Neighbors shocked by Detroit man's arrest for allegedly supporting ISIS

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Video posted to social media shows the FBI raiding the home of a 25-year-old Detroit man facing federal charges for allegedly supporting ISIS.

The man is accused of working to finance and join the terrorist organization.

Neighbors along Bentler Street on Detroit’s west side learned Tuesday that he was arrested, and they say they are surprised. 

"I (had) no idea. That really shocks me, to say the least," said Lynne Bienick, the suspect's neighbor.

"I think he’s just weird because I never see him," another neighbor said. "And when he does (come out), he doesn’t speak or anything."

FOX 2 is not naming the suspect since he is yet to be arraigned.

However, federal prosecutors are charging him with two counts of attempting to provide currency and monetary instruments to ISIS in March and May of 2023.

Investigators tracked alleged crypto payments made to ISIS by the suspect. Court documents showed pictures of what the FBI say they found at the home of his grandparents, where he lived at one point – including two guns, boots, and a gas mask.

Investigators said they also found guns at another house linked to the suspect in Wixom, along with a letter addressed to his father where he wrote in part:

"Take care of yourself and be safe. Things were just not working out for me no matter what I did or tried. We all have our own paths in life while mine could be cut short, I just hope one day you come to know true Islam so we can meet in Jannah. If (sic) not I love you, and it was nice meeting you and the many laughs."

"We have seen, over a period of time, a number of people who have been self-recruited here in the United States, who have recruited themselves into terrorist groups such as ISIS," said former FBI agent, Kenneth Gray. 

The suspect planned to serve as an ISIS leader in the Middle East, according to federal court documents. He allegedly also wanted to start a terrorist cell here in Michigan, and even planned to use suicide drones and exploding remote control cars to help ISIS. 

The Detroit man sent the terrorist organization pictures of guns, and claimed he was trained to use them too, according to investigators. 

"That’s got to be crazy though. It’s crazy! Who would think like that?!" one neighbor said.

In court, the suspect requested a court appointed attorney, who then asked the judge to set the arraignment for Thursday. 

The judge then ordered the suspect to be temporarily detained.

In the meantime, neighbors on Bentler say they can only wonder what dangerous plots might have been foiled. 

"I just don’t understand," the neighbor said. "You never know what’s going through people’s minds these days."