IS Backer Who Attempted To Travel To Syria Gets 22 Years In Jail - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2019) A 26-year-old with a history of supporting the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) was sentenced to 22 years in prison on charges that included attempting to fraudulently obtain a US passport to join the group in Syria, the Justice Department said in a press release.

"[Sajmir] Alimehmeti was determined to support ISIS [Islamic State]. He attempted to travel overseas to support the terrorist group; he assisted another person he believed to be a fellow ISIS supporter to prepare to purportedly travel to join ISIS, he lied on his passport application so he could get a clean passport to ease his efforts to travel overseas to join ISIS, [and] he conspired with another terrorist to spread ISIS propaganda," the release said on Friday.

After multiple attempts to travel overseas raised enough red flags to deny him entry, Alimehmeti sought to help an undercover agent posing as a terrorist travel to join the Islamic State, the release said.

While in jail awaiting sentencing, he and another terrorist - also in jail for setting off pressure cooker bombs in New York City and the neighboring state of New Jersey - distributed Islamic State propaganda to other prisoners, the release added.

Alimehmeti pleaded guilty on February 21, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who imposed Friday's sentence.