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A U.S. Navy sailor faces federal charges after allegedly attempting to provide financial support to ISIS with the goal of enabling an attack on American service members, according to court documents unsealed Tuesday. Seaman Bareen Dzayee, 22, is accused of offering to pay an ISIS member to carry out the attack using drones and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) overseas.

The Justice Department announced that Dzayee, assigned to the USS Roosevelt, communicated with an individual he believed was an ISIS member online, beginning in July 2023. Prosecutors allege Dzayee expressed a desire to support ISIS and offered to provide funds to facilitate an attack targeting U.S. military personnel. The individual Dzayee communicated with was actually an undercover FBI informant.

Court documents detail Dzayee’s alleged attempts to send money to the informant, discussing specific methods to avoid detection. He reportedly expressed a willingness to provide escalating amounts of money to finance the planned attack. The FBI began monitoring Dzayee’s online activity after receiving a tip.

Dzayee was taken into custody on Monday and charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He appeared in federal court in San Diego and faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released further details regarding the specific location where the planned attack was to occur.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about potential threats from within the military and the efforts of law enforcement agencies to counter terrorism financing and recruitment. The Navy has stated it is cooperating fully with the investigation and taking appropriate administrative actions regarding Dzayee's status.