Two California men tried for attempting to join IS

Los Angeles / AFP

Two California men went on trial on charges of conspiring to join the IS group for which they allegedly hoped to die as martyrs.
Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both 25 and from Anaheim, were arrested in May of last year by federal agents when Elhuzayel attempted to board a plane in Los Angeles to travel to Turkey to join the terror network, authorities say.
In her opening statement, federal prosecutor Deirdre Eliot told jurors that the two men were obsessed with militants in Iraq and Syria and shared photos on social media of beheadings of “unbelievers.” “You’ll see death and destruction are their goals and they are drawn to the fight,” the prosecutor said.
Badawi’s attorney acknowledged that her client’s behavior may have been “un-American” and “repulsive” but said he did not intend to carry out any attacks.
“My client was a lot of talk and absolutely no action,” Kate Corrigan told the court.
She added that Badawi had been duped by Elhuzayel into lending the latter money for the plane ticket to travel overseas and realize his wish to fight for IS.
“What this case is about … is my client trusted a liar—the co-defendant,” Corrigan said.
Elhuzayel’s attorney for his part called for the charges against his client to be dropped, arguing that at the time of Ehuzayel’s arrest, the IS was not yet considered a terrorist organization by the United states.
“If they’re not on the list, then he can’t be guilty,” Pal Lengyel-Leahu said, adding that Elhuzayel’s postings on social media were nothing more than “cheerleading” and were protected under free speech.
‘Disillusioned kids’
He told AFP that his client had purchased a one-way ticket to Israel—with a layover in Turkey—as he planned to get married there.
“We have a lot of disillusioned kids who turn to sex, drugs or alcohol,” Lengyel-Leahu said in court. “Nader turned to religion.”
The trial is expected to last about a month with dozens of witnesses set to testify.