Court Case

US v. Joseph ("Toledo Synagogue Plot")

December 2018 (Updated May 21, 2021)
Holland, OH
Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)

[NDOH] Damon M. Joseph of Holland, Ohio, was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Joseph allegedly planned mass-casualty attack on Toledo-area synagogue in the name of ISIS. He pleaded guilty in May 2021 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS, and attempting to commit a hate crime, for planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area.

Case Updates

2021-05-21 | Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS and Attempting to Commit an Attack at a Toledo-Area Synagogue

Damon M. Joseph, aka Abdullah Ali Yusuf of Holland, Ohio, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to commit a hate crime for planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area. In 2018, Joseph drew the attention of law enforcement by posting photographs of weapons and various messages in support of ISIS on his social media accounts, as well as a photograph originally distributed by the media wing of ISIS. Beginning in September 2018, Joseph engaged in a series of online conversations with several undercover FBI agents where he repeatedly stated and affirmed his support for ISIS and produced propaganda he believed was to be used for ISIS recruitment efforts. Over the next few weeks, Joseph stated to an undercover agent that he wanted to participate in an attack on behalf of ISIS. In December 2018, Joseph forwarded a document to the agent that laid out his plans for such an attack on "Jews who support state of Israel." Joseph then stated that he did not necessarily see this as "a martyrdom operation" as his plan accounted for an escape and potential combat with law enforcement. On Dec. 4, Joseph met with an undercover FBI agent and discussed conducting a mass shooting at a synagogue. Joseph identified two synagogues in the greater Toledo as potential targets and discussed the types of weapons he believed would inflict mass casualties. Joseph made written notes about the firearms he wanted and provided them to the undercover agent, stating he wanted AR 15s, AK 47, Glock handguns, and ammunition. On Dec. 6, Joseph again met with an undercover agent to discuss his plans. Joseph stated specifically that he wanted to kill a rabbi and wrote the name and address of the synagogue where the attack was to occur and stated that he had conducted research to determine when the Jewish sabbath was so that more people would be present. Later that day, the undercover agent told Joseph that he had purchased rifles for the attack. The two met on Dec. 7 at a predetermined location, where Joseph took possession of a black duffel bag containing two semi-automatic rifles, which had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement officers so that they posed no danger to the public. Joseph was then arrested.

Case Documents