Minnesota man charged with trying to join ISIS

The Justice Department indicted a Minneapolis man for attempting to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Hamza Naj Ahmed, 19, tried to fly from New York City to Turkey with three other men in a plot to join the terrorist group last November, the Justice Department alleges. Ahmed made his way on to the flight, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents took him off the plane before it departed.

{mosads}The indictment, which was announced on Thursday, also claims that Ahmed lied to FBI investigators. He’s been detained since Feb. 5.

“Hamza Ahmed is at least the fourth person from the Twin Cities charged as a result of an ongoing investigation into individuals who have traveled or are attempting to travel to Syria in order to join a foreign terrorist organization,” Andrew Luger, the U.S. attorney for Minnesota, said Thursday. 

“Since 2007, dozens of people from the Twin Cities have traveled or attempted to travel overseas in support of terror. While my office will continue to prosecute those who attempt to provide material support to ISIL or any other terrorist organization, we remain committed to working with dedicated community members to bring this cycle to an end,” he added, using an alternate name for the group.

The indictment has not yet been filed online, but the agency released excerpts in a press release.

The Justice Department charged two Minnesota men for trying to help ISIS in November. Agents stopped one before he flew to the Middle East but the other successfully made it to Turkey.