An 18-year-old Egyptian student at George Mason University in Virginia, Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, has been charged with terrorism offenses related to a plot for a mass casualty attack on Israel's consulate in New York. This incident is now part of the Center for Immigration Studies' National Security Vetting Failures Database, which now totals 50 cases of vetting failures.
The Center published this database in March 2023 to bring attention to issues in government vetting processes and to encourage reforms. Hassan was arrested by the FBI on December 17, 2024, and his case is ongoing in the Eastern District of Virginia. He came to the U. S. in July 2022 as a minor and lived in Falls Church, Virginia, although details about his visa have not been disclosed.
As a juvenile, Hassan may have entered the U. S. with family on various types of temporary visas, such as a tourist or student visa. However, his online activities indicated he was already radicalized as an Islamic extremist. The FBI became aware of him shortly after his entry due to his social media support for ISIS.
Though no charges were filed in 2022 after the initial FBI interviews, Hassan was later placed in deportation proceedings. He continued his education at George Mason University while the investigation into him remained active. By mid-2024, Hassan's online posts again attracted FBI attention for their extremist content.
During undercover operations, Hassan expressed a desire for a mass-casualty attack and even attempted to recruit an undercover agent. He suggested using an assault rifle or explosives, with a specific focus on targeting Jewish individuals. Hassan described methods for building a bomb and planned to livestream the attack. FBI agents arrested him while he was preparing for the attack in his apartment.
https://cis.org/Bensman/Egyptian-Student-Added-CIS-National-Security-Vetting-Failures-Database
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