Indiana teen arrested on terrorism charge

A man from Brownsburg, Indiana was arrested Tuesday for attempting to provide material support to ISIL, a designated foreign terrorist organization. 

The arrest was announced by National Security and the U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Indiana as well as a Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indiana Division.

18-year-old Akram Musleh was arrested by FBI agents while attempting to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York.

Police say he was trying to fly to and transit through Morocco on his way to ISIL-controlled territory. The criminal complaint alleges that he planned to provide personnel (himself) to ISIL.

“According to the complaint, Musleh attempted to travel overseas to join ISIL and to provide material support to the designated terrorist organization. The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats, and we will continue to work to stem the flow of foreign fighters abroad and bring to justice those who attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations,” said Assistant Attorney General John Carlin.

If convicted, Musleh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, according to police.

“I would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brownsburg Police Department for working with us during this investigation. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners but as in this case, we rely heavily on the public’s assistance to help make our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Shepard and Doris Pryor of the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorneys Paul Casey and Kiersten Korczynski of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.