USA couple arrested for ‘attempting to provide material support’ to ISIS; plead guilty
An Alabama couple, who was involved in providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS, pleaded guilty on Monday.
An Alabama couple on Monday pleaded guilty to being involved in providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). According to the statement released by the US Department of Justice, Arwa Muthana, 30, of Hoover Alabama, had ties with designated foreign terrorist organisations.
On Friday, her husband James Bradley, aka Abdullah, 21, of the Bronx, entered a guilty plea to the same charge. According to court documents, Bradley and Muthana are ISIS supporters who attempted to travel to the Middle East to join and fight for ISIS. Bradley has expressed violent extremist views since at least 2019, including his desire to support ISIS by travelling overseas to join the group or committing a terrorist attack in the United States.
Later, in May 2020, Bradley stated to an undercover law enforcement officer (UC-1) that he believed that ISIS may be good for Muslims because ISIS was establishing a caliphate. Further, Bradley expressed his desire to conduct a terrorist attack in the US and discussed potentially attacking the US Military Academy in West Point, New York. Bradley explained that if he could not leave the United States, he would do something in the United States instead, referring to carrying out an attack. Bradley reaffirmed his interest to UC-1 in attacking a military base, and that doing so would be his contribution to the cause of jihad. In January 2021, Bradley mentioned to UC-1 another university in New York State where he frequently saw Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets training.
Couple will face 20 years of prison
Bradley stated that he could use his truck in an attack and that he along with Muthana could take all of the ROTC cadets “out.” Bradley married Muthana in an Islamic marriage ceremony in January last year. Beginning before and continuing after their marriage, Bradley and Muthana discussed, planned and ultimately attempted to travel to the Middle East together to join and fight alongside ISIS.
However, Muthana and her husband were arrested as they were boarding a cargo ship, according to the statement. Further, the statement said that Bradley and Muthana each pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and could end up serving 20 years in prison.
