A 19-year-old Illinois man was charged Monday with a terrorism-related offense for allegedly trying to join ISIS in its battle to carve out an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Authorities said Mohammed Hamzah Khan of the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook was arrested Saturday at O'Hare International Airport as he waited to board a flight to Vienna. From there, he intended to fly to Istanbul, Turkey, and then make his way into Syria or Iraq to fight for ISIS, they said.
Khan was charged Monday in a federal criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to an affidavit filed in federal court, Khan purchased a round-trip ticket on Sept. 26 to travel from Chicago to Istanbul, intending to depart on Saturday and return later this week. After observing Khan pass through the airport security checkpoint on Saturday afternoon, federal agents searched his home and recovered handwritten documents expressing support for ISIS and jihad and outlining his travel plans. If convicted, Khan faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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Khan is the 13th American accused of joining or trying to join the radical Islamic groups ISIS and the al-Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate. Both groups are fighting the Syrian government of Bashar Assad, while ISIS also is attempting to defend its self-declared caliphate against Iraqi forces.
IN-DEPTH -- Mike BrunkerFirst published October 6 2014, 9:54 AM
Posted by Unknown on Monday, October 6, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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