A California navy sailor was among three alleged homegrown ISIS terrorists arrested after federal investigators uncovered what prosecutors say was a plot to fund the terror group and help carry out an attack on US Special Forces troops using drones, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades.
Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside near San Diego, Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville in Tulare County, and Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas, were taken into custody Friday after a lengthy FBI investigation.
According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Kansas, the three men allegedly spent more than a year communicating about extremist plans, including discussions about leaving the United States to join ISIS.
Federal prosecutors allege the trio pledged allegiance to ISIS, sought to provide material support to the terrorist organization and discussed killing Americans.
The complaint alleges the group discussed acquiring weapons, including drones, grenades and rocket-propelled grenades, for use against American Special Forces operators.
At one point, Ghafoor allegedly asked a confidential FBI source he believed was an ISIS member: “How many do you hope to kill?”
Prosecutors say Ghafoor also claimed he had always wanted to kill a female soldier by beheading and added: “I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans.”
The investigation began after a confidential human source working with the FBI encountered the group in an online social media forum in May 2025. Prosecutors say the men believed the source was an active ISIS member.
Investigators say the men also discussed acquiring rocket-propelled grenades, commonly known as RPGs.
One image included in the complaint shows three RPGs and several firearms loaded in the bed of a pickup truck.
The photograph was allegedly sent to members of the group by the confidential source.
One of the RPGs displayed Arabic writing that prosecutors say translated to “Bisaam Shahzad Ghafoor.”
According to the complaint, Ghafoor had previously told the source it would be “sick” if his name was written on a drone. Dzayee allegedly suggested the image would make a good social media post for Ghafoor.
On or about September 1, 2025, Ghafoor told the source that he planned to get a job so he could make money to purchase an AK-47 and ammunition to start training for his fighting with ISIS, the papers say.
Investigators also detailed comments allegedly made by Shamsaldeen during conversations with the group.
According to court documents, Shamsaldeen told others his mother had encouraged her children to grow up and kill Americans.
The complaint further alleges Shamsaldeen said he played violent video games and fantasized that the killings depicted were part of a real-world attack.
On Oct. 19, 2025, Shamsaldeen allegedly pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS in a message later shared with the confidential source.
Prosecutors say the pledge included a promise to obey the terrorist group’s leadership.
Authorities also allege the men worked to secretly provide money to ISIS.
Ghafoor and Dzayee discussed sending funds through cryptocurrency, according to the complaint. Ghafoor, who allegedly used the online name “Prince,” also handed cash to an undercover FBI employee during a meeting at a Kansas City mosque, prosecutors said.
One of the envelopes containing the cash was addressed to another mosque in New Jersey.
Shamsaldeen allegedly sent $1,590 intended to support ISIS and later thanked the confidential source for the opportunity to contribute money to the group.
The arrests stunned residents in Dzayee’s quiet Lakeside neighborhood.
Pentagon officials have not confirmed Dzayee’s military status, but neighbors and a former classmate told NBC 7 he served in the Navy and identified photographs showing him in a sailor’s uniform.
Several residents, including veterans and military family members, said the allegations were difficult to reconcile with their understanding of his background.
“We looked out — it seemed to me like it was a white van that pulled up and tactical guys jumped out and surrounded the house,” one neighbor told the station.
“Very odd in this neighborhood. So the neighbors started coming out. We didn’t approach, but we were watching.”
Another resident said the sight of federal agents descending on the neighborhood was alarming.
“You see Terrorist Task Force, your alarms go up,” the neighbor said.
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