Jersey Teen Arrested for Alleged ISIS Support
In a noteworthy case, a Jersey teenager is facing serious accusations of attempting to support ISIS. This individual, Thomas Kern Jimenez Guzel, 19, was arrested at Newark Airport on November 4 while allegedly trying to leave for Turkey. Interestingly, he had previously pursued a football career at an exclusive Catholic high school in Manhattan.
Jimenez Guzel spent his freshman year at Xavier High School in Chelsea, which costs around $26,460 annually, before moving to Montclair High School. At Montclair, he crossed paths with Milo Sedarat, another student arrested for similar charges related to supporting terrorism.
Xavier High School has officially recognized their connection to Jimenez Guzel and expressed disapproval of his radicalization in a letter circulated to the community, which was later obtained by the Post. The school’s president, Jack Laslowsky, noted that Jimenez Guzel transferred out at the start of his sophomore year without any signs of troubling behavior while he was at Xavier.
Laslowsky clarified that the transfer was not due to any disciplinary or academic issues. The announcement came after a photo emerged, showing Jimenez Guzel with his mother, Meral, at a school event during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Meral Gusell has had an extensive career, acting as the director of the United Nations Women’s Entrepreneurship Program for ten years and possessing a background in banking and finance, as per her LinkedIn profile.
An online presence seemingly linked to Jimenez Guzel highlighted his aspirations as a football player, detailing his stats as a 6-foot-2, 230-pound defensive end. A Huddle video from 2022 depicted him making impressive tackles on the field. He had even expressed a desire to play in the NFL, stating, “I work day and night to not only become a better person, but also to become a star athlete.”
According to court documents, Jimenez Guzel was allegedly involved in planning overseas actions with a compatriot from New Jersey through a group chat. During these exchanges, he reportedly expressed a wish to commit historical atrocities in order to be recognized among “the 100 most evil people in the world.”
Federal investigators released a photo of Jimenez Guzel purportedly posing in front of an ISIS flag while holding a knife. Meanwhile, Milo Sedarat, 19, whose father is the well-known Iranian poet Roger Sedarat, allegedly plotted an attack reminiscent of the Boston bombing.
Reports from federal authorities indicate that Sedarat has stated intentions to execute “500 Jews and enslave their wives and children.” Both Jimenez Guzel and Sedarat are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and an attempted conspiracy to do the same.
