DOJ: Iraqi man who fought, killed for ISIS entered US as refugee under Obama
(U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)
An Iraqi national who fought for the Islamic State and pretended to be a refugee to enter the United States during former President Barack Obama's second term was arrested Wednesday and has begun legal proceedings to be deported to face murder charges for killing a police officer in his home country.
FBI agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Omar Abdulsattar Ameen at an apartment building in Sacramento, Calif., on a warrant an Iraqi federal court had issued in May. The FBI had been investigating Ameen since 2016, according to a release by the Justice Department.
"This is just one example of how raising the bar on our security standards has directly increased our ability to protect and secure our nation from terror groups abroad," Department of Homeland Security press secretary Tyler Q. Houlton said in a statement.
Ameen, 45, was in court for an initial appearance Wednesday and will go back Monday.
Ameen left Iraq in 2012 and fled to Turkey. While there, he applied to enter the U.S. as a refugee. He was approved in June 2014.
The Justice Department stated he returned to Iraq that same month and killed a police officer in Rawah. He was in one of four ISIS vehicles that drove up to the officer's house and opened fire. Ameen was later identified by Iraqi authorities as having fired the shot that struck the officer, Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim, in the chest and killed him. The terrorist group later claimed responsibility for the killing.
Ameen also transported fighters, raised money for the organization, robbed supply trucks, kidnapped drivers for al Qaeda, and planted improved bombs, according to the court documents.
In November, he traveled to the U.S. as a refugee.
Once in the country, he applied for a green card and did not disclose his having been a member of two terrorist groups.
The State Department under President Trump has introduced more requirements and enhanced background checks for refugee and other immigrant applicants from certain countries.
"Soon after her confirmation, Secretary Nielsen directed further improvements to close identified security gaps and to make it harder for terrorists, criminals, and fraudsters to exploit our humanitarian system," Houlton said. "Tighter screening and tougher vetting in the refugee program have already started to make Americans safer at home."
Ameen will face execution for the charge of "organized killing by an armed group" and will be extradited as part of a treaty the U.S. has with Iraq.
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