Michigan residents charged with conspiracy to support ISIS militants

FBI agents in Lansing, Mich., arrested and charged three people with conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) last week.

A criminal complaint, issued through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, alleges that one of the three attempted to board a plane in Grand Rapids, Michigan with the intent of traveling on to Mogadishu, Somalia. The FBI claims that the true purpose of this trip was to join and fight for ISIS, and intercepted him at the Gerald R. Ford Airport, while the others were arrested shortly after, as co-conspirators. If found guilty, the three individuals could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

The co-conspirators are being charged for helping the primary defendant with purchasing the ticket while knowing its true purpose. All three had allegedly pledged themselves to ISIS, though, with the FBI citing videos recorded by the three as evidence, along with previous discussions the conspirators had regarding joining, killing non-believers and potentially reaching martyrdom through their actions.

It remains to the court to decide the validity of these claims. All three defendants involved are naturalized citizens originally from Kenya.