FBI Arrests Houston Man For Alleged ISIS Ties, Terror Plot On US Soil
The FBI arrested a 28-year-old Texas man on Thursday, accusing him of attempting to aid ISIS and plotting a terrorist attack from his Houston apartment.
Anas Said allegedly sought ways to carry out violent acts in Houston on behalf of the Islamic State, authorities reported. He faces charges for attempting to provide material support to the terrorist organization.
Said was apprehended last week at his apartment complex, according to Douglas Williams, head of the FBI field office in the Southern District of Texas. A press release from the district confirmed the arrest.
While in custody, Said reportedly admitted to researching potential attacks on local military recruiting centers, offering his apartment as a safe house for ISIS members, boasting about his willingness to conduct a “9/11-style” attack if given the means, and attempting to create ISIS propaganda.
“We stopped a potential terrorist attack from happening right here in Houston! Any day we can publicly say that is a good day,” the FBI’s Houston office declared in a statement.
Said’s attorney, Balemar Zuniga, noted that his client remains in custody and appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.
“The indictment only alleges that he supported a terrorist group through the production of videos and propaganda,” Zuniga stated, emphasizing that federal prosecutors mentioned potential terror plots but have not formally charged Said for planning attacks. “None of that is alleged.”
Said first came under FBI scrutiny in 2017 when the agency received a tip about his purchase of two stickers: one displaying the Dome of the Rock with an ISIS flag superimposed and another featuring a silhouette of a man with a rifle captioned, “Winning the Islamic Nation.”
“Does it seem a bit excessive? Yes,” Zuniga commented.
In 2018, the FBI interviewed Said four times about the sticker purchases. During a January 2018 interview, Said admitted that the stickers were intended to signal support for ISIS, though at the time, he claimed not to condone violence carried out in its name. According to a detention memo, Said’s allegiance to ISIS ideology reportedly began in 2015 after his family returned to the U.S. from Lebanon.
Zuniga clarified that Said, born in the United States, moved to Lebanon as a child and returned in 2014. Despite the allegations, Zuniga argued that Said doesn’t harbor ill will toward the U.S.
“I would not say that at all,” Zuniga said. “I think he is certainly passionate about protecting his Islamic religion. I don’t think he has any particular animosity toward the United States itself.”
However, a 2019 FBI interview revealed discrepancies. While Said claimed to have stopped consuming radical propaganda and to use the internet solely for school and sports, the Department of Justice disputes this claim.
“On or about October 18, 2023, pursuant to legal process, the FBI received information from Meta Platforms, Inc. (‘Meta’) regarding 11 Facebook accounts used by the Defendant that showed he continued to support ISIS and the violent attacks carried out in its name,” the DOJ reported.
The FBI further revealed that Said’s family expressed concerns during interviews, and analysis of his electronic devices uncovered encrypted messaging applications containing propaganda glorifying ISIS violence. These materials are central to the material support charges in the indictment.
During a search warrant operation last Friday, Said reportedly destroyed his cellphone and refused to cooperate with FBI agents.