Michigan Man Convicted Supporting ISIS, Possessing Bomb Device

Aws Mohammed Naser, a 37-year-old man from Michigan, was convicted by a federal jury of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and possession of a destructive device after a five-week trial. Evidence showed Naser became radicalized, posting extreme Salafi-Jihadist content online and associating with jihadist Russell Dennison, who died in Syria in 2019. Naser attempted twice to travel overseas to join ISIS but was denied boarding; after serving prison time for armed robbery, he refocused on supporting ISIS domestically by building a bomb and engaging with ISIS propaganda on social media. Federal authorities described Naser as a bombmaker and a self-avowed “son of the Islamic State,” with the FBI emphasizing its commitment to identifying and prosecuting those who support violent extremism. He faces up to 20 years in prison for aiding a terrorist organization and up to 15 years for possessing the destructive device, with sentencing pending before a federal judge. This case highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. law enforcement to disrupt domestic terrorism threats.