A man who owns an upstate New York food store funded ISIS , tried to send jihadists to Syria to fight with the terrorist group and plotted to do some killing himself -- by gunning down U.S. troops who had served in Iraq -- federal authorities alleged Tuesday . Mufid A. Elfgeeh , 30 , was arrested on May 31 , though federal officials did n't outline the case against him until Tuesday . According to an indictment , he faces three counts of trying `` to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization '' ( namely , ISIS ) , one count of attempting to kill officers and employees of the United States , two counts of having an unregistered firearm silencer and one for possessing guns or silencers `` in furtherance of a crime of violence . '' The public defender representing Elfgeeh , Mark Hosken , said Tuesday that he had seen the indictment and will enter a plea of not guilty when his client appears in court on Thursday morning . The federal investigation into Elfgeeh began in early 2013 and a world away from the Middle East , where ISIS ( also known as ISIL and the Islamic State ) has waged a brutal campaign in recent years . Citing the terror group 's threat to the region and gruesome tactics -- such as the recent beheadings of two American journalists -- the U.S. government has struck ISIS targets from the air in Iraq and threatened to go after it in Syria as well . A look at Twitter suggests that Elfgeeh did n't stand with his adopted country in this fight , according to an affidavit in support of a search warrant in his case . He allegedly wrote in one tweet : `` Al Qaeda said it loud and clear : we are fighting the American invasion and their hegemony over the earth and the people . '' In another message , Elfgeeh purportedly stated ISIS `` will one day rule the world with the will of Allah . '' The affidavit alleges that he urged people to donate a third of their salary or , at least , `` # Five_thousand_dollars_from_every_household '' ( as stated in one tweet ) -- stressing the importance of supporting groups like ISIS financially . But the Yemeni-born owner and operator of Halal Mojo and Food Mart , dubbed Mojoe 's by some , in Rochester may have wanted to be more than just a financial supporter . Court documents state that -- if he could n't sell his store -- Elfgeeh wanted to export `` those who are fed up ( and want ) to go to war and be jihadists . '' The FBI informants were among those Elfgeeh actively recruited to join ISIS as jihadists , the affidavit states . He helped them by doing things like paying one of their passport costs , coordinating travel arrangements and setting them up with contacts in the terror group under the guise of going `` to the university , '' which was code for joining ISIS . Court documents , citing Western Union records , allege that Elfgeeh also sent $ 600 to a Yemeni man that he believed wanted to join the terrorist group . He may have had plans of his own in the United States . The affidavit points to conversations with the two FBI informants in which Elfgeeh talked about getting his hands on guns and ammunition to inflict violence stateside . According to the affidavit , Elfgeeh once said he might kill `` five or ten already , 15 , something like that ... then we '' will post video or another message online to explain why he did it . `` We want ... to start shooting those who were in the Army who went to Iraq , '' he said in April , according to the document . Authorities say they arrested Elfgeeh after he paid for and received two handguns , silencers and ammunition from one of the informants . Elfgeeh is now in federal custody . If convicted , he could be there for far longer : The firearms possession charges alone have maximum 30 year sentences , the attempted murder charge maximum sentence is 20 years , and a count for providing material support to a terrorist group is up to 15 years . Attorney General Eric Holder said the case shows federal authorities use of `` all the investigative tools at our disposal '' -- from searches of social media platforms to FBI informants -- `` to break up these plots before individuals can put their plans into action . '' `` We will remain aggressive in identifying and disrupting those who seek to provide support to ISIL and other terrorist groups that are bent on inflicting harm upon Americans , '' Holder said . `` ... We are focused on breaking up these activities on the front end , before supporters of ISIL can make good on plans to travel to the region or recruit sympathizers to this cause . '' Fixer recounts how ISIS abducted him and Steven Sotloff . ISIS turns to glossy magazine for propaganda .
Mufid A. Elfgeeh , 30 , owns a Rochester , New York , store . He was born in Iran and came to the US as an infant with his parents when he was 3 years old. They say he also bought guns , talked about shooting U.S. troops who had served in Iraq .