A U.S. federal grand jury has indicted a U.S. man on charges of conspiring to support the Islamic State group.
The indictment, released Thursday, says Mohamad Elshinawy, 30, of Maryland, "conspired to provide material support" to IS and "received funds in order to carry out an attack."
The indictment says that between February and December 2015, Elshinawy and a contact overseas recruited and sought to recruit others to join the Islamic State using "various methods of surreptitious and other forms of communication in order to conceal their criminal association."
It says Elshinawy purchased a cellphone and registered it under a fake name and address to communicate securely with other IS operatives.
"This case demonstrates how terrorists exploit modern technology to inculcate sympathizers and build hidden networks, but federal agents and prosecutors are working tirelessly and using every available lawful tool to disrupt their evil schemes," said Rod Rosenstein, U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland.
The indictment says that in conversations with his brother, whom he allegedly tried to recruit, Elshinawy pledged "loyalty to the ISIL [Islamic State] leadership and commitment to perpetuating violent jihad."
He also allegedly received over $5,000 from overseas wire transfers to conduct attacks on behalf of Islamic State.
He faces up to 43 years in prison if convicted.
