An Ohio man accused of plotting an attack against a Toledo-area synagogue was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury, according to federal agents.
Damon Joseph, 21, also known as Abdullah Ali Yusuf, is charged with attempting to provide material to support ISIS, attempting to commit a hate crime, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence stemming from his plan to attack at least one Toledo synagogue.
Days after the Tree of Life Congregation massacre in Pittsburgh, Mr. Joseph told an undercover agent he fantasized about doing something similar in Toledo, an affidavit shows.
Authorities declined to identify the Toledo synagogue.
Mr. Joseph, of the Toledo suburb Holland, was arrested in December. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
“This man allegedly spent months planning a violent terrorist attack on behalf of ISIS here in the United States, and targeted a Jewish synagogue in the Toledo area specifically because of the faith of the people who worship there,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “We will work to identify and arrest anyone who takes steps to use violence to spread their ideology and to interfere with the free exercise of our essential rights.”
Beginning in May, Mr. Joseph’s posts on social media caught the attention of the FBI, according to court records. Out of several photos of knives and guns he had posted, one had been originally distributed by ISIS’s media wing. He had also posted a photo of a ring that displayed the word found on the ISIS flag.
“In [a] matter of months, Damon Joseph allegedly progressed from radicalized, virtual jihadist to attack planner,” said acting special agent in charge Robert Hughes. “He ultimately decided to target two Toledo-area synagogues for a mass-casualty attack in the name of ISIS. Joseph will now be accountable in a court of law for his pursuit of a violent act of terrorism upon our fellow citizens attending their desired house of worship.”
In September, an undercover agent began exchanging messages with Mr. Joseph, during which Mr. Joseph expressed interest in becoming a recruiter for ISIS and sent the agent several videos in support of terrorism and encouraging others to join ISIS, according to an affidavit.
On Oct. 21, Mr. Joseph expressed support for “martyrdom operations,” and stated, “what must be done, must be done,” and “there are always casualties of war.”
He sent details of his plan to carry out an attack on at least one Toledo synagogue to an undercover agent on Dec. 2. In the following days, he made notes of what types of weapons and ammunition he would need for the attack — specifically, AR-15s, AK-27, and handguns — with the intent to kill as many people as possible, records show.
Days later, Mr. Joseph told an undercover officer he was deciding between two synagogues, as he was trying to determine, “Which one will have [the] most people, what time and what day. Go big or go home.”
On Dec. 6, Mr. Joseph again met with an undercover agent and stated it would be ideal to attack two synagogues, but it would be more realistic to attack one. According to federal agents, Mr. Joseph said he specifically wanted to kill a rabbi.
Later that day, the undercover agent told Mr. Joseph he purchased rifles for the attack. The two met on Dec. 7 and Mr. Joseph took a duffel bag containing two semi-automatic rifles — which had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement officers so that they posed no danger to the public.
Mr. Joseph was then arrested.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of members of the FBI, Homeland Security and Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Toledo Police Department, is leading the ongoing investigation.
Mr. Joseph’s attorney, Neil McElroy, declined to comment.
First Published: January 30, 2019, 5:02 p.m.
Updated: January 30, 2019, 5:02 p.m.