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by JENN WOOD
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A foreign national living in the South Carolina Lowcountry is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he concealed ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) while pursuing U.S. citizenship. The man is also accused of lying to federal agents and destroying evidence in an attempt to obstruct investigators.
A Charleston federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment this week against Ala Aldeen Alshaikh, 31 – also known as Aladdin Zakaria Alshaikh.
A Sudanese national living in Goose Creek, Alshaikh applied for U.S. citizenship in September 2021, according to the indictment (.pdf). During his naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), he denied being affiliated with any terrorist organization. Prosecutors alleged that just weeks earlier, in August 2021, he pledged allegiance to ISIS.
The indictment further claimed Alshaikh repeated the lie a year later on a written form ahead of his naturalization ceremony – despite making online statements in October and November 2021 indicating he was connected to ISIS and referencing a potential attack on a U.S. Embassy.
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Alshaikh, who has professional experience in the aviation industry, is accused of lying to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in January 2025 by denying he had offered to share aviation knowledge with anyone. Prosecutors say he in fact offered to “mobilize and share” his expertise with the militant group, Al-Bara’ Ibn Malik Battalion, a Sudanese Islamist militia.
After learning of the federal investigation, Alshaikh allegedly destroyed evidence of these conversations in an effort to obstruct justice.
The indictment against Alshaikh was unsealed following his arrest on September 11, 2025. Court filings confirm the grand jury voted to indict him on the false statement, immigration fraud, obstruction, and destruction of evidence charges.
Alshaikh was arraigned on the charges and is scheduled for a detention hearing on September 19, 2025 at 10 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate judge Mary Gordon Baker. He faces maximum penalties ranging from five to twenty years in federal prison if convicted.
The case is being prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Chris Lietzow and Everett McMillian, with support from Kevin C. Nunnally of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section. The FBI Columbia Joint Terrorism Task Force led the investigation.
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THE INDICTMENT…
(U.S. District Court)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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1 comment
Jenn, maybe I missed it but I need a little help here! Is his “aviation knowledge” based on his knowledge of baggage handling or the piloting of an aircraft?