A resident of Texas has been federally charged for allegedly trying to aid ISIS by interacting with an undercover agent, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The individual, identified as John Michael Garza, Jr., a 21-year-old from Midlothian, Texas, faces charges related to attempting to support a recognized foreign terrorist group.
FBI Director Kash Patel, in a conversation with Fox News Digital, revealed that Garza “actively pursued violent jihad by raising funds for terrorists and working on explosive devices.”
Patel stated, “The FBI detected the threat early, pursued it with determination, and neutralized it before any harm could be done. Protecting Americans is our core mission, and we are committed to it every day.”
Federal prosecutors have charged a man from Texas, alleging he tried to provide support to ISIS through an undercover operative. (Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The DOJ reports that Garza allegedly met with an undercover agent on December 22, bringing along materials needed for bomb construction, thinking he was meeting an “ISIS brother.”
“During the meeting, Garza described how to mix the components and offered to send an instructional video explaining how to build the bomb,” the DOJ said. “Law enforcement agents arrested Garza shortly after he left the meeting.”
The DOJ also said that Garza paid the undercover agent small amounts of cryptocurrency “believing that he was supporting ISIS causes, including buying firearms and other materials.”
Garza was flagged by authorities after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer noticed that he followed pro-ISIS accounts, including posting a comment on a pro-ISIS post.
The DOJ said the suspect offered to explain how to mix explosive components and provide instructional materials. (Drew Angerer)
“When the NYPD undercover engaged with Garza on social media, Garza described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican-American living in Texas,” the DOJ said.
“In their continuing conversations throughout November and December, Garza shared that he ascribed to the ISIS ideology and sent the undercover multiple official ISIS media releases.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi called the case a “testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives.”
The DOJ said the suspect was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
“ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be ripped out root and stem — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted,” she said. “You cannot hide from us.”
