Authorities said that two terrorist fighters, living in the United States as refugees that passed through the Obama administration vetting process, were arrested on terrorism-related charges last week. The men were discovered to have ties to the Islamic State, including a refugee from Syria who is charged with lying to federal investigators about his previous loyalties to the Islamic extremist group.
A criminal complaint unsealed Thursday accuses one man, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, of Sacramento, of traveling to Syria to fight and lying to investigators about it.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office based in Houston, Texas, said late Thursday that Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, of Houston, was indicted Wednesday on three charges that he tried to provide material support to the extremists.
Al Hardan arrest sparked immediate criticism of the Obama administration’s refugee policies from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“This is precisely why I called for a halt to refugees entering the U.S. from countries substantially controlled by terrorists,” Abbott said in a statement. “I once again urge the President to halt the resettlement of these refugees in the United States until there is an effective vetting process that will ensure refugees do not compromise the safety of Americans and Texans.”
Both men are Palestinians born in Iraq, authorities said.
The complaint in federal court in Sacramento said Al-Jayab came to the United States from Syria as a refugee in October 2012. While living in Arizona and Wisconsin, he communicated on social media about his intent to return to Syria to fight for terrorist organizations and discussed his previous experience fighting against the regime in Syria, starting shortly after he turned 16. When he was being vetted and interviewed by citizenship officials, he lied about his travels and ties, the complaint alleges.
He left the United States in November 2013, but he came to Sacramento in January 2014, the FBI said in a 20-page affidavit.
Social media and other accounts say that as soon as he arrived in the United States, he began saying he wanted to return to Syria to “work,” which the FBI says is believed to be a reference “to assisting in and supporting violent jihad.” Authorities said he eventually fought with various terrorist organizations, including Ansar al-Islam, which in 2014 merged with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant after Al-Jayab had returned to the United States.
Federal authorities say Al-Jayab encouraged Al Hardan to join ISIS and promised to teach him how to fight. He promised to train Al Hardan on how to use weapons and advised him on how he would be assigned to fight once he arrived in Syria.
Authorities say Al-Jayab fought twice in Syria, including with a group later affiliated with the Islamic State organization.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento said Al-Jayab was arrested Thursday morning in Sacramento.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Then we read about our politicians working towards letting huge numbers of folks like this into the U.S.. The politicians label anyone concerned as intolerant or bigoted. Yet, the politicians rarely if ever criticize these middle eastern haters. As long as the welfare pays for it and they are settled in working class cities and towns the politicians don’t care.
Media, DEM’s, and RINO’s bash Donald Trump about the truth: Protect U.S. Citizens first! That the USA must place an immediate stop – for an interim period of time – to any refugee’s, immigrants, and/or work Visa’s for ANYONE coming from a questionable middle eastern Countries until this is figured out. Anyone who has travelled to a Country in the last 5 years (minimum) known to support Islamic terrorist group should also be barred from entering the United States until this is figured out. It is common sense to protect American citizen’s as first priority. Just look to Germany’s refugee problems – the U.S. must avoid that situation at any cost.
Great job Mr. President. WTF? Once again I say wake-up people.
Time to take back our country. It will be the same with Hillary in that position too.
Arrest obummer! He let them into this country!! We need to behead these two on national T.V.!!
This is the reason that NO refugees from Syria or any other Muslim country should be allowed into the United States. This only proves that Obama’s background checks or Vetting system as it is called doesn’t work. They hide being radical very well.
Once again we see the folly of this president’s refugee plans. The safest and best thing we can do is establish refugee camps on or near the Syrian border and care for these people there. The truth is there is no foolproof way to vet these refugees to determine whether they are true refugees or opportunistic terrorists. President Obama seems to have no shortage of bad ideas which can harm Americans.
We will now have to check ALL American Muslims traveling from the US. We have to see where they are going even to Canada, Europe and Latin America if they have terrorist contacts.
All I have to say is “Dinesh D’Souza”. He warned us all in Obama 2016. Obama may not be a Muslim himself but, he does sympathize with them and thinks they are A-OK. When all of these things can happen and it is right before EVERYONE’S eyes and people are still stupid enough to say “Hillary” or “Muslims are a peaceful people”, we are truly doomed and this would match right up with Biblical End Times as much as everyone thinks End Timers cry wolf all the time. This is just insane and D’Souza was dead on in what he predicted about Obama’s presidency.