Ohio man pleads guilty for attempting to join ISIS terrorist group

An Ohio man pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to join ISIS, the US Department of Justice said. Aaron Travis Daniels, 20 was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, according to a DOJ statement. Daniels, also known as Harun Muhammad and Abu Yusuf, faces up to 20 years in prison, the DOJ said.

Daniels was arrested while trying to board a flight out of Columbus in November 2016. Federal authorities said his ultimate destination was Libya, where he had planned to join ISIS.

“Daniels admitted that he attempted to travel abroad to provide material support to ISIS,” acting assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente said in the statement, “Identifying, thwarting and holding accountable individuals who attempt to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations is a top priority of the Department of Justice.”

According to the criminal complaint, Daniels sent $250 in January 2016 to an ISIS operative “and had communicated his commitment to violent overseas jihad.”
Daniels is represented by an attorney from the Federal Public Defender’s Office of the Southern District of Ohio, but there was no response to attempts to reach him Thursday.

Source: CNN