A former resident of Bergen County today admitted that he conspired to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, and Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel of the FBI’s Newark Division announced.
Nader Saadeh, 20, of Rutherford, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring with others to provide material support to ISIL. He remains detained without bail.
“Nader Saadeh is the last of the three defendants charged in the District of New Jersey in this case to admit his role in trying to provide material support to a known terrorist organization,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “ISIL is intent on threatening the safety of Americans here and abroad, and we and our law enforcement partners are just as intent on stopping them.”
“Nader Saadeh conspired with others, including his brother, to travel to Syria to join ISIL,” Assistant Attorney General Carlin said. “Counterterrorism is the National Security Division’s highest priority and we will continue to hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”
According to documents filed in this and related cases and statements made in court:
Saadeh admitted that prior to his arrest on Aug. 10, 2015, by the FBI-Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), he planned to travel overseas to join ISIL along with others. Saadeh discussed his plans to join ISIL with his brother, Alaa Saadeh, Samuel Rahamin Topaz, Munther Omar Saleh, and Fareed Mumuni, and admitted that at various times each of them indicated that they wanted to join ISIL. Saadeh also admitted that he and these other men watched ISIL-related videos, some of which depicted the execution of individuals – both Muslim and non-Muslim – regarded by ISIL as enemies.
On May 5, 2015, Saadeh departed the United States with plans to travel overseas to join ISIL in furtherance of the conspiracy, according to his statements in court today. Saadeh admitted that once he reached ISIL-controlled territory he intended to fight on behalf of ISIL. Saadeh further admitted that Saleh assisted him by giving him a contact who would facilitate his travel from Turkey to ISIL in Syria.
Saadeh admitted that prior to his departure from the United States Saleh showed him technical drawings for making homemade bombs.
Saadeh admitted that Saleh and Mumuni discussed plans to carry out an attack in ISIL’s name using homemade bombs at locations in New York City, including Times Square, the World Trade Center, and Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, in Queens, New York.