SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Russian national who called Sacramento home was handed a 12-year prison sentence for his attempts to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on March 23.
Murat Kurashev, 37, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated foreign terrorist organization that operates in Syria, according to court documents.
“This sentence holds Kurashev accountable for attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert. “Kurashev’s attempts to provide that material support were not isolated. They took place over a substantial period of time and his intent with those financial transfers was clear.”
Between July 2020 and February 2021, Kurashev used money transfer services to send approximately $13,000 to two known couriers of an HTS fundraiser, records show. Surveillance footage captured Kurashev during some of these transactions at money transfer businesses.
Social media and encrypted mobile messaging discussions revealed Kurashev was well aware of the fundraiser’s violent extremist ideology and participation in HTS. He expressed a desire to join the fight in Syria as a mujahideen, but was only able to provide financial support.
Forensic analysis of Kurashev’s Apple iCloud account found it to be filled with violent extremist content, including a video depicting HTS fighters. The case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Heiko P. Coppola and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin prosecuting the case.
“The FBI’s mission is clear – to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution,” said Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Anyone who provides support to a terrorist organization is a threat to the safety and security of all Americans, both here and abroad.”
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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