DUSHANBE, February 26, 2015, Asia-Plus — Three Central Asian men have been arrested in the United States and charged with conspiring to support the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
U.S. authorities say three men were charged on Wednesday with conspiring to support Islamic State, including two who planned to travel to Syria to fight on behalf of the radical group, according to
Reuters
.
One of the men, Akhror Saidakhmetov, 19, of Kazakhstan, was arrested on February 25 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where he was attempting to board a flight to Turkey on his way to Syria.
Another defendant, Abdurasul Juraboev, 24, of Uzbekistan, previously purchased a ticket for a March flight to Istanbul.
Abror Habibov, 30, of Uzbekistan, was arrested in Florida and accused of funding Saidakhmetov”s efforts.
According to the
New York Times
, Juraboev and Saidakhmetov are permanent residents in the US; Habibov had overstayed his US visa. All three remain citizens of their countries, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, however.
Reuters
reports Juraboev drew the attention of federal agents when he posted messages on an Uzbek-language website stating his desire to join Islamic State and his willingness to kill U.S. President Barack Obama.
Saidakhmetov offered to buy guns and shoot police officers and FBI agents if he could not go to Syria.
According to
Reuters
, Saidakhmetov worked for Habibov, who operates mobile phone repair kiosks in malls in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Habibov reportedly paid for Saidakhmetov”s ticket and promised additional funds.
The three suspects have been ordered held without bail. They face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The plans of the three charged were revealed in part by a paid confidential informant who met Juraboev and Saidakhmetov at a mosque in September and appeared to be sympathetic to their cause.
