USA
Islamic State operatives arrested after illegally crossing the US border
On June 11, eight Tajik nationals with ties to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) were arrested in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia on immigration charges. Wiretaps were instrumental in tracking their movements, leading to their apprehension by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security. The suspects, linked to ISKP’s expanding network, are currently in custody pending extradition.
The investigation reveals ISKP’s efforts to expand beyond Central Asia, utilizing Tajik jihadists to bolster operations in the U.S. and Europe. The wiretaps and subsequent arrests indicate that ISKP may be exploiting vulnerabilities at the U.S. border to facilitate terrorist infiltration, raising concerns about the group’s operational capacity in the West. This case emphasizes the importance of surveillance in counterterrorism efforts, as wiretap evidence played a crucial role in preventing potential attacks.
The arrests underscore growing fears that terrorist groups like ISKP are capitalizing on the U.S. border crisis, with FBI Director Christopher Wray and other officials warning of an elevated threat from Islamist terrorists crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.