American pleads guilty to terrorism charges

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (KUNA) -- An American pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, which is a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday.
According to a DOJ statement on the facts filed with the plea agreement, Lionel Williams, 27 years, "attempted to send money to a person he believed was an (IS) financier on two occasions, believing the money would be used to kill." The DOJ indicated in March 2016, Williams "publicly declared his support for (IS) on social media." It added that Williams donated money "to an individual he believed to be an (IS) financier but was actually a persona adopted by an FBI employee." Also in 2016, Williams began discussing plans for an operation with a woman living outside the US where "he asked an FBI confidential source to send him specific types of AK-47 ammunition and told an FBI employee that his plan was for a "local" operation." "Williams was arrested and charged shortly thereafter. After his arrest, he told agents he supported (IS) and believed he was part of a "holy war,"" the statement added. (end) si.mb