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Grand jury indicts Ohio man arrested at CVG on terrorism charge

Posted at 1:58 PM, May 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-11 14:53:50-04

DAYTON, Ohio -- A federal grand jury indicted a man who was arrested at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport last month on charges that he wanted to help ISIS.

Laith Waleed Alebbini, 26, of Dayton, is facing one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization, officials announced Thursday.

If convicted on the charge, Alebbini could face up to 20 years in prison.

Alebbini was arrested on April 26 at CVG when authorities say he was going to board the first of a series of flights that would have ended in Jordan, where he planned to go on to join the terror group.

MORE: Ohio man trying to help ISIS arrested at CVG, feds say

In court records, an FBI special agent detailed various pro-ISIS comments he said Alebbini had made to a confidential source, including that he planned to travel to the Middle East, join ISIS and "fight in Jihad."

"Our duty is to support the Islamic State," Alebbini is quoted as saying. "Those are the words, what is your duty? Jihad. A person is supposed to stay away from the people of sins ... and what happens, happens ... caught? Let them arrest you, then, let them arrest me. This is the true conversation."

During an interview after his arrest, Alebbini admitted that he planned to join and fight for ISIS, the special agent wrote.