Jordanian Arrested in Houston Allegedly Supported Targeting Individuals of Specific Faiths, Judge Orders Revealed

According to a federal judge's court order, a Jordanian man, Sohaib Abuayyash, who was arrested in Houston last month for federal firearm possession, had expressed desires for "martyrdom" and was allegedly planning an attack on a Jewish gathering. The judge noted that Abuayyash, who is currently in the United States on an expired nonimmigrant visa, made statements advocating the killing of individuals based on their religious beliefs and mentioned a specific religious event in Houston. As a result, the judge ordered that Abuayyash be detained until his trial.

Details, including the specific target, time or place for the gathering, were not immediately clear in the court documents.

Abuayyashs attorney declined to comment to CNN.

The arrest coincides with a rise in heightened tension and demonstrations surrounding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. The head of the FBI has issued a cautionary statement, stating that anti-Semitism in the country is reaching an unprecedented level.

On October 25, 2023, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City, New York, posters featuring individuals abducted by Hamas during the October 7 Israel raid were defaced and adorned with pro Palestinian graffiti. These acts of vandalism occurred on the New York University campus, reflecting the deep divisions among students when it comes to their responses to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East.

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Jewish communities are being rattled by an increase in antisemitic vandalism while tensions in the US continue to grow. In August, the FBI initiated an investigation into Abuayyash after uncovering footage on social media of him firing multiple firearms, including AR-style rifles. These details are revealed in a redacted probable cause affidavit filed on October 19 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Abuayyash sought asylum in the United States in 2019, after his nonimmigrant visa expired. As per the affidavit, he has been granted authorization to work in the US until August 2025, with the condition that he is prohibited from possessing or using firearms or ammunition.

Additionally, the affidavit states that Abuayyash has maintained direct communication with individuals who share a radical ideology, has been actively engaged in physical training, and has received weapons training, potentially indicating a willingness to carry out an attack.

The affidavit provides little detail on the investigation into Abuayyash.

Sohaib Abuayyash is seen in this screengrab from a video on social media.

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

In an order of detention pending trial document filed on October 24, US Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan stated that Abuayyash has accessed specific and detailed content posted by radical organizations on the internet, including lessons on bomb-making. The document also highlights that the Defendant has expressed support for the killing of individuals based on their religious beliefs. The judge also mentions that in a conversation regarding martyrdom, Abuayyash referred to an event in Houston for members of a specific religious group.

According to a law enforcement source, Abuayyash was planning to carry out an attack on a gathering of Jewish people. Following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the FBI's 56 field offices have been utilizing all available resources to safeguard the American population from extremist violence. This includes the monitoring of sensitive information.

Cornell University has canceled classes Friday after one of its students has been accused of making antisemitic threats against Jewish students.

Bing Guan/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Cornell University cancels classes Friday amid extraordinary stress on campus after violent antisemitic threats led to the arrest of a student

The latest joint bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Counterterrorism Center, obtained by CNN, indicates that individuals acting alone, who are either inspired by or reacting to the Israel-Hamas conflict, present the highest risk to Americans, particularly those belonging to Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities in the United States.

As Abuayyash was actively training with handguns and assault weapons and allegedly discussed the possibility of attacking a Jewish gathering in Houston, the FBI decided to proceed with charging him for the unlawful possession of a firearm, based on the available evidence. This allowed the FBI to apprehend Abuayyash and enabled prosecutors to request his detention without bail, while further investigating the potential for additional charges to be brought against him at a later point in time, according to a law enforcement source.

In his opening statement to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, FBI Director Christopher Wray addressed the terrorism threats facing the US. He emphasized that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has significantly increased the risk of attacks against Americans within the country.

Wray expressed concern over the potential for violent extremists, whether individuals or small groups, to draw inspiration from events in the Middle East and carry out attacks on innocent Americans. He specifically highlighted the threat posed by both homegrown violent extremists influenced by foreign terrorist organizations and domestic violent extremists targeting Jewish or Muslim communities.

Highlighting a recent arrest in Houston, Wray pointed out that this individual had been studying bomb-making techniques and had expressed support for killing Jews on online platforms.

Christina Garza, the spokesperson for the Houston field office of the FBIs, confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that Abuayyash was the individual mentioned in the director's statement.

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