A Georgia man, identified as Aliakbar Mohammad Amin, 24, has been arrested and charged with issuing threats against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and her family. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that between March 29 and April 1, Amin sent text messages containing harrowing threats. "You and your family are going to die soon" and "I will personally do the job if necessary," Amin allegedly wrote in his threats to the DNI.
Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. emphasized the gravity of such threats, stating to the U.S. Department of Justice, "Our Office, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously prosecute individuals who commit these acts of violence." He further cited the importance of distinguishing between free speech and criminal actions. In a similar vein, FBI Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown underlined the FBI's commitment to "employ every investigative tool and resource available" to prosecute those who levy such threats. Brown also warned that the arrest should "serve as a clear warning" to others who might be willing to engage in such behavior.
The DOJ's account reveals that Amin's threats were not limited to text messages. His social media also featured alarming posts including an image of a firearm trained on a picture of DNI Gabbard and another with the firearm aimed at a photo of Gabbard with her husband. Agents executing a search warrant on Amin's home discovered a firearm, shedding concerning light on the potential for these threats to manifest into real harm.
Charged on April 11, pursuant to a previously sealed criminal complaint under Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c), Amin was ordered detained pending trial after his initial appearance in federal court. His arrest is part of "Operation Take Back America," a sweeping initiative from the Department of Justice focused on combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime. The operation mobilizes resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood, according to the DOJ's announcement.
Details of Amin's upcoming legal proceedings have not been released. For additional inquiries, the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office has invited contact through their email or by phone. More information about the case can be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia website. The involvement of the FBI in the investigation underscores the severity with which threats against public officials are treated, notwithstanding the right to political discourse.
