Jordanian ‘radical’ in Texas hit with gun rap for ‘massacre scheme’
A “radical” Jordanian national living in Texas was allegedly plotting an attack on Houston’s Jewish community before he was arrested on gun charges.
Sohaib Abuayyash, 20 — who at one point visited the US on a Palestinian passport — had been studying how to build bombs and posted about his support for killing Jews, federal officials claim.
“He has viewed specific and detailed content posted by radical organizations on the Internet, including lessons on how to construct bombs or explosive devices,” FBI Director Chris Wray told the Senate Homeland Security Committee, declining to identify Abuayyash by name.
“And that defendant has made statements to others that support the killing of individuals of particular religious faiths.”
‘Illegal arms’
Abuayyash allegedly made a direct reference in one social-media post about an event in Houston for the Jewish community, according to court documents obtained by CNN. It did not include details about the target and time of the alleged attack.
Abuayyash entered the US on a nonimmigrant visa, which expired in 2019, but has since applied for asylum and obtained work authorization in the United States until 2025, according to court documents.
But under federal law, those with nonimmigrant visas cannot legally obtain firearms in the United States.
An affidavit filed Oct. 19 in the federal court for the Southern District of Texas also says Abuayyash “has been in direct contact with others who share a radical mindset, has been conducting physical training and has trained with weapons to possibly commit an attack.”
‘Inspired by Hamas’
The affidavit notes that federal investigators have been monitoring Abuayyash’s activities since August, when agents conducting “open-source research” saw a video of him firing multiple firearms — including an AR-style weapon. He also reportedly visited several different firing ranges across Houston.
Upon learning of Abuayyash’s alleged plan to attack the Houston Jewish community, the FBI made the decision to move forward with the most immediate charge available — the unlawful possession of firearms, an unidentified law enforcement source told CNN.
Wray cited the incident to the Senate Homeland Security Committee as he warned that Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel will inspire other acts of violence around the world.
“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration, the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate years ago,” he said, adding that the war in Gaza “has raised the threat of an attack against Americans in the United States to a whole other level.”