A New Jersey man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly concealing his ties to a terrorist organization in a bid to become a U.S. citizen, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.
Gafur Abdudzhamilovich Aliev, 44, of Edison, faces grave legal consequences after being charged with making a false statement on his naturalization application and committing perjury.
According to federal prosecutors, Aliev was far from an ordinary immigrant seeking American citizenship. Between January 2018 and January 2020, he allegedly operated as a moderator and member of multiple encrypted social media channels catering to individuals associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Investigators say these forums served as hubs for ISIS supporters, potential recruits, and sympathizers.
The indictment details chilling conversations in which Aliev allegedly admitted to sending money to ISIS for purchasing weapons. On August 7, 2020, he reportedly told an associate—identified as “Individual-1″—that he had already provided financial support to ISIS. Days later, on August 16, he allegedly reinforced his stance, telling Individual-1 that donating even modest sums—between $100 and $400—was acceptable.
But Aliev’s rhetoric went beyond mere words. On September 28, 2020, he allegedly declared that those committed to jihad must contribute both financially and physically, stressing that financial backing was essential for acquiring the equipment needed to carry out attacks.
Despite these alleged actions, Aliev signed his naturalization application on December 26, 2020, swearing under penalty of perjury that he had never been a member of, or associated with, a terrorist organization.
If convicted, Aliev faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for making false statements on his application. The perjury charge carries an additional potential sentence of 5 years behind bars and another $250,000 fine.
