Who is Mark Sami Ibrahim? Ex-DEA agent who posed with service badge at Capitol riots arrested
Thanks to their own willingness to promote themselves, the FBI is continuing to round up those involved in the Capitol Hill insurrection, over six months after it occurred. The latest to be arrested was former DEA agent Mark Sami Ibrahim, who filmed himself that day. Ibrahim wasn't just involved in the insurrection, but he was also caught with his DEA badge and official firearm by his side, resulting in him being fired.
Ibrahim is one of the over 500 people arrested and charged for events of that day, but may not face a lengthy prison sentence. On July 19, Paul Hodgkins was sentenced to just eight months in prison, becoming the first person to be sentenced for his role in the riots. Many are worried it could set a precedent for others to get away lightly as well, despite clear evidence. Adding to the worries is that many seem genuinely unapologetic about their actions, like Pauline Bauer. In court, Bauer testified she was a divinely empowered entity immune from laws.
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A handful of others though are genuinely apologetic about their actions, thanks in part to the efforts of attorney Heather Shaner. We reported on July 18 about Shaner's efforts to re-educate rioters on American history, which has so far had mixed results. From reports, it appears as if Ibrahim is not one of those who are apologetic. Instead, he's slammed prosecutors for getting him fired.
Who is Mark Sami Ibrahim?
An army veteran, Ibrahim was living in Orange County, California at the time of his arrest. He was on probation at the DEA at the time of the riots. According to court documents, Ibrahim had submitted his resignation to the agency weeks before the insurrection. He planned to launch 'Liberty Tavern', a political podcast and cigar brand, a friend told prosecutors, and "promote himself" at the insurrection. On January 6, Ibrahim was on personal leave and yet carried his gun and badge to the riots.
Little is known about Ibrahim's background, before his arrest. In an interview with Tucker Carlson in March, Ibrahim said he followed his brother into law enforcement after leaving the army. "My sister is a Navy veteran. My mom was in the Pentagon on 9/11," he added. Ibrahim doesn't appear to have a public Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn page so we could not find out more about the 32-year-old.
According to the indictment, Ibrahim was present at the riots with a "liberty or death" flag. When interviewed by prosecutors, Ibrahim said he had gone to the Capitol to "document the riots for the FBI" with a friend. The same friend (unnamed in the indictment) slammed that version of events. When interviewed, he told prosecutors, "Ibrahim crafted this story ... in an effort to ‘cover his ass'." Ibrahim was interviewed on March 15 in Los Angeles, following which he was fired by the DEA. "I had my badge and gun taken away from me. I was escorted off the premises to my apartment like a criminal, and I was fired after being suspended for two months, for performance issues," he told Carlson. Ibrahim reiterated "I wanted to aid law enforcement that day as best I could," in that interview. He also said he was "treated like a criminal". He rued, "the saddest part about this is I can’t serve my country anymore."
It is unclear what Ibrahim has been doing since he was fired. He was arrested on July 20 and is scheduled to appear in court the same day. He posed for photos at the Capitol, taken by his friend, and even uploaded some of them to a WhatsApp chat with other law enforcement officers. The photos clearly show him flashing his badge and gun. In the March 15 interview though, he claimed, "I had my creds. I had my firearm and my badge on me . . . But never exposed . . . Not that I know of." The document confirms Ibrahim never entered the Capitol, unlike other rioters. At all times, he was caught on the grounds outside.
Ibrahim is the 30th law enforcement officer to be arrested in connection with the insurrection, indicating just how far and wide Trump's cultish following has grown. A large number of military veterans were also arrested for participating in the day's events.