Terror suspect who once lived in Milwaukee arrested in Sacramento, accused of trying to help ISIS

SACRAMENTO/MILWAUKEE/HOUSTON -- Federal agents have arrested an Iraqi immigrant in Sacramento, California on a charge that he lied to immigration authorities over his ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) and travel to Syria, and the indictment states the suspect once lived in Milwaukee.

FOX6 News has learned three others were arrested -- and all three are related to the Sacramento suspect. The Sacramento suspect's brother was arrested in Sacramento, while he was visiting his brother. Two other relatives were arrested in Milwaukee. These three people were NOT arrested on terror related charges. All three relatives of the Sacramento suspect live in Milwaukee.

A fifth person was arrested and charged in Texas in a separate case.

The initial suspect arrested in Sacramento is 23-year-old Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab. The criminal complaint, filed by the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of California says he was born in Iraq, and he emigrated from Syria to the United States as a refugee in October 2012.

Travel, bank and electronic communications records establish that he lived in the United States from October 2012-November 2013, and again from January 2014-present.

The complaint says after arriving in the United States as a refugee in October 2012, Al-Jayab resided in Tucson, Arizona and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Travel, bank and electronic communications records show he lived in Milwaukee in early November 2013.

He first began to reside in Sacramento upon his return from Syria in late January 2014.

As early as mid-2012, the complaint states Al-Jayab told multiple family members and associates he spoke with via social media that he intended to travel to Syria for "work." The complaint says "based on the tenor and content of Al-Jayab's extensive electronic communications," it was determined "work referred to assisting in and supporting violent jihad."

The complaint indicates Al-Jayab intended on entering Syria through Turkey. Al-Jayab told investigators he had traveled to Turkey in 2013 and 2014 "to see his grandmother and visit the place."

Investigators say Al-Jayab was communicating with people who were "likely in Syria" via social media -- trying to make financial arrangements to get to Syria.

The complaint says on April 25th, 2013, one of the people with whom Al-Jayab was allegedly communicating wrote: to him: "O God, please do not deprive me, my brothers, and my brother Aws from the blessings of jihad in Syria."

On June 30th, 2013, the complaint indicates Al-Jayab wrote to one of the individuals he was communicating with, indicating he was at a gun range in Wisconsin: "I am at the shooting club. I want to learn long range shooting."

On November 6th, 2013 the complaint indicates Al-Jayab received $4,500 via an auto insurance settlement. He was living in Milwaukee at this time.

Two days later, on November 8th, 2013, the complaint indicates Al-Jayab purchased an airline ticket in Chicago and flew to Turkey. He is accused of telling an individual that he was in Turkey and he planned to enter Syria.

On November 19th, 2013, Al-Jayab advised that he had safely arrived in Syria.

Travel records show Al-Jayab returned to Sacramento via London and Los Angeles on January 23rd, 2014.

The complaint says Al-Jayab's "Customs Declaration Form" made no mention of his travel to Turkey and Syria. Jordan and the UK were the only entries on the "countries  visited" field.

Additionally, according to the complaint, materials gathered in the course of the investigation show Al-Jayab made no reference to visiting his grandmother during communications exchanged with others via social media from mid-November 2013 through mid-January 2014, when he was in Syria.

In July of 2014, Al-Jayab was interviewed in conjunction with his application for an adjustment of his immigration status. He indicated he had traveled to Turkey and returned to the U.S. in January 2014.

In June of 2015, Al-Jayab was interviewed by FBI agents regarding problems he experienced at the airport when traveling. During that interview, he indicated he had traveled to Turkey for vacation, but denied traveling to Syria.

The complaint says if Al-Jayab would have admitted being in Syria, he would have been asked additional questions and his immigration file may have been subject to further process. Additionally, if he had admitted to supporting terrorist activities or a terrorist group, his refugee status could have been subject to termination.

The complaint indicates intentional misstatements to officials, if proven, could have negatively impacted Al-Jayab's ability to remain in the U.S. as a refugee.

FOX6 News obtained the following statement from the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of California, as it relates to the arrest of Al-Jayab. The statement reads as follows:

Meanwhile, the governor and lieutenant governor of Texas praised the arrest in Houston of what Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called a terror suspect. Patrick said in a statement that the arrests may have prevented a terror-related event.

FOX6 News has obtained a separate criminal complaint was filed by the Office of the United States Attorney Southern District of Texas Houston Division.

The accused is 24-year-old Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan.

The criminal complaint states this man is a Palestinian national, born in Iraq. He entered the United States as a refugee on or about November 2, 2009. He was granted legal permanent residence status in the U.S. on August 22nd, 2011. He currently lives in Texas.

This man is charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, and false statement or representation made to an agency of the United States.

The complaint accuses this man of "attempting to provide material support and resources, including personnel, specifically himself, training and expert advice and assistance to a foreign terrorist organization -- namely, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)/ISIS."

The complaint says when applying to become an American citizen, this man responded on his formal application that he was not in any way associated with a terrorist organization -- whereas in truth, he knew he associated with ISIL/ISIS either directly or indirectly.

This man is accused of failing to reveal that he had ever received any type of weapons training when applying to become an American citizen, according to the complaint.

Below is a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas on Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan: