A newly submitted brief by the US Department of Justice has shed further light on a terrorism case that places Turkey at the center of transit routes used by operatives linked to the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The latest filing provides more detailed evidence of travel planning, logistical arrangements, and connections to a separate attack plot within the United States.

The document, filed on February 5, 2026, by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, argues against granting pretrial release to Tomas-Kaan Jimenez-Guzel. The defendant—who holds US, Turkish, and Spanish citizenship—was arrested on November 4, 2025, at Newark Liberty International Airport while preparing to board a flight to Turkey. Prosecutors allege that his ultimate destination was ISIS-controlled territory in Syria.

Earlier reporting had already identified Turkey as a central component of the group’s travel strategy. However, the new filing significantly expands on that account, presenting what authorities describe as concrete evidence of operational preparation rather than mere ideological sympathy.

One of the most notable revelations is that Jimenez-Guzel had allegedly arranged onward travel within Turkey. Investigators reportedly discovered a confirmed bus booking on his phone for November 7, 2025, from Istanbul to Gaziantep—a city near the Syrian border that has long been associated with cross-border movement into conflict zones.

Prosecutors also state that he had........

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