American Citizen Indicted for Role as ISIS Sniper, Weapons Instructor

A five-count indictment was filed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, 43, also known as “Suleiman Al-Amriki” and “Suleiman Al-Kazakhi,” with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS; providing material support to ISIS in the form of personnel, training, expert advice and assistance and weapons; receipt of military-type training from ISIS; and obstruction of justice.  If convicted, Asainov faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.  Asainov will be arraigned at a later date.

As detailed in court filings, Asainov is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kazakhstan, who resided in Brooklyn.  As alleged, in December 2013, Asainov traveled on a one-way ticket to Istanbul, Turkey, a common transit point to obtain entry into Syria.  He subsequently entered Syria, joined ISIS and became a sniper for the terrorist organization.  Over time, Asainov rose through the ranks to become an ISIS “emir” in charge of training other ISIS members in the use of weapons.  He also attempted to recruit another individual to travel from the United States to Syria to fight for ISIS.

As further alleged, in March 2015, Asainov asked a confidential informant to send him approximately $2,800 so that he could purchase a scope for his rifle.  Asainov subsequently sent the confidential informant two photographs of himself holding an assault rifle fitted with a scope.  Asainov messaged one individual, exclaiming in reference to ISIS, “we are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed,” and added that he wished to die on the battlefield.

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