A 33-year-old Uzbek man is accused of having ties to ISIS, one of the world’s most violent terrorist organizations, despite living an unassuming life in the United States for nearly two years.

Jovokhir Attoev allegedly crossed the border illegally into Arizona before being vetted and released into the country. For the next two years, he managed to blend into the urban landscape without drawing attention to himself.

“This guy was just happy to be here and didn’t want to cause trouble. He wanted to stay unknown,” said Michael Greenberger, Director of the Center for Homeland Security at the University of Maryland.

It wasn’t until Uzbekistan issued an international notice for Attoev’s arrest, citing his alleged ISIS connections, that he surfaced on authorities’ radar. He was apprehended in Baltimore just two weeks ago.

Greenberger believes this case exposes critical shortcomings at the Department of Homeland Security stemming from a lack of resources. “I suspect if intelligence agencies had the resources they need, this would not have happened,” he stated.

The incident raises concerns about the vetting process for illegal border crossers and the nation’s ability to identify and monitor potential terrorist threats already living in American communities.