RI, MA Men Charged for Terrorism Conspiracy, Supporting ISIS

WARWICK, RI—A Rhode Island man arrested last year on terrorism charges for his role in an alleged plot to kill police officers and behead a blogger has been indicted on charges of conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston, Massachusetts.

Nicholas Rovinski, 25, of Warwick, along with a co-conspirator, David Daoud Wright, 26, of Everett, MA, were included in an superseding indictment today that included additional terrorism related charges. Both men were indicted by a grand jury in June of last year charging them with conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.

Rovinski's arrest came after nine-days of surveillance outside his Aspinet Drive home in Warwick.

Rovinski, also known as Nuh Amriki and Nuh Andalusi, reportedly has been trying to continue the plot to kill and behead from prison where he has been held since his arrest last year, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Wright, also known as Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, began conspiring with each other to commit acts of terrorism "with known and unknown conspirators" including Usaamah Abdullah Rahim, 26, Wright's uncle who was shot dead by police after he attacked police in Roslindale, MA on June 5, 2015.

According to court records, Wright, Rahim and Rovinski began hatching their plot in February of 2015 or earler.

"In March 2015, Wright drafted organizational documents for a 'Martyrdom Operations Cell' and conducted Internet search queries about firearms, the effectiveness of tranquilizers on human subjects and the establishment of secret militias in the United States. Simultaneously, Rahim was communicating with ISIL members overseas, including Junaid Hussain. On Aug. 24, 2015, Hussain was killed in an airstrike in Raqqah, Syria," according to a U.S. Attorney's Office news release.

Rovinski, Wright and Rahim met on a local beach on May 31 and had a conversation “in inclement weather” to discuss their plans, which apparently included a plan to behead blogger Pamela Geller along with killing cops.

A court complaint alleges that Rovinski and Wright met on Facebook about a year ago and were actively plotting to wage acts of terrorism.

The complaint states that Rovinski viewed videos about making weapons and is using the alias Nuh Amriki and Nuh al Andalusi, which Patch first reported after a review of publicly available information on the Internet.

Neighbors said Rovinski always seemed like a nice young man but his appearance had changed dramatically after he converted to Islam about two years ago.

According to a court complaint filed at the time of Wright's arrest last year for for his role in the alleged conspiracy, Rahim allegedly had bought knives on Amazon to carry out the beheadings. The FBI has said that the attack appeared to be imminent.

It is clear, based on publicly accessible information on social media sites, Rovinski had an interest in specific things that could be considered a cause for concern to investigators. And the release of court documents on Friday showed that federal investigators were concerned about the same information.

On YouTube, his account was subscribed to numerous survivalist channels and showed activity that included watching politically-charged videos and guides on how to build sniper rifles or fashion a machete with no power tools. One of the channels he subscribed to one month ago belongs to Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, who is considered a radicalized “hate cleric.” And he routinely commented on those videos, many of which are now-removed from YouTube but the ghosts of which can be found on Rovinski’s Google+ account.

CNN reported that Rovinski, in March, shared his extremist views with the network. In messages exchanged with a producer, he reportedly said he had talked with an ISIS operative who told him he should go to Iraq or Syria and join their cause.

He was also vocal on Twitter.

“Who wishes to see flag of tawheed upon white house,” he said in March.

He also tweeted messages at people connected to ISIS, including Mujahid Miski, also known as Mohamed Abdullahi Hasan, who CNN reported is from Minnesota but might be fighting with Al Shabaab in Somalia.

Rovinski reportedly went to a mosque near his house in Warwick.

The court complaint also quoted Rovinski as saying “This country is messed up from its founding days” in a recorded phone conversation. He also told investigators that he was drawn to ISIL because they represent the “most pure and honest form of the religion.”

Rovinski’s strident support of the extreme ideology troubled investigators: he told the FBI he thought non-violent Muslims weren’t real Muslims and that he believes he’s in active war with others.

Investigators were led to believe that there was imminent danger due to the nature of the conversations between the three men in late May. On May 27, Wright called Rovinski and during the “cryptic conversation,” Wright said “on the bigger scale, it’s gonna be some heavy stuff, after this milestone is obtained, Allah willing.”

Rovinski responded: “Like I said, I’ve been wanting to meet up with you to discuss some important aspects that I think you might, you might enjoy. So.”

“Oh, that sounds so wonderful,” Wright said.

A minute later, Wright texted to Rahim: Just got off the phone with brother nuh. . .he may wanna come and meet up on Friday. . .he wishes to speak on some juiciness.

Rahim: Lol

Rovinski’s conversations with Wright sometimes lasted for more than two hours, including one in which the two discussed the material support to foreign terrorist organizations law and how it could come to haunt them.

“They made it so general now,” Wright complained. “They’ve been arresting them because once they read that they intend on going over to the State, they arrest them. They made it so general now where they can manipulate and get you. . .on material support just for speaking. . .positively about this.”

After Rahim was shot, Wright texted Rovinski.

“An emergency took place this morning,” he said.

Rovinski also told Wright that he has a “friend overseas” who he had planned something with.

Wright and Rovinski could face life in prison.

View the complete criminal complaint from last year HERE.

Photos: Nicholas Rovinski has left a trail of images on social media over the years.

See also:

Alleged Co-Conspirator With Roslindale Terror Suspect Arrested

Family Views Video of Fatal Shooting of Usaamah Rahim

Target of Roslindale Man’s Alleged Terrorist Plot Revealed

Everett Man Conspired to Support Attacking ‘Boys In Blue,’ According to FBI

Man Killed in Roslindale Confrontation Target of Terrorism Probe, Police Say

This investigation is being conducted by the Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the Rhode Island JTTF with critical assistance from the Boston Police Department; Boston Regional Intelligence Center; Massachusetts State Police; Commonwealth Fusion Center; Everett Police Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Rhode Island State Police; Warwick, Rhode Island, Police Department; Rhode Island Fusion Center; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and member agencies of the JTTF.