US Woman Arrested for Attempting to Join Islamic State - DoJ

A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania woman was arrested and charged after attempting to travel abroad in March 2015 to join the Islamic State, the US Department of Justice announced in a statement on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — “Keonna Thomas, also known as Fatayat Al Khilafah and YoungLioness, 30, of Philadelphia, was charged today by criminal complaint with knowingly attempting to provide material support and resources, including herself as personnel, to a designated foreign terrorist organization,” the Justice Department statement read.

“According to the complaint, Thomas attempted to travel overseas in order to join and fight with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL],” it added.

Thomas allegedly posted statements via Twitter about wanting to join ISIL, communicated with ISIL militants online, and researched different indirect travel routes to reach Syria to join the terrorist group, according to the Justice Department statement.

“As alleged in the complaint, Thomas posted on Twitter the following statement: ‘If we truly knew the realities… we all would be rushing to join our brothers in the front lines pray ALLAH accept us as shuhada [martyrs],’ the Justice Department statement read.

“The complaint further alleges that Thomas applied for a US passport and advised an associate that she had deactivated her Twitter “till i leave for sham [greater Syria]… don’t want to draw attention of the kuffar [non-believers],” it added.

Philadelphia Woman Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL http://t.co/74h2AhvmYh

— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) 3 апреля 2015

Attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization in the United States holds a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.