(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Newly unsealed court records reveal that the FBI arrested North Carolina man Alexander Justin White, who goes by the name “Sulaiman AI-Atnriki,” on Dec. 4 as he was attempting to depart the country to allegedly join ISIS in the Middle East.
According to the court records, an FBI undercover agent and confidential informant strongly encouraged White’s activities—at the very least.
Charging papers allege that White, 29, has been interested in joining ISIS for years. Last September, he was contacted by an FBI agent who claimed that he could help fulfill White’s desire.
“On September 10, 2024, the [undercover FBI agent] contacted WHITE by posing as an ISIS facilitator located overseas. Based on WHITE’s expressed intentions elsewhere, the [undercover agent] questioned whether WHITE still intended to join them overseas, to which WHITE stated he did,” states an affidavit from FBI agent Monika Van Hooser.
The FBI’s trap was set. Four days later, the undercover FBI agent messages White again.
“The brothers are working on special opportunity for you to speak with Emir Soon, Does this interest you akhi?” the agent asked, to which White responded, “It very well does brother.”
Newly unsealed court records reveal what seems to be a case of entrapment.
A North Carolina man named Alexander White was spouting online for years about ISIS.
Then, an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS recruiter reached out to him to fulfill his desires. The agent had an… pic.twitter.com/sEeupeTny3— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) January 15, 2025
The undercover FBI agent then had one of his confidential informants pose as the Emir’s spokesperson so that he could talk to White, who apparently doesn’t speak Arabic. The two had a 27-minute phone call, and afterwards White allegedly expressed his excitement to the FBI agent.
“Following the call, WHITE told the [FBI agent] that he was glad to have had the opportunity even though he was shy and had difficulty speaking, but loved talking to the Emir’s spokesperson and could not wait to meet everyone,” charging papers state.
White continued speaking with the undercover FBI agent and preparing to join ISIS for the next two months. The FBI apparently had him under heavy surveillance, as a photo of him walking to his car in October was included in the charging papers.
He was arrested on Dec. 4, when he was arrested at the Raleigh-Durham Airport attempting to board a flight to Paris.
White was arrested for allegedly trying to provide material support to a terrorist organization. According to a motion to unseal the case on Tuesday, White has already struck a plea deal with the Justice Department.
White’s case is just the latest instance where FBI agents and informants goad their target into committing crimes. Read about other such cases here.
White’s case was first reported by Court Watch.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
