MN man charged with ISIS support and Somalia travel plot

[Deeq A.]

Minneapolis – A Somali man residing in Minneapolis has been indicted on charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 22, is accused of praising an ISIS-inspired attack in New Orleans and attempting to travel to Somalia to join the militant group. 

Hassan was arrested Thursday and appeared in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, where he was ordered detained without bail pending a hearing on March 5.

A 34-page criminal complaint details two failed attempts by Hassan to travel to Somalia in December, thwarted by incomplete travel documents.  

FBI surveillance and thwarted travel

Federal investigators revealed that the FBI had been monitoring Hassan’s online activity, which included repeated pro-ISIS posts on social media.

In May 2024, the New York Police Department alerted the FBI to Hassan’s online presence, which featured videos promoting ISIS and al-Shabaab, an insurgent group operating in Somalia.  

On December 13, Hassan attempted to depart from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for Somalia but was denied boarding due to documentation issues.

A subsequent attempt on December 29 saw him fly to Chicago, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers questioned him before being released. He missed his connecting flight to Ethiopia and returned to Minneapolis.  

Radicalization and online propaganda

Investigators allege that Hassan’s radicalization intensified following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Court documents indicate he disseminated pro-ISIS videos on platforms like TikTok and Facebook and interacted with an account linked to Manjaniq Media Center, an ISIS recruitment platform targeting Somali supporters.

In recent weeks, Hassan allegedly posted a self-recorded video of himself driving with a knife on his lap. He was observed driving with an ISIS flag displayed inside his vehicle. 1 He was arrested the following day.    

Hassan is also accused of expressing support for Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old former U.S. Army soldier who carried out a vehicle attack on civilians in New Orleans on January 1.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “Those who support terrorist organizations operating within the United States, such as Abdisatar, pose a direct threat to our national security. They will be held accountable.”

FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. reiterated the agency’s commitment to combating terrorism.

“The FBI will aggressively investigate and apprehend anyone who supports terrorist organizations. Hassan’s attempts to join ISIS underscore the critical importance of ongoing vigilance,” he said.

Minnesota’s ongoing struggle with extremism

Hassan’s case marks the latest instance of a Minnesota resident facing charges related to alleged ISIS support.

In 2016, nine men from the state were convicted of conspiring to support terrorism. More recently, a Minnesota man who fought for ISIS in Iraq was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in June 2024.

Community leaders acknowledge that extremism remains a concern while also highlighting progress made in counter-radicalization efforts.

“We have made significant strides in addressing extremism in Minnesota,” said Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “Cases like this have become less frequent due to our collective efforts.”

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

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