Phoenix Man Gets 30 Years for ISIL Terror Plot

Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, 45, of Phoenix, Ariz., is behind bars for 360 months after being sentenced for his role in a deadly ISIL-inspired terror conspiracy. Convicted by a federal jury on March 17, 2016, Kareem faces the rest of his life under lock and key for plotting to bring war to American soil.

The charges? Conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization; conspiring to transport firearms and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit murder and aggravated assault; actually transporting those weapons; making false statements to the FBI; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Each count a brick in the foundation of a homegrown terror plot aimed at U.S. civilians and military.

The evidence laid bare a chilling plan. Beginning in June 2014, Kareem teamed up with Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi to wage violence in ISIL’s name. Their targets: military bases, service members, shopping malls, the Super Bowl, and ultimately, the ‘Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest’ in Garland, Texas. On May 3, 2015, Simpson and Soofi drove from Arizona to Texas, opened fire with assault rifles on law enforcement and security personnel, and were killed in a firefight. A security guard was wounded by their bullets.

Kareem never made it to Texas, but his fingerprints were all over the attack. He provided money to buy weapons, conducted firearms training with the pair, instructed them on weapon maintenance, and helped plan the operation. His absence at the scene didn’t shield him from accountability — it sealed it. Jurors saw him not as a bystander, but as a full partner in terror.

“Today’s sentence, in the country’s first trial involving a homeland terrorist attack committed in the name of ISIL, demonstrates the commitment of the United States to hold accountable any person who participates in or aids in any way acts of terrorism against our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. She credited Garland law enforcement, the FBI, and federal prosecutors for stopping what could have been a far greater bloodbath.

Michael DeLeon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Field Office, called the sentencing a warning: “The protection of U.S. citizens and our communities remains the FBI’s number one priority.” He emphasized the joint work of federal, state, and local agencies, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force. “This was not just a conviction,” DeLeon said. “It was a message.”

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