ISIS Supporter Who Planned OH Synagogue Attack Pleads Guilty: DOJ

CLEVELAND — An Ohio man pleaded guilty this week to plotting a hate crime and planning an attack on a Toledo-area synagogue, the Department of Justice announced.

Damon Joseph, aka Abdullah Ali Yusuf, 23, from Holland, pleaded guilty to providing material support for ISIS and plotting attacks in Ohio. He will be sentenced Sept. 14 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

“This investigation highlights the continued threat of violence to our communities posed by ISIS-inspired terrorists – in this case, at a place of worship. With today’s plea, we will be one step closer to seeing justice served,” said Acting Assistant Director Patrick Reddan, Jr. of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.

In 2018, Joseph landed on law enforcement's radar after he posted photographs of weapons and messages of support for ISIS on social media, court documents said. He also shared a photograph distributed by the media wing of ISIS, the Department of Justice said.

In September 2018, undercover FBI agents had several online conversations with Joseph. During those talks, court document said, Joseph repeatedly affirmed his support for ISIS and then produced propaganda he believed was used in ISIS recruitment efforts.

Joseph then told the undercover agents he wanted to participate in an attack on behalf of ISIS, court documents said.

In December 2018, Joseph sent a document to an FBI agent that laid out plans for an attack on a Jewish community, court documents said. The documents further state that Joseph said he planned to attack the group and then escape, though he had plans for battling law enforcement.

On Dec. 4, 2018, Joseph met with an undercover FBI agent and discussed carrying out a mass shooting at a synagogue, court documents said. Two synagogues in the greater Toledo area were identified as targets, court documents noted.

Joseph also shared notes he wrote about which guns he wanted and provided them to the undercover FBI agents, court documents said. The FBI said he asked for AR 15s, an AK 47, Glock handguns and ammunition.

Two days later, on Dec. 6, Joseph again met with an undercover FBI agent. During the meeting, Joseph said he specifically wanted to kill a rabbi, court documents said, and he then confirmed which synagogue he was planning to attack.

The undercover agent returned and told Joseph he purchased the rifles for the attack, court documents said.

On Dec. 7, the undercover agent and Joseph met and Joseph took possession of a black duffel bag holding two semi-automatic rifles, court documents said. He didn't know the guns had actually been rendered inoperable by the FBI, court documents said.

Joseph was then taken into custody by federal agents.

"In a matter of months, Damon Joseph progressed from a self-radicalized, virtual jihadist to planning an actual attack on fellow Americans,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. “Mr. Joseph has now accepted responsibility for his actions. In the name of ISIS, Joseph planned a mass-casualty attack against citizens simply wanting to attend their desired houses of worship, which were two Toledo-area synagogues."