Feds Charge Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, An Iraqi Refugee, For Lying About Visiting Syria

An Iraqi refugee named Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab was arrested in Sacramento California last Thursday. He was charged with making false statements involving international terrorism, specifically lying about going to Syria to go against the government.

The Iraqi-born man was living in California. A federal charge said he lied to investigators about traveling to Syria to fight against the government there. USA Today reported that the man was named Mohammed Younis al-Jayab. He is 23 and lives in Sacramento. He was charged with making fake announcement connecting to his supposed travel to war-torn Syria to assist terror organizations.

Last week, in the middle of federal investigations in Sacramento, Houston and Milwaukee, the American River college student, was arrested on Jan. 7. According to Sacramento Bee Al Jayab said to the authorities that he will visit his grandmother in 2013 to 2014. He lied about those because in fact he went to Syria where he is "a member of a rebel group, militia and insurgent organization," as the indictment states. It also said he was lying about not joining a terror group in 2013 because he clearly did. The indictment further stated that Al-Jayab "called for and helped with the killing of a person" while he was in Syria between Nov. 19, 2013, and Jan. 17, 2014.

His defense attorney said he is not planning any violent actions in the United States. However, the prosecutors said Al-Jayab used social media to organize plans to acquire weapons training and ultimately get into Syria. On the other hand, Al-Jayab's defense attorney, Ben Galloway, said that the interactions between the two men were from 2013, said Times of Israel.

Galloway said that there wasn't any domestic plot by Al Jayab. They were not planning to attack the U.S. He also said that the conversation was years ago and it was about going overseas and nothing about doing anything in here.

Al-Jayab is being held without bail in the Sacramento County jail. He might face up to eight years in prison if convicted.

Tags

Syria, International Terrorism, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, Iraqi Refugee, Sacramento, rebel group, United States, ISIL

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