Mohamad Jamal Khweis, from Virginia, has been sentenced to 20 Years in federal prison. The Department of Justice announced his sentencing last Friday.
Khweis, 28, was convicted back in June of providing a foreign terrorist organization with material support. He was accused of traveling to Syria in December 2015, with the purpose of joining the Islamic State. He spent more than two months with ISIS in Syria.
While in Syria, Khweis took in lectures and watched a number of military videos. he also gave money to ISIS members. Not only that, but he was willing to be a suicide bomber for ISIS.
He actually signed a form stating he would be willing.
Khweis intended to join ISIS
Andrew W. Vale, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington field office said Khweis purposefully went to Syria with the intent to join the terrorist group. He added that Khweis wanted to support ISIS' efforts to conduct attacks in order to further their radical ideology. Vale said Khweis recognized that ISIS uses violence in order to expand its caliphate, and he was willing to serve as a suicide bomber.
Regretted joining ISIS
Apparently, Khweis regretted his decision to join ISIS. After spending time in Syria, he was sent to an area of Iraq that was under the control of ISIS. In March 2016, he turned himself over to Iraqi Kurdish Forces.
He said that he regretted joining the terrorist group.
After surrendering, Khweis spoke with Kurdistan 24 and told them he made a bad decision. He added that he wasn't thinking straight when he went to Syria to join ISIS. He said on the way there, he wanted to go home after things didn't work out. Khweis also mentioned how he was disenchanted with the way of life for a militant in ISIS.
Khweis' days consisted of eating, praying and learning about the religion. He said he didn't agree with ISIS' ideology and he didn't complete the entire Sharia. He said that was when he decided he wanted to escape.
However, the DOJ said that Khweis admitted to lying about his involvement with ISIS. He admitted lying to U.S.
officials during cross-examination. Khweis allegedly told officials that he omitted information about another American who received training from ISIS to conduct an attack in America. Dana Boente, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said evidence demonstrated that Khweis was unpredictable and dangerous. He added that Khweis was radicalized towards violent jihad.
