Man Pleads Not Guilty To Accusations Of Supporting ISIS

EDGEWOOD, Md. (AP) -- An Edgewood man accused of receiving thousands of dollars from overseas and plotting terror attacks in the United States has pleaded not guilty.

The Baltimore Sun reports that 30-year-old Mohamed Elshinawy entered his plea Friday in a court hearing. He's accused of supporting the self-declared Islamic State terror group.

The FBI began investigating Elshinawy last summer after learning about a suspicious money transfer from Egypt. Authorities say they eventually uncovered several similar transactions -- money they contend Elshinawy understood to be funding for terrorism.

Investigators say they reviewed Arabic chat transcripts in which Elshinawy and a childhood friend discussed their support for the Islamic State.

Court documents show Elshinawy told FBI investigators that he was scamming his overseas contacts out of the money, not plotting anything.

Elshinawy's lawyers declined to comment.

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