California man given 12 years for seeking to join ISIS
June 7, 2016A California man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for seeking to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State (ISIS) group and wage holy war, authorities said.
Nicholas Michael Teausant, a 22-year-old convert to Islam, had pleaded guilty in December to a charge of attempting to provide material support or resources to a terror group. He was arrested in March 2014 near the Canadian border, while en route to Syria to join the terror network.
Teausant allegedly told the FBI under interrogation that he wanted to go to Syria in the hope of becoming famous and “being on every news station in the world.”
His prison sentence will be followed by 25 years of supervised release.
“Terrorism has to become a zero-tolerance crime. There is no margin for error,” U.S. District Judge John Mendez said in imposing the sentence in Sacramento, California.
“It is the court’s responsibility to fashion a sentence to reduce any risk you might pose in the future.”
According to authorities, Teausant caught the attention of the FBI in 2013 after he joined online forums, expressing a desire to “conduct violent jihad and to be part of America’s downfall.”
In his subsequent dealings with an FBI informant, he spoke of a plot to attack the Los Angeles subway but later backed away from those plans.
Authorities said the case illustrates the vulnerability of young people who can fall prey to jihadist groups on the Internet.
It is yet another example of the dangerous phenomenon of radicalization that the United States and many other countries are dealing with.
Just last month, a New Jersey man who pleaded guilty to conspiring to aid ISIS was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
American authorities over the past year or so have arrested and charged several people of supporting ISIS.
Faisal Mohammad, a California college student who stabbed four people late last year was reported to have been carrying an image of the black flag of ISIS as well as a handwritten manifesto with instructions to behead a student and multiple reminders to pray to Allah.
AFP contributed to this report.
Similar posts
-
Dear World: I Don't Care
November 2, 2023By Avi Lewis I don’t care that you sympathize with Hamas I know you wouldn’t tolerate any of ...
-
Stand With Israel!
October 17, 2023Stand with Israel. Don't stand with the extreme terror organization Hamas. This is a war about huma...
-
Israel Thanks You For Your Support
October 13, 2023Israel extends its heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you, dear friends and supporters, f...
-
How Israel Benefits the United States
October 5, 2023The relationship between Israel and the United States has been a cornerstone of American foreign po...
-
How Israel Helps Its Arab Neighbors
September 27, 2023Introduction Israel, a country known for its rich history and complex geopolitical landscape, ha...
-
The Amazing Country of Israel
September 15, 2023Introduction Nestled in the heart of the Middle East, Israel is a nation with a remarkable histo...
-
Israel Safeguards The World From Terror Attacks
August 23, 2023Introduction In an era where terrorism poses a significant threat to global security, Israel sta...
-
Israel Helps The World With Water Recycling
August 10, 2023Introduction In a world grappling with the challenges of water scarcity and resource management,...
