Tag: Islamic state

  • DC transit police officer charged with aiding IS group

    DC transit police officer charged with aiding IS group

    DC Metro SystemA Washington, DC transit police officer was arrested on Wednesday on charges he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State (IS) group, the US Justice Department said, in the first such case involving a member of law enforcement.

    Accordıng to reuters In July, Nicholas Young, who lives in Virginia, sent codes for gift cards worth $245 to an FBI informant. The gift cards were intended for mobile-messaging accounts that the IS group uses to recruit its followers. Young believed the informant he was messaging was an acquaintance who was working with the militant group, according to court records.

    Young, who had worked for the transit authority since 2003, had been on the radar of federal law enforcement since 2010, according to an affidavit in the complaint filed in US district court in Virginia on Tuesday.

    Metro authorities said Young was fired immediately after his arrest on Wednesday.

    The 36-year-old US citizen is the first law enforcement officer charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organisation, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    The Justice Department has brought IS group-related charges against more than 90 people since 2014.

    Young did not pose a threat to Metro train riders or employees during the six years he was under federal surveillance, according to Joshua Stueve, a spokesman for the Eastern Virginia US Attorney’s Office.

    “None of the things that he said, none of the things he wanted to do related to anything here. His interest was totally in how he could get overseas and what he could do over there,” Stueve said.

    In 2014, he met several times with an undercover FBI agent who was posing as an eager recruit of the IS group, according to the affidavit, and advised the agent about how to evade law enforcement as he left the United States to join the militant group.

    Young sent the gift card codes after the informant told him that the group needed help setting up mobile messaging accounts, according to the affidavit, and then promised to cover his tracks: “Gonna eat the SIM card. Have a good day.”

    “Metro transit police alerted the FBI about this individual and then worked with our federal partners throughout the investigation,” said Metro general manager Paul Wiedefeld, calling the allegations against Young “profoundly disturbing.”

    Young had travelled to Libya in 2011 to support rebels trying to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi, the affidavit said.

    That year, he also discussed with informants ways of smuggling guns into the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, where he will appear on Wednesday, according to the Justice Department.

  • Al-Khatib against calls for “Islamic state”

    Al-Khatib against calls for “Islamic state”

    Syria is a country where moderate Islam dominates, said Khatib, President of Syrian National Coalition.

    resimISTANBUL — President of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces, Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib said that Syria was a country where moderate Islam dominated.

    A conference on “Islam and Just Transition in Syria” began in Istanbul so the Syrian Muslim scholars could put forward their approaches to the transitional process in Syria.

    A high number of Syrian Muslim scholars and important names of the Syrian opposition attended the conference.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the conference, al-Khatib underlined that in order for Islam’s real message to be understood, a revolution must take place in human’s understanding of religion.

    Due to wrong methods, small problems occupy more time than greater problems, al-Khatib noted.

    The aim of the revolution was to free humans, al-Khatib stated.

    “Everyone should receive just treatment. Otherwise, anarchy would prevail and humans, based on certain reasons, would cause the spill of blood of others. There is tyranny in our country (Syria) as never seen before. A serious danger awaits us in the future. There is need for serious works so humans do not violate each other’s rights,” al-Khatib underlined.

    Criticizing Al-Qaeda’s call to establish an Islamic state in Syria, al-Khatib advised those fighting in Syria not to listen to thoughts coming from outside.

    ” Syria was a country where moderate Islam dominated.Syria is the center of enlightenment. Syria has a large number of scholars. Scholars of Syria can help each other,” al-Khatib said.

    “Revolution to continue until victory arrives”

    Chairman of the Syrian National Council (SNC), George Sabra underlined that the Syrian regime persecuted its own people and the world acted as if they were blind.

    “Revolution will continue until victory arrived. Justice will come with victory. Unless there is just punishment, justice can not be established. There will be a just constitution in new Syria and there will not be discrimination against any person or group. We will not treat those guilty with revenge. There will be just trials. Upcoming days would be nice,” Sabra stated.

    ”Syria will belong to all Syrians”

    Prime Minister of the Syrian interim government, Ghassan Hitto emphasized the importance of Islam’s message while moving to a state of law with justice and equality from a regime which placed pressure on people.

    A consensus will take place in Syria on a strong societal structure, Hitto said.

    “Syria will belong to all Syrians. Damages incurred by Syrian people would be compensated. The Justice Ministry would be restructured and just trials will take place,” Hitto noted.

    The conference will end on Tuesday.

    Islamic NGOs reject al-Qaeda announcement for “Islamic State in Iraq and Damascus”

    Syrian Islamic non-governmental organizations (NGOs) rejected announcement made by “Iraqi Islamic State” organization, the Iraqi wing of al-Qaeda, on the establishment of an “Islamic State in Iraq and Damascus”.

    In a joint statement made, the Union of Syrian Muslim Scholars, Union of Damascus Scholars, Union of Syrian Revolutionary Ulema and Inviters, and Syrian Islamic Forum underlined that al-Qaeda organization did not represent the people of Syria.

    “It is unacceptable to see a group, without a government or a certain territory, to announce the establishment of a state by not consulting with the relevant people and the scholars of the region and forcing the people to obey them. Our people have the strength to establish their own state with their own power and means,” the statement said.

    Referring to the Nusra Front in Syria and comments made by leader of the Nusra Front Abu Muhammad al-Golani that they were attached to al-Qaeda, the statement said “your struggle along with other armed groups in Syria is known and your support to the struggle is well appreciated. The people’s calling themselves ‘We are all Nusra Front’ on a Friday is an indication of the appreciation”.

    “Nusra Front’s declaration of attachment to al-Qaeda strengthens the hands of the Assad regime, presents the justification foreign powers need to intervene in Syria, and gives the excuse to the Syrian government to react against those ‘terrorists’ fighting in Syria. We call on our brethren at the Nusra Front to end obeying al-Qaeda and consult with those warriors on the field and scholars,” the statement underlined.

    “There is no bigger terror than that applied by the Syrian regime”

    “Our people will consider it a conspiracy against itself if an intervention takes place targeting the groups fighting in Syria or if the Syrian people were placed under a blockade with an excuse of ‘struggling against terrorists’. There is no bigger terror than that applied by the Syrian regime. We reject the intervention of all forms of organizations to determine the future of the Syrian state as well as any imposition from the international community to us to sit down with the Syrian regime at the table. The future of Syria will be determined by those who love Syria,” the statement also said.

    Al-Qaeda’s Iraqi wing, “Iraqi Islamic State” organization on April 9 had announced that they united with the Nusra Front.

    Nusra Front leader Abu Muhammad al-Golani had said that they had not taken a joint decision with the “Iraqi Islamic State” organization but that they were attached to al-Qaeda.

    16 April 2013

    Anadolu Agency