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The growing threat of ISIS terrorism in the US has surpassed that of al-Qaeda, FBI Director James Comey warned in July, as US security agencies continue to track down individuals influenced by ISIS who may be planning to act on their radical ideology.
The FBI on Monday arrested Aaron Daniels, of Ohio, while he was attempting to fly to Libya. He is accused of trying to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group.
US Attorney Benjamin Glassman stated that Daniels, 20, was taken into custody at John Glenn Columbus International Airport after a months-long investigation.
Daniels allegedly told an undercover informant about his interest in traveling overseas to join the jihad, the Muslim holy war, according to the criminal complaint filed against him. Daniels wired $250 in January to a Beirut intermediary for ISIS recruiter and terror attacks planner Abu Isa Al-Amriki, who has since been killed.
The complaint also stated that at various times Daniels, who went by the aliases Harun Muhammad and Abu Yusuf, expressed interest in traveling to Afghanistan and Syria to join the jihad before settling on Libya. In June, Daniels told the undercover informant he wanted to join ISIS in Libya “so I could support the jihad there,” according to the complaint.
The FBI finally acted when they saw Daniels preparing to fly to Libya via Houston and Trinidad.
“Any time you are providing material support in the form of money or especially as a traveler, someone who’s going to go fight on behalf of ISIL is a very serious threat,” Glassman stated.
International security agencies fear that foreigners who join ISIS in the Middle East will return home at some point, serving as a terror threat after accumulating battle knowledge and experience while fighting for ISIS. Therefore, such potential ISIS recruits are closely monitored and stopped, if need be, or arrested upon their return to their countries of origin.
Daniels appeared in federal court wearing ankle and wrist chains. He did not enter a plea.
The FBI is pursuing at least 900 active ISIS terror-related investigations, spread over all 50 states in the US, FBI Director James Comey stated last November.
By: World Israel News Staff
AP contributed to this report.
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