Federal law enforcement officials said Thursday that they stopped a Texas man from carrying out a possible terrorist attack in Houston.
"Any day we can publicly say that is a good day," the FBI's Houston field office said on social media.
Anas Said, 28, was charged last month with attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group ISIS, according to an indictment filed in federal district court in Texas.
Said was arrested last week at the Houston apartment complex where he allegedly planned the attack, the FBI said, noting that he allegedly bragged that he would commit "a 9/11-style" attack if he had the resources.
Said allegedly told federal agents that he created propaganda for the terrorist group, considered attacking members of the U.S. military and discussed researching the location and physical layout of local synagogues and the Israeli consulate in Houston, federal court documents show.
Said allegedly sought to understand the security measures at those sites and "openly acknowledged that he wants to fight against and kill proponents of Israel," the documents state.
According to a detention memo filed in the case, Said had been posting pro-ISIS messages or buying its propaganda since 2017.
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Federal agents interviewed numerous times about his desire to travel to Lebanon, where he is from, and his “affinity" for Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, a former ISIS spokesperson, according to the documents.
When the FBI interviewed him in March 2019, the documents state, Said told the agency he no longer consumed radical Islamic propaganda and used the internet only for schoolwork and sports.
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But federal agents allegedly discovered recently that he continued to use Facebook accounts and encrypted messaging applications to create and disseminate propaganda that glorified ISIS violence, the documents state.
After his Nov. 8 arrest, Said initially refused to comply with law enforcement agents but later detailed his alleged support for the terrorist group, according to the detention memo.
"He tried several times to travel to join ISIS and stated he would readily move back to Lebanon if he were released," the documents state.
Said also allegedly told federal agents that he'd ask members of the military that he'd see near his work if they supported Israel; if they'd been deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq; and if they'd killed Muslims.
"If they said yes, those are the persons he would kill," the documents state.
In an email, a lawyer for Said he is focusing on the allegation that his client provided material support by producing videos and propaganda for ISIS.
"Despite allegations that my client made statements to government agents regarding proposed terrorist acts, the indictment does not currently allege any planning, or acts, of terrorism," said the lawyer, Baldemar Zuniga. "This appears to be a lengthy investigation and it will take some time to sift through all of the evidence."
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