18 year old attempted to travel to the Middle East in material support of ISIL
PRESS RELEASE
Indianapolis - United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler and FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott of the FBI’s Indiana Division announced today the arrest of a Brownsburg, Indiana, man on charges of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Akram Musleh, age18, was arrested by FBI agents while attempting to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York where he was to fly to and transit through Morocco to ISIL-controlled territory. The criminal complaint alleges that from there, he was to provide material support by joining ISIL.
“The radicalization of American citizens by terrorist organizations like ISIL is a threat to our safety here and abroad," said Minkler. “I am committed to using the full authority of the United States Attorney’s Office to identify, investigate and prosecute those that materially support terrorism. I would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Brownsburg Police Department and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for working with us during this investigation. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners but as in this case, we rely heavily on the public’s assistance to help make our community safe."
“Terrorism is the FBI’s number one priority and we work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our community," said Abbott. “This case demonstrates the value of law enforcement collaboration and community engagement."
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley Shepard and Doris Pryor who are prosecuting this case for the government, Musleh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
