U.S. Air Force Veteran Charged with Trying to Join Islamic State

From the Washington Times:

A U.S. Air Force veteran and former mechanic was indicted by a Brooklyn grand jury on Monday for trying to join the Islamic State group.

Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh is charged with attempting to provide material support to terror organization and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, ABC News reported Tuesday.

Mr. Pugh was charged via a secret criminal complaint on Jan. 16. He is charged with attempting to join the Sunni radical terror organization between May 2014 and Jan 12, 2015, ABC reported.

“Born and raised in the United States, Pugh allegedly turned his back on his country and attempted to travel to Syria in order to join a terrorist organization,” U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement released Tuesday. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute extremists, whether based here or abroad, to stop them before they are able to threaten the United States and its allies.”

The indictment against Mr. Pugh also charges that he tried to destroy four USB thumb drives leading up to his arrest.

A statement released by the Justice Department on Tuesday said he tried to gain entry into Turkey on Jan. 10, 2015, but was denied entry and sent back to Egypt. Authorities found him with damaged USB devices and a cell phone that contained a picture of a machine gun. He was then deported to the U.S.

If convicted, the Air Force veteran faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison.

He should be charged with treason.