New York woman convicted of Islamic State weapons training

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 20:32 · Archive

A U.S. citizen has been convicted of receiving weapons training from Islamic State after her father took her to Syria as a teenager.

Halima Salman, a U.S. citizen from New York, was convicted on Tuesday of receiving weapons training from Islamic State. Her father took her to Syria as a teenager and arranged her marriage to an IS fighter. Prosecutors said the now 27-year-old pledged loyalty to the extremist group and willingly participated in its activities.

Jurors were shown a video of Salman holding an assault rifle, photographs of her with the group's flag, and loving text messages she sent her husband. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Shami told the jury: 'The evidence shows that the defendant received military training from a violent, brutal, terrorist organization — an organization that is responsible for attacks across the world.'

Salman's defence sought to portray her as a teenager unwittingly trapped in Syria's civil war, first by her father and later by an extremist husband whose orders she felt compelled to follow. She testified that she had refused to be married off at age 18 and repeatedly tried to get a divorce, saying 'You try to leave, it is death.' She burst into tears on hearing the verdict.

Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Islamic State, despite its military defeat in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, maintains sleeper cells that continue to carry out attacks in both countries.

How it is being reported

• New York woman is convicted of Islamic State training after becoming a teen bride to a fighterA New York woman whose father took her to Syria as a teenager and arranged her marriage to an Islamic State fighter has been convicted of receiving weapons training from the militant group.News4Jax · 27 Oct, 19:46
• New York woman is convicted of Islamic State training after becoming a teen bride to a fighterA New York woman whose father took her to Syria as a teenager and arranged her marriage to an Islamic State fighter has been convicted of receiving weapons training from the militant group.Clickorlando · 27 Oct, 19:46

In this story: Halima Salman · Islamic State · Syria · Iraq · New York

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