American Informants Pose as ISIS Members to Engage Autistic Teen Online, Leading to Terrorism Charges
The Intercept has reported that four Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) operatives posed as members of the Islamic State organization, commencing online communication with Hamza Meskour when he was just 16 years old. He was later arrested on terrorism-related charges weeks after his 18th birthday.
According to a report by Murtaza Hussain for the site, it was barely moments after Hamza Meskour finished his procedures at the Denver airport that he was apprehended by the FBI. The young man, diagnosed with a developmental disability, was confronted with accusations of terrorism.
Meskour had planned to travel to Dubai and then to Syria or Afghanistan as part of his alleged conspiracy to join the Islamic State group. The ticket for the journey had been paid for over a year in advance when Meskour was 16, via an online connection with four individuals whom the young man believed were members of the organization.
As a result of his conversations with the FBI, Meskour could face lengthy punishment for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization. However, members of his family claimed in the initial court session that Meskour suffers from mental difficulties and has been diagnosed with autism. Nonetheless, the judge ordered his detention pending trial despite his young age.
Law enforcement agents first learned of Meskour’s activities in support of the Islamic State group online in November 2021. Rather than alerting his family, Meskour's lawyers state that the FBI agents pretended to be members of the group, befriended him, and postponed entrapping him until he became legally an adult.
National security expert and law professor Sahar Aziz commented, "This case appears consistent with a common pattern seen in dozens of terrorism-related cases where the FBI effectively fabricated terrorism trials. In this instance, the individual would have sat in his relatives’ basement posting offensive content in a manner similar to white supremacists, on whom the FBI does not spend huge resources."
Known to Police
Meskour first appeared on the authorities' radar due to his social media postings. According to the complaint, he began publishing in support of terrorism in November 2021. The platform he used alerted the FBI to the suspicious activity.
In July 2022, the police were summoned to Meskour's home after he allegedly assaulted a family member. Two months later, the boy started communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as a member of the Islamic State group. This agent subsequently introduced him to three other undercover FBI agents with the same guise.
Encouraged by the four agents, Meskour formulated a plan to support the terrorist group, alongside intensive discussions about the kinds of services he could provide to the organization. He trusted the agents due to feelings of boredom, family issues, hopes of marriage, and his mental health struggles. He complained of being under 18 and under familial supervision.
Meskour’s concerns came through in the conversations detailed in the indictment. He repeatedly hesitated about joining the Islamic State group, worrying that "the brothers there might not help me get married and might confine me to something and throw me into the field," and at one point suggested he might instead get a job and finish his high school education.
In their talks, the agents warned Meskour that "life would not be easy" after joining the Islamic State group, yet they continued to offer assistance in planning his journey. Despite his reluctance, it appeared that Meskour eventually agreed to the FBI's proposal and went to the airport weeks after turning 18.
FBI’s Terrorism Investigation Plan
When Meskour popped up on the law enforcement radar, it was indicated that he had been in contact with other supporters of the group. However, the more substantive planning of Meskour's actions, which led to a federal indictment for terrorism, was done entirely with a group of undercover FBI agents who had been in close contact with him over several months, representing a test of how far a vulnerable youth was prepared to commit a crime.
Sahar Aziz remarked, "It's clear this is a waste of government resources. If there is a serious terrorist threat in America, the FBI shouldn't be spending time setting up a trap for a mentally ill minor."
The relative who accompanied Meskour to the airport was unaware of the reason for his leaving the country. Meskour told the agent, "My family knows I am leaving but doesn't know the reason. They're extremely sad, and it has affected my mental health. I don't know how to properly say my final goodbye to them or convey the reasons for my departure without hurting myself."
