Ammaad Akhtar, 33, of Stockton, was arrested today and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.
According to court documents, since February 2025, Akhtar has been communicating online with a law enforcement-controlled individual, whom Akhtar believed was a member of ISIS.
In these conversations, Akhtar voiced his support for ISIS and jihad, expressed a desire to travel overseas to join and fight with ISIS, and stated a desire to send guns and money to ISIS.
In April 2025, during this investigation, Akhtar demonstrated a desire to provide support for ISIS and did so by providing financial funding on multiple occasions. After a few payments, the law enforcement-controlled individual indicated that ISIS had procured several guns with the money Akhtar had sent. In his response, Akhtar said, “May Allah destroy our enemies” and affirmed that he would send more money that same day.
Akhtar also talked about planning acts of violence, including conducting an attack against a specific individual and an attack utilising homemade explosives. He said he “want[s] to die in the cause of Allah fighting the kuffar [infidels]” and asked for instructions on how to make a homemade explosive device in order “to make a boom” at a populated event.
Then, on June 23, 2025, Akhtar met with an individual he believed was an ISIS associate, but who was an undercover employee. Akhtar provided clothing, binoculars, $400 cash, two loaded guns, and six additional magazines. Akhtar then swore bayat (a pledge of loyalty) to ISIS.
If convicted, Akhtar faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
