Muse Muse, ISIS Support, Michigan 2023

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Lansing Man Gets 78 Months for ISIS Support

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – In a federal courthouse, Muse Muse, a 22-year-old Lansing man, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, Muse Muse coordinated with an individual he believed to be a Somali ISIS fighter to wire funds to purchase airline tickets for travel to Mogadishu, Somalia, where he believed he would meet an ISIS representative. The investigation led to the arrest of Muse Muse and his relatives, Mohamud Muse and Mohamed Haji, who were also charged in connection with the plot.

Muse Muse admitted to the court that he wanted to join ISIS in Somalia to avoid carrying out an attack in the United States. He also acknowledged that he had discussed traveling overseas to join ISIS and had even adopted a fighter alias. The court found that Muse Muse’s age, lack of personal financial resources, and potential for rehabilitation were factors considered in imposing the 78-month sentence.

In a statement to the FBI, Muse Muse wrote that he wanted to join ISIS in Somalia so he wouldn’t have to do an attack in the United States. His relatives, Mohamud Muse and Mohamed Haji, have also pled guilty in connection with the plot and await sentencing.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Joint Terrorism Task Force. The government had sought a sentence of 178 months in prison, consistent with the sentence recommended by the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

Following his release from prison, Muse Muse will serve 10 years of supervised release. His relatives, Mohamud Muse and Mohamed Haji, are also facing sentencing for their roles in the conspiracy.

In a disturbing display of their affiliations, Muse Muse and his relatives had discussed traveling overseas to join ISIS and even celebrated a deadly vehicle attack in New York City. The case highlights the ongoing threat of terrorism and the importance of vigilance in preventing such crimes.

The court’s decision to impose a 78-month sentence is seen as a compromise between the government’s request and the defendant’s potential for rehabilitation. The case serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of supporting terrorist organizations and the importance of cooperation with law enforcement in preventing such crimes.