"Va. teenager sentenced to 11 years in prison for tweeting about ISIS, aiding the terrorist group"

2015-08-28T15:40:53-04:00

From: New York Daily News

A Virginia high school student has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for helping another teen fly to Syria to join ISIS and for tweeting about and supporting the terrorist group.

Ali Shukri Amin, 17, of Manassas, told the judge he didn't "expect sympathy" as he was sentenced to federal prison Friday.

Amin pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The honors student was due to graduate that month. His case is a rare instance of a juvenile being charged in federal court.

The teenager acknowledged he used Twitter and other social media to get donations for ISIS. He also drove another Virginia teenager to the airport on a trip bound for Syria, and carried a letter and a thumb drive to the boy's parents that said they would likely never see their son again.

"Today marks a personal tragedy for the Amin family and the community, as we have lost yet another young person to the allure of extremist ideology focused on hatred," FBI Assistant Director Andrew McCabe said in a news release.

"Amin's case serves as a reminder of how persistent and pervasive online radicalization has become," he said.

The teen also admitted to providing online instructions on how to use Bitcoin to hide donations to ISIS and helped would-be jihadists trying to get to Syria.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Ben'Ary said Amin "wasn't being radicalized. He was radicalizing" others and knew what he was doing was illegal.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/va-teen-11-years-prison-aiding-isis-article-1.2340577

Va. teen gets 11 years in prison for aiding ISIS

A Virginia high school student has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for helping ISIS in Syria.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 3:43 PM

2015-08-28T15:43:10-04:00

Seriously, WTF is up with young people seeing such glory and wanting to help this organisation?

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Aug 28 at 2015 4:40 PM

2015-08-28T16:40:32-04:00

Glad I read the story first, as I was thinking 11 years is too harsh... But then to discover that this isn't your typical 17 year old, I'm beginning to wonder if 11 years is going to be enough... And how much of that will he really do... And what will be able to accomplish behind bars... We had some pretty devious kids I grew up with, but nothing like some of these kids today...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 5:00 PM

2015-08-28T17:00:16-04:00

Sounds about right to me.

One would think that by this time every other person online who is interested in supporting ISIS would be some sort of government agent. How does he actually get to go so far as taking someone to the airport?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 28 at 2015 5:00 PM

2015-08-28T17:00:56-04:00

Enjoy your time bent over a steam pipe you POS.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 28 at 2015 6:07 PM

2015-08-28T18:07:33-04:00

How the heck does a high school student even have that strong of ideological convictions...

"It's the internet dude; fries their brain cells."

Response by SSG Keith Cashion made Aug 28 at 2015 6:57 PM

2015-08-28T18:57:50-04:00

11years? That's all? And they said it was a tragedy for the family and community....hhhmmm. I am thinking this a victory for the community, because another terrorist loving idiot is off the streets.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Aug 29 at 2015 1:41 AM

2015-08-29T01:41:05-04:00

Stupid helping ISIS, Stupid 2 Recruiting for ISIS, Taking Stupid to a whole new level bragging about it on an on-line public forum.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2015 2:17 AM

2015-08-29T02:17:35-04:00

Execute him for treason.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Aug 29 at 2015 12:29 PM

2015-08-29T12:29:26-04:00

Prison? Hell, no. GIVE HIM WHAT HE WANTS... Pack his bag for him and deliver him to Syria/Iraq/Wherever so ISIS can fully utilize this terrorist.

No prison costs. No appeal costs. No parole costs. I'll donate some United Mileage Plus points for the trip. Happy to do so.

If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 29 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-08-29T13:10:51-04:00

I can sleep well knowing he received fair treatment under the law. Does 11 years seem like to much? How does sending someone into a fight that will potentially being decapitating Christians for being Christians or Muslims because they do not practice Islam the way ISIS says too? He could have been sentenced to life, and I would feel fine with that.

Response by SGT Charlie Steward made Aug 29 at 2015 1:35 PM

2015-08-29T13:35:27-04:00

What a triumph of the justice system! Lets put him into a place where he can influence more people, get stronger, hate America even more, and then release him... 11 years is nothing to a 17 year old.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Aug 29 at 2015 2:32 PM

2015-08-29T14:32:48-04:00

Seems like he deserves more than what he got. He shows no remorse. That is really scary that a boy of only 17 can be so callous/cold/hateful...and what happens after he is released from Prison? Doesn't seem like he should be released into society....

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Aug 29 at 2015 2:56 PM

2015-08-29T14:56:00-04:00

This "child" wasn't indoctrinated on the Internet. It takes something more, something personal, to indoctrinate someone, even a teenager, to descend this far into the abyss of terrorism. It makes me wonder if the investigators looked closely at his environment: His family, his "house of worship", his school and his teachers. If not, there are likely more young believers in the pipeline...

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 31 at 2015 8:36 AM

2015-08-31T08:36:47-04:00

With a name like Ali Shukri Amin and the name of his friend who he helped join ISIS, Reza Niknejad, I can't help but wonder if they are both possibly of Middle Eastern/Arabic descent. I'm not saying that all Middle Easterners are possible terrorists. What I am saying though is a lot of terrorists seem to be of Middle Eastern descent.

Response by SGT William Howell made Aug 31 at 2015 9:12 AM

2015-08-31T09:12:08-04:00

I think we should charter a plane and send anyone that wants to go there. Once they land just put a JDAM right in the middle of the plane. ALLAH SNACK BAR!!!!

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Aug 31 at 2015 10:44 AM

2015-08-31T10:44:26-04:00

What should be shocking about this isn't the fact that this "kid" was sent away, but rather the fact that an "organization" like this has better recruiting abilities than most actual organizations in the US. We need to analyze how is the lure of a quick death better in the name of religion than the lure of a good life and freedom from religion persecution (supposedly). I don't feel sorry for this inmate, but think there's a lot of learning points in this for the US and the world as a whole.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2015 5:45 AM

2015-09-01T05:45:20-04:00

Good. Put him away. Probably should just ship him off to Gitmo.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Sep 1 at 2015 9:08 AM

2015-09-01T09:08:38-04:00

Deal with them before they are able to do harm.

Response by SPC David S. made Sep 13 at 2015 10:13 PM

2015-09-13T22:13:03-04:00

11 years in a federal prison - sleep tight sweet cheeks.