Miami man self-proclaimed 'lone wolf' for ISIS, federal complaint alleges

FBI says Miguel Diaz met with informant, sought guns to put 'city in checkmate'

MIAMI ā€“ A Miami man who described himself as a "lone wolf" for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria asked an FBI informant to buy him guns to kill people, according to a federal criminal complaint obtained by Local 10 News.

Miguel Diaz, 46, was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The FBI began investigating Diaz in January.

According to the complaint, Diaz maintained a Facebook page on which he identified himself as Azizi al Hariri, posted numerous articles about ISIS and posted a picture of himself posing with a gun.

FBI Special Agent David Clancy wrote in the complaint that Diaz and the informant had a Jan. 25 meeting at a Broward County restaurant. It was during this meeting that Diaz told the informant that he was a convicted felon and couldn't purchase a gun, but he asked the informant if he could purchase a "baby Glock" for him, the complaint said.

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Diaz then described how the informant could purchase several guns for him, with Diaz explaining that he would arrange to have them stolen from the informant's car, the complaint said. In exchange, the complaint alleges, Diaz would pay him $500.

Later, Diaz told the informant that he already had multiple weapons, including a rifle that he used for hunting in the Everglades and another with a collapsible stock that he could hide in a backpack and carry into a stadium undetected, the complaint said.

In another meeting Jan. 30, this time in Diaz's Chevrolet near Marlins Park, Diaz called himself a "lone wolf" for ISIS and told the informant that he wanted a bolt-action rifle, the complaint said.

"Diaz stated he would then take the .308 shell casings and scratch ISIS into the casings," the complaint said. "Diaz stated that after killing people, authorities would find the ISIS engraved shell casings and then know there was a sniper in town. Diaz continued to state that a sniper could disrupt a city for a week or two until being caught. Thereafter, Diaz stated one had better be ready to shoot himself, but until that time the sniper would put the city in checkmate."

Later in the evening, the complaint alleges, Diaz used his iPhone to show the informant detailed instructions from an al-Qaeda magazine on how to make a car bomb using oxygen and propane tanks as fuel.

Diaz and the informant met four more times between Feb. 5 and March 20, the complaint said.

During their Feb. 8 meeting, Diaz and the informant drove to the Everglades to shoot soda cans as target practice, the complaint said.

When they met again March 1, the informant asked Diaz if he was concerned that Diaz's live-in girlfriend would call the police and report him for having guns at his home, but Diaz said she's been living with him and his guns for six years, the complaint said.

"Diaz continued that on one occasion while arguing with his girlfriend, she threatened to call 911," the complaint said. "Diaz also stated that he threatened to kill her if she called 911."

FBI agents stopped Diaz in his car and found several guns and rounds of ammunition in his car, Clancy wrote in the complaint.

Diaz was convicted of possession with intent to deliver cocaine in 2005. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release.

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