A former New York man and dual citizen of the United States and Albania was arrested yesterday in New York on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and distributing instructional information regarding the making of explosives.
According to court documents, Erald Alimehmeti, 33, of Tirana, Albania, is a former resident of the Bronx, New York, and moved to Albania in 2014. Alimehmeti was arrested by Albanian authorities and imprisoned in late 2015 to 2019 and again from late 2020 to 2022 for weapons and assault offenses.
Between prison terms, Alimehmeti created and used numerous online accounts on encrypted messaging applications and social media websites to communicate with others about planning and training for attacks on behalf of ISIS. For example, in 2019, Alimehmeti expressed interest in “DC sniper” style attacks and referenced an “op” for which he sought the participation of confidential sources.
In addition, in 2019 and 2020, Alimehmeti regularly posted pro-ISIS propaganda online, praising specific ISIS leaders and promoting ISIS-issued publications and videos.
Alimehmeti also described his work compiling resources on mixing dangerous chemicals and making explosives to a confidential source and discussed how to make specific types of incendiaries to spray at innocent bystanders in a terrorist attack. On an encrypted messaging channel, Alimehmeti posted dozens of links and downloadable documents on topics such as explosives-making, firearms-handling, defensive tactics, and outdoor survival, with comments encouraging the use of these resources.
Alimehmeti is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of distribution of information pertaining to explosives, destructive devices, and weapons of mass destruction in furtherance of a federal crime of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists principally of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, and law enforcement partners in Albania and Australia, including the Australian Attorney-General’s Department, provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley and Jane Y. Chong for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jessica K. Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of Public Affairs – U.S. Department of Justice.
