It's not one world. In some parts of the world, people have very different views on life and living than we do here in the Western world; in fact, some of those people hold themselves up as the judges of whether or not people who hold views they disagree with should be alive. And some of those people live here, amongst us.
On Tuesday, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a press release announcing the conviction of one Halima Salman, a 27-year-old American citizen, on charges of traveling to Syria to receive training in terrorism from the Islamic State, or ISIS.
Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Halima Salman, 27, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Brooklyn, also known as “Umm Khattab al-Muhajir,” of receiving military-type training from the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, in Syria. Salman was convicted after a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Natasha C. Merle.
“The atrocities committed by ISIS, including mass executions, sexual slavery, and the systematic terrorizing of civilian populations, represent some of the gravest crimes of our time,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “There is simply no excuse for aligning with or receiving military training from an organization responsible for such suffering. Today's verdict sends a clear message that those who support this death cult will be found and prosecuted.”
“With today’s verdict, Salman is held accountable for joining forces with a terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “ISIS ravaged Syria and caused havoc across the globe; our Office will continue to prosecute those who supported its murderous reign.”
This wasn't a casual whim. According to the DOJ, Salman traveled to Syria with her entire family, and even married an ISIS goblin while she was in Syria.
As proven at trial, in September and October 2016, Salman’s parents traveled with her and her eight siblings out of the United States, ultimately destined for ISIS-controlled territory in Syria.
In late 2016 or early 2017, Salman was 18 years old and married to an ISIS fighter in Syria, where she voluntarily sought military-type training and received authorization to carry ammunition and an assault rifle from ISIS. Salman received a document certifying that she successfully completed that training, a copy of which was found on her husband’s cellphone after it was recovered from the battlefield. Also on her husband’s device were photos depicting Salman with an ISIS flag in the background and a video that shows her brandishing an AK-47 rifle.
So, this was a family affair, then.
This is a person, an American citizen, who joined forces with, received training from, and even married a member of an organization that is a bitter enemy of the United States. ISIS is not only a designated terrorist organization; it is one of the most vicious, hate-filled Islamic terrorist organizations, and this woman's entire family traveled from their home in the United States to ISIS-controlled territory, where their daughter subsequently received military training.
Salman was convicted under 18 U.S. Code § 2339D — Receiving military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization — which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison.
As of this writing, Salman's sentence has not been announced.