Federal prosecutors have charged a New York man with aiding and joining the international terrorist group ISIS.
The Department of Justice filed five charges against Ruslan Maratovich Asainov in a Brooklyn court on Tuesday. Asainov allegedly provided material support for ISIS while receiving training to become a sniper. He is also charged with obstruction of justice.
Asainov was born in Kazakhstan but lived in Brooklyn from 1998 to 2013 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen before allegedly traveling overseas to join ISIS.
The 43-year-old operated under two aliases, “Suleiman Al-Amriki” and “Suleiman Al-Kazakhi,” according to the indictment.
Asainov requested nearly $3,000 from a source to purchase a rifle scope in March 2015. He apparently received the money and later sent two photos to the source with him holding a rifle with a scope attached.
He sent messages to another saying about ISIS, “We are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed.” Asainov also said he wanted to die in battle for the terrorist group.
The Syrian Democratic Forces arrested Asainov and transferred him to the U.S. in July.
“In December 2013, the defendant traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, which is a common transit point to obtain entry into Syria. He subsequently entered Syria, joined ISIS, and became a sniper for the terrorist organization,” according to a DOJ complaint filed in July.
“Over time, the defendant rose through the ranks to become an ISIS ’emir’ in charge of training other ISIS members in the use of weapons. He also attempted to recruit another individual to travel from the United States to Syria to fight for ISIS,” the complaint said.
