Mass. man accused of aiding ISIS killed in Iraq, reports say

Ahmad Abousamra, 33, as seen in photos from 2004 (left) and 2002.FBI

A Massachusetts man who was believed to be working with the Islamic State terror group in Syria and Iraq was allegedly killed in a recent airstrike by Iraqi forces, according to multiple reports.

Ahmad Abousamra, 33, who grew up in Stoughton, was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list in 2013.

Abousamra’s death was first reported this week by Britain’s Daily Mail and by Al Arabiya television.

Al Arabiya, citing the Iraqi Interior Ministry, said 28 terrorists were killed in the strike, including “Abu Mohammed the Syria, nicknamed Abu Samra, who is an ISIS filmmaking expert.” Abousamra, a dual US-Syrian citizen, goes by a number of similar pseudonyms, according to the FBI. The strike took place near the city of Qaim, which is located on the Syrian border in northwestern Iraq, according to Al Arabiya.

If the reports are accurate, it would mean that one of the most wanted terrorists with US ties was killed.

Abousamra attended Xaverian Brothers and Stoughton high schools before moving on to Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts Boston, according to past reports.

ABC News reported last year that Abousamra was behind much of the Islamic State’s online presence, including social media and videos. It said Abousamra possibly was linked to videos of executions that the Islamic State posted online.

Two hostages with New Hampshire ties who were held by the Islamic State group, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, were killed in 2014.

Abousamra was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2009, accused of conspiring to support Al Qaeda. He was thought to have left the US in 2006, according to the FBI. The agency said he was living near Aleppo, Syria, in 2013.