DETROIT (Michigan News Source) — Federal prosecutors have charged Jibreel Pratt, a 25-year-old Detroit resident, with attempting to support ISIS through a complex plan involving weapons, battlefield gear, and advanced explosive devices. The indictment claims that Pratt meticulously prepared for his mission to join the terrorist group, leading to his arrest on May 28 after federal agents raided his grandparents’ home.
Court documents reveal that he bought airline tickets, special boots, a gas mask, and other gear to prepare for his mission. He also wrote goodbye letters to his family, expressing his disillusionment with his life in the United States and his desire to join ISIS. Federal attorneys have charged Pratt with two counts of attempting to give currency and monetary instruments to the terror group in March and May 2023. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
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Pratt’s plot was uncovered through a months-long undercover operation. An FBI informant, posing as an ISIS travel facilitator, communicated with Pratt and gathered evidence of his intentions. Pratt’s discussions included plans to use suicide drones and remote-controlled cars loaded with explosives, and he expressed a desire to create a specialized unit for intelligence-based operations to support ISIS.
During the raid on Pratt’s grandparents’ home, federal agents discovered a loaded gun and a cell phone hidden in a container of dog food, along with ammunition stashed inside a wall. This is particularly concerning as Pratt was not supposed to possess any firearms under the conditions of his bond from a previous criminal case involving cryptocurrency fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerome Gorgon Jr. and Douglas Salzenstein argued that Pratt is a danger to society and a flight risk, citing his extensive preparations and intent to avoid detection.
“Pratt had sporadic employment over the last few years, but was still able to accumulate several firearms, ammunition, combat gear, an apartment and sophisticated computer equipment,” court documents state. “And his cellphone showed that he had somehow accumulated over $102,000 in Bitcoin.”
According to the Detroit Free Press, Pratt allegedly told the informant: “I am ready to leave this place, for good,” and his determination to support ISIS did not waver despite his previous legal troubles.
Prosecutors also revealed that Pratt had engaged in various criminal acts as part of his plan, including sending Bitcoin payments to support ISIS, devising schemes to use suicide drones, and plotting to flee the country with a fraudulent passport. He had even targeted and doxxed a federal agent and expressed his willingness to create a terrorist cell in the United States.
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Pratt is currently detained pending a hearing.
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