Chicago Man Convicted of Supporting ISIS Using Social Media

Ashraf Al Safoo, a 41-year-old Chicago resident, has been convicted of multiple charges related to providing material support to ISIS through a social media campaign aimed at recruiting operatives and encouraging violent jihadist attacks. He led the Khattab Media Foundation, an online organization that disseminated ISIS propaganda, including videos, articles, and infographics that celebrated terrorist acts and urged lone-wolf violence in the U.S. and other Western countries. Al Safoo used graphic and provocative imagery, such as a headless Santa Claus delivering bombs, to incite terror and spread confusion among his targets. The conviction followed a rare bench trial, with Judge John Robert Blakey calling the evidence overwhelming, and Al Safoo faces a potential maximum sentence of 130 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for October 9, and the case highlights the ongoing vigilance of U.S. law enforcement in disrupting domestic terrorism threats. Prosecutors emphasized their commitment to pursuing anyone who provides material support to terrorist organizations in any form.