A 30-year-old Houston resident faces up to 15 years in federal prison after admitting in court to concealing material support for ISIS and making false statements to law enforcement.
Anas Said pleaded guilty on July 24 before U.S. District Judge David Hittner. Court records show Said, an admitted supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, used multiple social media platforms to post and distribute propaganda for the designated terrorist group.
Investigators found that Said used the messaging app Telegram to share media he created. In one instance, he sent a video clip to the Sarh al-Khilafah Institution—also known as Tower of the Caliphate—which agreed to publish it.
Federal authorities describe Sarh al-Khilafah as an online media group that operates on behalf of ISIS, sharing content ranging from operational security advice to chemical and explosive guides.
According to prosecutors, Said acknowledged he knew the media entity worked directly with ISIS. Before the video was published, he stripped his name from the design credits to hide his involvement.
Said also admitted to lying to law enforcement officers about a firearm he owned and discussed on social media. In his plea agreement, Said acknowledged making a statement online saying, “I am thinking and hoping to kill the infidels with a weapon and as many people as possible in order to heal my heart.”
Judge Hittner is scheduled to sentence Said on Oct. 16. The charge of concealing material support carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, while the charge for making false statements carries up to five years. Each count also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.
Said remains in federal custody.
The case was investigated by the FBI Houston Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Houston, Sugar Land, and Houston Metro police departments, as well as the Harris and Montgomery County sheriff’s offices and several federal agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Liesel Roscher are prosecuting the case.
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