Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Trying to Help ISIS

BY Frank

An Ohio man who allegedly swore allegiance to the leader of the terror group ISIS and tried to recruit others on Wednesday pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Amir Said Rahman Al-Ghazi, 39, of Sheffield Lake, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, prosecutors said.

This undated photo provided by Cuyahoga County Jail shows Amir Said Abdul Rahman Al-Ghazi. Al-Ghazi legally changed his name from Robert McCollum in 2015.

Al-Ghazi, who changed his name form Robert McCullom last year, faces 16 years in prison under a plea agreement, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio said.

Al-Ghazi was arrested on June 19 after allegedly buying an AK-47 from an undercover agent to use in propaganda videos, according to a criminal complaint. A.45-caliber handgun, an ISIS flag and a sword was found at his home, officials said.

Al-Ghazi pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi via social media in 2014, and last year told an FBI informant he wanted to "put a squad together" for an attack on the U.S., according to a criminal complaint.

In other conversations, Al-Ghazi characterized himself as a "cyber jihadi" and denied he wanted to kill anyone, according to the complaint. Al-Ghazi will be sentenced June 23.