INDIANAPOLIS – A Brownsburg man will spend the next 100 months behind bars for supporting terrorism.
Akram Musleh, 21, was sentenced in federal court Friday in connection to his plot to travel from the United States to Syria and join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), United State Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced.
Musleh was arrested three years ago Friday, on June 21, 2016, as he boarded a bus from Indianapolis to New York City, the first stop on his trip to North Africa, Turkey and finally ISIS controlled territory in Syria.
Musleh had been on the radar of the Indianapolis FBI Field Office ever since the summer of 2013, when he began posting videos of a member of al-Qaeda on his various social media accounts, and praising ISIS ideology.
The homegrown radicalization of American youth is a challenge the entire country faces and one our district must rally against with swift, determined, and unwavering resolve. Enforcement is charged with and proud to ferret out and hold responsible those who engage in treacherous behavior. But this case is a stark reminder that enforcement needs the community to partner with us. If you see something, you must say something. We are pleased and grateful to the men and women of the FBI for disrupting Musleh’s plans.”
Josh J. Minkler, United States Attorney
“This matter is
another instance of the nature of terrorism and its pervasive reach into our
communities. It also emphasizes the invaluable partnerships the FBI Joint
Terrorism Task Force has with our state and local partners to identify and
disrupt the activities of those like Akram Musleh – who remained unwavering in
his allegiance to ISIS,” said Robert Middleton, Acting Special Agent in Charge
of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “Today’s sentence highlights the dedication
of all involved who work tirelessly every day to prevent acts of terrorism
around the globe.”
According to
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Rinka, who leads the office’s
National Security Unit, Musleh was also ordered to serve 140 months’ supervised
release following his incarceration.
