authorities say Hassan posted a video of himself holding a knife on his lap while driving. On February 21 and again on February 26, FBI agents observed him driving with an ISIS flag inside his vehicle. The next day, he was taken into custody.

Hassan also allegedly expressed admiration for Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran who carried out a deadly truck attack in New Orleans on January 1. Authorities say Jabbar drove a pickup truck through a crowd of revellers on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, before police fatally shot him. Hassan reportedly praised Jabbar in multiple social media posts before his arrest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick emphasized the severity of the charges, stating, "Those who support foreign terrorist organizations in our homeland—like Hassan—are a clear and present threat to our national security. They will be held to account."

Alvin M. Winston Sr., special agent in charge of the FBI's Minneapolis field office, reiterated the agency's commitment to counterterrorism efforts. "The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate and arrest anyone who assists foreign terrorist organizations. Hassan's alleged attempts to join ISIS highlight the ongoing need for vigilance," he said.

Hassan is the latest in a series of Minnesota residents suspected of attempting to join ISIS. In 2016, nine men from the state were convicted of conspiring to travel overseas for terrorist activities. More recently, in June 2024, a Minnesotan who fought for ISIS in Iraq was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Community leaders stress that radicalization remains a concern but highlight significant progress in countering extremist recruitment. "We've made tremendous strides in reversing radicalization in Minnesota," said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota. "Cases like this are increasingly rare because of our efforts."

Hassan is scheduled to appear in court again on March 5 in St. Paul before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko.

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