According to DoJ, Benjamin Alan Carpenter, also known as ‘Abu Hamza,’ 31, was arrested on March 24, 2021, in Knoxville following the return of a federal grand jury indictment charging him with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Carpenter is a United States citizen who resides in Knoxville. According to documents filed with the Court, Carpenter is the leader of Ahlut-Tawhid Publications, an international organization dedicated to the translation and publication of pro-ISIS and official ISIS media in English. Carpenter was also in contact with an individual who he believed was associated with ISIS; however, unbeknownst to Carpenter, the individual was a covert FBI employee. Carpenter provided English-language translations of ISIS media content to that individual for use by ISIS. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)