Navy veteran among trio who allegedly wanted to behead soldier and fund ISIS drone attacks on Americans

Federal authorities have charged three individuals, including a former U.S. Navy member, with conspiring to aid the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization. According to the Justice Department, the trio allegedly planned violent acts against American military personnel. One suspect reportedly expressed a gruesome intention to behead a female soldier, while another remarked it would be “sick” to have his name inscribed on a drone targeting Americans.

The accused are identified as Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, from Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, from Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, from Lakeside, California. They were apprehended following their transfer of over $2,000 to someone they believed to be an ISIS operative, as detailed in a federal criminal complaint filed in Kansas.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the administration’s stance against terrorism, stating, “The arrests of these individuals, who allegedly sought to support ISIS, underscore our resolve to dismantle terrorist networks worldwide. Thanks to the FBI’s diligence, this plot was thwarted, and potential attacks on U.S. service members were averted.”

Bereen Dzayee previously served in the U.S. Navy from 2021 to 2024, with his deployment aboard the USS John S. McCain, as confirmed by Navy records shared with the News Agency.

Visual evidence includes several rocket-propelled grenades and documentation of the financial transactions made by the accused, linked to their conspiracy to support the Islamic State.

Federal prosecutors revealed that between February 2025 and June 2026, the men utilized platforms like Discord for chats and voice calls to organize their support for ISIS, swear allegiance, and plan attacks on U.S. military forces.

The FBI initially identified the trio through social media posts promoting the terrorist organization, court documents state.

According to the complaint, the suspects believed their funds were being used to purchase advanced weaponry. Shamsaldeen allegedly provided money for drones intended to kill American service members deployed overseas, while Ghafoor’s name was ultimately written onto the projectile of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) slated for an overseas attack, federal prosecutors said in a complaint. 

The court filings detail alleged deeply disturbing conversations between the co-conspirators. During discussions about funding drone strikes, Ghafoor allegedly exclaimed that it would be “sick” if his name was written directly onto an attack drone, the complaint said. 

In separate exchanges, Ghafoor also allegedly claimed he had always wanted to kill a female soldier by beheading, adding, “I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans.”

Meanwhile, Shamsaldeen allegedly expressed a desire to stab an American service member and shared that his mother had encouraged her children to grow up and kill Americans, according to court documents. He also admitted to playing violent video games while fantasizing that the gameplay was part of a real-world terrorist operation, the complaint said.

Masked Islamic State fighter holding ISIS flag in desert

FILE – The suspects are accused of having pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader, according to DOJ officials. (Pictures from History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Dzayee, the Navy veteran, allegedly suggested targeting U.S. Green Berets and Special Forces units according to prosecutors.

To conceal the illicit nature of their transactions, Dzayee allegedly suggested masking the transfers to ISIS as a “donation” or “charity.” Investigators noted the suspects also attempted to move funds using a cryptocurrency ATM, though those specific transactions ultimately failed.

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