A former U.S. Army National Guard member was charged on Wednesday for trying to provide material support to the al-Qaida terrorist organization after allegedly attempting to send 3-D printed weapons to “an individual he believed was receiving them on behalf of al-Qaida.”
In a Wednesday press release, the U.S. Justice Department confirmed that Andrew Scott Hastings, a 25-year-old resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was charged with trying to provide resources or material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and the illegal possession or transfer of a machine gun.
The Justice Department explained that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) discovered in June of 2024 that Hastings was “discussing committing acts of violence against U.S. civilians in furtherance of global jihad” on a social media app while enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard and holding a national security clearance. During his time with the National Guard, Hastings traveled outside of the country and did not report his travel.
According to the press release, Hastings allegedly told other people in his social media group that they “needed to develop cyberspace skills and to start physical training.” The former National Guard member offered to share over 500 pages of notes and Army manuals regarding weapons manufacturing and military tactics. Additionally, the 25-year-old told social media users how to avoid law enforcement and claimed to have had experience being detained and interrogated by law enforcement officials.
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“Hastings further alleged that he made a firearm, was interested in creating a nuclear weapon, and discussed the advantages of using tunnels to protect armed militants, consistent with news reports about Hamas’s use of tunnels in Gaza,” the Justice Department stated. “Hastings began communicating with an undercover agent who claimed to have contacts with al-Qaida. They discussed 3-D printed firearms, machinegun conversion devices known as ‘switches,’ and drones.”
The Justice Department said Hastings gave the undercover FBI agent a link to a website where he was selling 3-D printed switches. The press release also noted that the 25-year-old was captured twice on surveillance video at a postal facility to ship over 100 3-D printed switches, a handgun slide, two 3-D printed lower receivers for a handgun, and other handgun parts, which Hastings believed were going to be “supplied to al-Qaida for use in terrorist attacks.”
The Department of Justice confirmed that Hastings agreed to voluntarily discharge from the National Guard on June 6, 2025, amid the FBI’s investigation.
