Virginia Man Charged in FBI Sting with Supporting Islamic State
A Virginia man accused of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to the Islamic State group was described as a lonely man seeking companionship and was the target of relentless FBI sting operations, including one where an undercover operative pretended to be a willing bride. This information was revealed during the opening statements of the terrorism trial of Mohammed Chhipa, 35, from Springfield, Virginia, at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
Prosecutors allege that Chhipa met multiple times with an undercover FBI operative who provided him with hundreds of dollars on several occasions throughout 2021 and 2022. These funds were reportedly sent to a Syrian woman and Islamic State member known as Umm Dujanah.
According to prosecutor Andrew Dixon, Chhipa accepted the money each time, converted it into Bitcoin, and then forwarded it to accounts in Turkey intended for the Islamic State. Chhipa allegedly sent over $74,000 in this manner, gathering donations from willing supporters to pass along to the terror group through Umm Dujanah. Prosecutors revealed that Chhipa aimed to send money to assist women affiliated with the Islamic State in escaping prison camps, where they were incarcerated after the group lost control of territories in Iraq and Syria.
Dixon asserted that Chhipa was aware his actions were illegal, noting that he attempted to leave the country at one point but was forced to return to the United States. He pointed out that during surveillance, Chhipa expressed confusion about not yet being imprisoned, stating, “I’m not sure why I’m not in prison.”
Chhipa’s defense attorney, Zachary Deubler, argued that the FBI had monitored Chhipa for several years, primarily due to his social media advocacy of extremist views. Despite this, Deubler claimed that the FBI had never discovered sufficient evidence to arrest him, even after a 2019 search of his home yielded a collection of Islamic State propaganda materials.
Deubler acknowledged that Chhipa had left the United States, making his way through Latin America with the intention of reaching Egypt. He noted that the FBI encountered Chhipa upon his return to Dulles International Airport, where he was questioned about his activities but not arrested.
The attorney remarked about the increasing entrapment efforts by the government, which included the use of a fake bride and a fictitious Muslim marriage broker. “He was a lonely, sad, inflated man who the government tried to set up,” Deubler stated.
The trial commenced with several unusual occurrences. Chhipa attended the proceedings in a green jumpsuit from the Alexandria jail, opting not to wear civilian clothing typically provided to defendants. This choice was made despite concerns that his prison attire might bias the jury against him.
After a short break in the proceedings, members of Chhipa’s family defied orders to stand when the court clerk announced, “all rise,” as the judge exited the bench. U.S. District Judge David Novak expressed frustration, warning the family to either stand or face being taken into custody; however, no arrests were made, despite repeated requests from court security officers.
Following Chhipa’s arrest last year, prosecutors revealed that Chhipa considers himself married to Allison Fluke-Ekren, an American from Kansas currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her involvement in the Islamic State. Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty last year to leading the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion structure in the Islamic State that trained approximately 100 women and girls to use firearms and construct explosives.
Prosecutors clarified that this marriage was conducted online and has no legal validity in the United States. Chhipa, originally from India but naturalized as a U.S. citizen, has also been attempting to adopt Fluke-Ekren’s children.
The trial is anticipated to continue for about a week.
