Connecticut Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Attempting to Support ISIS

Ahmad Khalil Elshazly, 29, of West Haven, Connecticut, was sentenced to 92 months in prison for attempting to support the Islamic State, a US-designated terrorist organization also known as ISIS, according to the US Department of Justice on Monday. David X. Sullivan, US attorney for the District of Connecticut, stated, "There is no higher priority than the security of our nation and its citizens. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to tenaciously work to investigate, apprehend and bring to justice anyone who threatens us." After serving his sentence, Elshazly will be under supervised release for life. He was arrested on December 15, 2019, after paying $500 to an undercover agent, whom he believed was affiliated with ISIS, to help him escape to Turkey and connect with an ISIS member to travel to Syria. Officers apprehended him in Stonington, Connecticut, before he could board a boat. In the 15 months leading up to his arrest, Elshazly had sworn allegiance to ISIS and posted numerous pro-ISIS messages on an instant-messaging platform, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2022, to conspiring to support a terrorist group. The Justice Department noted that while detained, Elshazly had multiple disciplinary infractions and in August 2025, officers discovered a handwritten plan for a coordinated uprising at the detention facility, including diagrams and tactical instructions. The Justice Department sought a 15-year sentence for Elshazly, while his attorneys argued for compassion, stating that his background and mental health issues made him susceptible to extremist propaganda. They described his upbringing as chaotic and highlighted his struggles with Autism Spectrum Disorder and depression, suggesting that therapy could address these issues.