Man arrested, accused of trying to fight for lslamic State

HEBRON, Ky. — A man was arrested Wednesday at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport after authorities say he attempted to travel to Syria to fight with the Islamic State.

The complaint against Laith Waleed Alebbini, 26, of Dayton, Ohio, filed in U.S. District Court in Dayton, states he was traveling to Syria via a flight to Turkey or Jordan to join Islamic State fighters against Syrian leadership. Alebbini has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Alebbini is a citizen of Jordan, became a legal permanent U.S. resident of the United States in April 2014, and first traveled to the U.S. in July 2011, according to the FBI. Its Joint Terrorism Task Force took Alebbini into custody.

On July 10,  Alebbini was arrested on charges of unlawfully entering the Turkish embassy in the District of Columbia, according to FBI investigators. The charges later were dropped.

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Two days later, Alebbini tried to travel to Turkey via Amsterdam but was denied entry because his Jordanian passport had expired, officials said. He returned Jan. 15 to the U.S.

On Jan. 23, Alebbini was interviewed about the incident at the Turkish embassy, according to the FBI. During the interview, Alebbini allegedly admitted to posting pro-Islamic State videos on Facebook and to supporting the terrorist organization's desire for a united Middle East.

During the interview he allegedly said, "I am the perfect recruit for ISIS" but said he did not agree with the group's violence, according to court documents. His reason for going to the embassy was to discuss the Middle East conflict with the Turkish ambassador.

"Alebbini said the security at the embassy was very lax, and that 'If I had on bomb on me, I swear to God, three embassies would have done down,' " investigators said in the affidavit.

Alebbini apparently was not detained after those conversations with the FBI.

He moved March 1 to Dayton to live with a woman he claimed was his wife. Two days after his move, a "confidential human source" began speaking with Alebbini, according to court documents.

"The best choice in the Islamic State, best choice for the Muslims," is what the source, a previously convicted felon who has served a sentence for weapons and wire fraud offenses, told the FBI that Alebbini had told him.

During the Alebbini investigation, the FBI said it paid the source $3,500. Agents said they previously had paid this person $15,000 during other cases.

"The (source) hopes to receive immigration-related benefits for his/her cooperation," the unidentified FBI agents stated in an affidavit.

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On March 29, the day after one of Alebbini's friends reportedly was arrested in Jordan, he told the source he planned to travel to the District of Columbia then Jordan and Syria to fight with the Islamic State, according to the affidavit.

Alebbini said his family knew that he wanted to join the Islamic State but didn't support him, so relatives took away his passport, according to the FBI.

"Alebbini stated that even if he joins Al-Dawlah (the Islamic State) and only fires a couple shots before he is killed, it would be good because he would be inciting the faithful," court documents state.

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On April 15, Alebbini contacted the FBI to ask if he were able to travel overseas. The FBI reportedly told him that the Turkish embassy investigation didn't bar him from traveling.

After discussing his desires, the source — with FBI approval — gave both Alebbini and his female partner $1,500 to purchase tickets from Cincinnati to Chicago then onto Turkey and Jordan, according to court documents.

The FBI said they learned Alebbini had purchased the tickets Monday. He was apprehended before he entered the Transportation Security Administration lines.

Follow Cameron Knight on Twitter: @ckpj99