"A federal jury in Brooklyn has convicted Air Force veteran Tairod Pugh of attempting to join the Islamic State terror group," Newsday reported.
According to prosecutors, Pugh attempted to cross into Syria through Turkey on January 10, 2014 after being fired from his job as an airplane mechanic. Turkish authorities stopped Pugh, who carried numerous electronic devices, and put him on a flight back to Egypt.
Four days later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force obtained a search warrant for Pugh’s electronic devices, including his laptop computer.
The US Department of Justice discovered on the devices Pugh’s recent internet searches for "borders controlled by the Islamic State," "Kobani border crossing" and "Jarablus border crossing."
Pugh’s devices also allegedly contained Daesh propaganda video "Flames of War" as well as a chart of crossing points between Turkey and Syria.
The FBI arrested Pugh on January 16, 2015 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and he has been in custody since.
If convicted, Pugh can receive a maximum prison sentence of 35 years.
The Islamic State, also known as Daesh, has been designated a terrorist organization and is outlawed in the United States, but also in Russia and numerous other countries.
