The Justice Department announced on Wednesday that a Tajik man who is residing in the United States illegally has been charged with attempting to offer support to the Islamic State and other terror groups. The charges include providing financial assistance to the families of terrorists who were killed in the battlefield.
Mansuri Manuchekhri, 33, a resident of Brooklyn, New York, made an appearance before a federal judge on Wednesday and was subsequently ordered to be detained, as per authorities. Additionally, court documents reveal that he is facing charges of possessing firearms while being unlawfully present in the United States, as well as immigration fraud.
“Under no circumstances will my Department of Justice tolerate terrorism,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
According to reports, Manuchekhri has been accused of being involved in the transfer of $70,000 to individuals linked to ISIS in Turkey and Syria. These funds allegedly reached someone who was later apprehended for their alleged participation in an attack on a church in Istanbul during a morning mass.
The Islamic State-Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack.
“As alleged, the defendant, who was in the United States illegally, not only facilitated tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to ISIS extremists overseas, but trained with assault rifles at shooting ranges in the United States and declared his readiness to ISIS,” U.S. Attorney John Durham said.
Manuchekhri arrived in the United States from Tajikistan in June 2016 on a non-immigrant tourist visa. However, he decided to stay in the country even after his visa expired in December 2016.
In March 2017, Manuchekhri reportedly paid an American citizen to enter into a fraudulent marriage in order to gain legal status. Unfortunately, his petition was rejected due to his failure to provide the necessary supporting documents, as stated by the Justice Department.
In August 2024, the New York State Terrorism Tips Hotline received a call from a concerned family member regarding Manuchekhri, a truck driver who frequently traveled across the U.S. The FBI was promptly alerted about the situation, as there were worries about the potential for Manuchekhri to engage in acts of violence.
According to a family member, Manuchekhri had made repeated threats to kill them.
Between December 2021 and April 2023, Manuchekhri allegedly sent approximately $70,000 to individuals linked to ISIS in Turkey and Syria, according to federal prosecutors. Court documents reveal that he also engaged in communication with an individual based in Turkey who claimed that the funds would be distributed among members of ISIS or ISIS-K, as well as their families.
In addition, Manuchekhri supported ISIS attacks and has several ISIS propaganda movies on his iCloud account. He also owned several guns and frequented shooting ranges.
According to federal prosecutors, there were several images of him with guns in his iCloud account.
Manuchekhri could potentially face a maximum of 45 years in prison if found guilty.
