Last month, a 20-year-old Jordanian man, Sohaib Abuayyash, was apprehended in Houston under a federal firearm possession charge. The man, who had been residing in the United States on an expired nonimmigrant visa, was said to have referenced “martyrdom” and was allegedly scheming an assault on a Jewish gathering, as noted by a federal judge in the court’s order and confirmed by a law enforcement source.
Abuayyash, according to orders of a federal court judge, reportedly expressed support for the termination of individuals following certain religious beliefs and alluded to a function in Houston designed for a specific religious group. The judge had ordered that the man be held for trial. Furthermore, a comprehensive explanation concerning the envisaged gathering’s specifics was not readily available in the court records.
Abuayyash’s legal representative abstained from passing commentary to the media. It is worth noting that his affairs coincide with a period of escalating contentious rhetoric and protests surrounding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian armed group. This situation has led the head of the FBI to observe that antisemitism in the United States is scaling “historic levels.”
The FBI began its investigation into Abuayyash in August, following agents’ discovery of a video showcasing Abuayyash discharging several firearms, inclusive of AR-style rifles, on social media platforms. This was outlined in a redacted probable cause affidavit filed in October within the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Since his nonimmigrant visa expiration in 2019, Abuayyash has applied for asylum in the United States and received authorization to work until August 2025. He harbors no rights to “possess or use firearms or ammunition.”
Evidences suggest that Abuayyash was in contact with others endorsing radical ideologies whilst conducting physical training and weapon drill to potentially execute an assault. Evidence of his interactions with extremist individuals and his extensive training was found in the affidavit.
The court documents also indicated Abuayyash’s access and investigation into verbose posts by radical organizations about creating explosive devices, shedding light on his apparent premeditation towards violence.
Abuayyash, speculated to be planning an assault on a Jewish event in Houston, was subsequently taken into custody under the charge of illegal firearm possession. This move was aimed at allowing a thorough investigation into possible additional charges later on whilst ensuring he remained in police custody without the option for bail.
This case was later highlighted by FBI Director Christopher Wray in an inaugural address to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Wray warned about an elevated terrorism threat level, which he attributed to events in the Middle East and their potential for inspiring violent extremists in the United States to target everyday citizens. He specifically referred to Abuayyash’s case, underscoring his online manifesto supporting the killing of Jews and his intent to build explosive devices.
This identification of Abuayyash was validated later on by Christina Garza, spokesperson for the FBI’s Houston field office.
